Pecoraro-Lu Bellu
Linear route in the heart of the Serre that combines natural beauty with important evidence of a “minor” history made up of ancient crafts. A path that will reveal a deep connection between man and nature.
Route info
MUNICIPALITIES AFFECTED: Mongiana (VV), Serra San Bruno (VV), Stilo (RC)
DEPARTURE: ANAS Cantoniera di Pecoraro, S.S. 110, Stilo (RC)
ARRIVAL: Casermetta Lu Bellu, Serra San Bruno (VV)
ROUTE TIME: about 3 hours
DISTANCE: 7.5 km
DEVELOPMENT: 357 m
MAXIMUM ALTITUDE: 1,417 m above sea level.
MINIMUM ALTITUDE: 1,060 m above sea level.
DIFFICULTY: medium
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Description
A linear and easy itinerary, particularly up to “Pietra de lu Moru,” thanks to a minimal elevation gain.
We start from the grassy clearing behind the Anas di Pecoraro roadhouse on the SS 110 to Stilo.
We proceed on a natural-bottomed road through beech and fir woods, ignoring the detours we will gradually encounter.
The road, mostly on level ground, faces slight climbs and passes through a series of depressions.
After about an hour and a half we will find ourselves in one of these elongated clearings and looking closely, on the left, we will be able to see the snowfields, the icehouses of the past and, just beyond, a large fir tree partially charred on whose trunk are affixed three crosses: we are in the locality “Cruci di l’Allampatu.” The place, also through a commemorative plaque, remembers three lumberjacks who died here on June 4, 1916 due to a lightning strike.
NEVIERE
On hot summer days what could be better than consuming an iced drink, enjoying ice cream or a “scirubetta”: crushed ice with flavors such as coffee or lemon. This was the way it was for our grandparents, too. There used to be niveras in the woods, huge holes, now almost unnoticeable, often lined with stone, isolated, in which large amounts of snow were piled in winter. The bottom of the nivera was sprinkled with twigs, reeds or rushes so as to prevent the ice from touching the ground.
The snow was pressed down until it formed a series of ice sheets a few tens of centimeters across, each separated from the others by a small layer of straw or ferns. The insulated snow could thus last a long time. The finished product was cut into blocks with saws or hatchets and used either as a coolant or for food purposes
PETTIROSSO
Delightful little bird distinctive for its chest covered in reddish feathers and for its song: a cascade of crystalline notes that resonates all year round and will accompany us along the way.
Although the robin is small in size, it is known for its swaggering behavior.
Coniferous forests are its natural habitat, but it is also often found in gardens, hedgerows and thickets.
It nests in holes or splits in trees, at the foot of hedges and in ivy. The nest is shaped like a perfectly round cup. It is insectivorous and generally feeds on the ground. During autumn and into spring it also consumes many berries and small fruits.
BOURBON WATCHTOWER
Just before reaching the “Pietra de lu Moru,” a short digression to the left allows one to admire a watchtower from the Bourbon period that stands on a conical peak covered with white fir regeneration.
Like all constructions of this type, its purpose was to provide a high and safe place where a sentinel or guard could keep an eye on the surrounding territory.
The pyramid-shaped structure incorporated granite rock into its base, a fine example, then, of how in the past foundations were offered stability by using indigenous materials with the added benefit of low environmental impact.
LU MORU STONE
Serra San Bruno is known for its beautiful churches and stately mansions, built by local craftsmen using natural resources such as granite. The forests are dotted with these fascinating formations, and on our route we will be able to admire one that in the past was used as a quarry for extraction and processing. The main element of the quarry reaches about 7 m, and it is still possible to see the carvings and wedges placed to separate one cut from the other. If the place has intrigued us almost at the end of the trail (there is a special sign), immersed in the forest, a second quarry, “La Petra di l’Ammienzu,” will give us another glimpse of the processing of this material.