Trekking along the routes of the Apuan Alps
The ring of Mount Forato is one of the most fascinating routes offered by the Apuan Alps, an evocative ring itinerary that winds among mountain ridges and thick forests. Trekking beginners do not have to fear because the trails are well marked and always edited by CAI (Italian Alpine Club) and Ente Parco Apuane (Apuan Park Institution). The travel time (round trip) is about 5 hours with a difference in altitude of 700 meters.
The itinerary starts from the parking of Fornovolasco (480 m), on the confluence of the three streams that form the Turrite di Gallicano. The town was founded in the 600s by a community of blacksmiths from Brescia who set up furnaces and forges there to process iron ores extracted from nearby mines of Trimpello, now in disuse.
After passing the peculiar stony arched (donkey’s back shaped) small bridge, we take CAI path no. 6 which, shortly, reaches the road leading to the “Grotta del Vento” (Wind Cave) and continues on a nice mule track touching the “Tana che Urla” (the Screaming Nest), a beautiful cave crossed by an underground river that only speleologist can access.
Always continuing on CAI 6, we will run along the Turrite up to the spring located near the ruins of the Chiesaccia, an ancient hospital surrounded by an air of mystery. The climb is now more challenging, until we reach Foce di Petrosciana, an important mountain pass that connects Fornovolasco and Stazzema.
From Foce di Petrosciana, the path CAI 110, for expert hikers, passes the Ferrata R. Salvatori iron path, and runs almost ridge up to the huge arch of Mount Forato (1223 m). The alternative to path 110, classified EE (expert hikers), is given by trail sign CAI 131 which descends to Casa del Monte.
From here, to reach Mount Forato, we take, uphill, trail sign CAI 12, that with a short but hard climb, takes us directly to the Arco pass (1223 m). Returning to Casa del Monte, we continue to descend along trail sign 12 until we intercept again CAI 6 path and close the ring.
