From Passo del Lupo, the ski centre
above Sestola, a cable-car carries visitors to Pian Cavallaro
(1861 metres). From here, the climb to the top of Monte Cimone
(2165 metres) is not very hard. First, a well walked section
of path 441 leads to Buca del Cimone (1966 metres). Then path
439 takes us to the junction with path 447, which brings us to
the top in just a few minutes. The peak itself is marred by the
Airforce Weather Observatory, but on particularly clear days the
view from the Tyrrhenian Sea in the South West to the Alps in
the North is breathtaking. Even in hazy conditions, the panorama
stretches from the towns on the edge of the Po Valley to the Apuan
Alps and right along the Apennine Ridge from the province of Bologna
to that of Reggio Emilia. Path 485 leads down the other side
of the mountain to path 449, which quickly returns to the chair-lift.
At many points on this walk, one may catch glimpses of marmots,
which live on Monte Cimone in large colonies. They are quite
used to people, but the sentinel of each group still gives a piercing
whistle of alarm at the approach of intruders, and this tells
the walker that marmots are close at hand. They can often be
picked out by the trained eye, although their coats offer excellent
camouflage amongst the mountain rocks.
|