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Horse-riding, mountain-biking and para-gliding |
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In the hills and lower mountains, all
walking routes are equally suitable for mountain bikes and horses.
The most old-fashioned means of transport, are now very much
back in vogue, in response to the need for quiet and contact with
the environment which has led those most aware of the relationship
between man and nature to make an apparent return to the past
- although there is really a large dose of re-invention involved.
Today, the rediscovery of a slower means of transport is linked
to a new mentality, which appreciates slowness because it allows
us to observe the landscape and environmental features which speed
forces us to ignore. Traditionally the status symbol of the wealthy,
horses are now accessible to more and more people, and there has
been a corresponding boom in tourism on horseback, aided by the
growth in the number of farmhouses offering accommodation for
riders and their steeds. The last few years has seen a rapid
rise in the trend towards farmhouses offering hospitality, as
farmers in remote areas have turned their out of the way locations
to their advantage by providing walkers, riders or cyclists food
and bed and breakfast. This benefits both sides; for the wayfarers
the farms provide the same service as mountain refuges, and the
farmers themselves protect and maintain the environment.
![]() Bikes can be hired in most resorts of any size, and many visitors also bring their own two wheels with them. There are a wide range of possible itineraries, running along riverbanks and watercourses, through national parks (such as the Percorso Belvedere, which crosses the Parco dei Sassi di Roccamalatina), or along the paths way-marked by the C.A.I. (using red and white stripes with numbers in black) or the G.E.A. (the triangle identifying the main long-distance walks). A careful look at the C.A.I. walkers' maps and guides will soon reveal the routes which are not too risky or strenuous - some paths, particularly along the main mountain ridge, are best enjoyed on foot. The increasing interest in hang-gliding and para-gliding has led to the establishment of a para-gliding school, based at Pian del Falco (Sestola), with Monte Calvanella as its main launch site. |
© 1997 - Provincia di Modena - Made by
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