Abbadia di Fiastra
Abbadia di Fiastra - Photo © =aldo=
A visit to Riserva naturale is a
unique and unforgettable experience thanks to its harmonious landscape,
the sounds in the air, and the colors characterizing each season. The
territory has been miraculously preserved.
"Living" the reserve means to discover its most concealed and
interesting secrets through the number of possibilities which are
offered to those who want to relax and at the same time carry out a
cultural visit. You can go along the paths on foot or by bike, and there
are the so-called "sentieri natura" for which special guides - also
sensorial, like audiocassettes and tactile maps - are available in the
Visitor Center.
Sentiero Natura "La Selva"
The itinerary consists of seven rest points, and its aim is to show the different aspects of the wood: you start by observing from the outside which kind of vegetation is the wood made of in the area between the trees and the cultivated fields; then you go on along a path going through the whole Selva, where you can find the traces left by men during the last century, like the pheasant breeding and the ornamental evergreens. The last part of the itinerary shows the most natural side of the wood and the dynamics of vegetation, like the development of high-trunk trees which are replacing the deciduous wood.
Sentiero Natura "Il lago Le Vene"
Abbadia di Fiastra - Photo © =aldo=
The path crosses the agricultural territory
between the Selva and the river Fiastra. The morphology of this
area is mainly due to the action of the river which is shaping the
landscape since the Quaternary period.
This itinerary allows to observe a peculiar kind of wood, which is similar to the Selva as far as its structure is concerned, but which reminds the ancient forests which covered this valley in the past for the presence of some species such as the field maple and the elm. Moreover, the itinerary can be considered among the best ones for the faunistic observation, since three different environments come here together: the cultivated fields, the river, and the wood.
Along the path there is the "Casino del Principe", an evidence of the period when the Abbadia was a hunting reserve; following the course of the river Fiastra, the river ecosystem with its typical riparian vegetation; finally, the lake "Le Vene", a former gravel quarry which has been subject to a careful project of environmental restoration since the establishment of the Reserve. Here it is possible to watch interesting species of migratory birds such as the grey heron, the little egret, the coot, the little grebe, and nesting species like the kingfisher and the moorhen.
The path continues in the Selva, it goes along an interesting farmhouse, and it gets to the "Pignolara", a pine wood of artificial origins, and finally it gets to the Abbey.
Sensorial Itinerary "Il bosco e il fiume"
Abbadia di Fiastra - Photo © =aldo=
In the sensorial itinerary, the discovery of nature is carried out not only through the sense of sight, but also through the hearing, the touch, and the smell. All the obstacles have been eliminated from the path, to make it accessible to everyone. It develops in the plain and it takes about 30 minutes.
The ground is made with pressed gravel and it is delimited by a fence in order to guarantee a safe visit.
Along the way, six stops are used to talk about the history of the territory, the hedges, the riparian vegetation, the river Fiastra, the white poplar, and the importance of the dead trees.
Cycling Routes
The bike is a particularly suitable means of transport if you want to discover the environmental values of the Riserva naturale. There are two main itineraries:
- the "Brancorsina" route (12,5 km), which follows entirely the
road and it enables to enjoy the view of the valleys of the Chienti
and of the Fiastra by visiting historical sites;
- the "Castello di Villamagna" route (12,8 km), more suitable for mountain-bikes, since it is characterized by rather steep uphill paths.
Moreover, it is possible to link the two itineraries, going through the "Grande anello dell'Abbadia" (24 km), which offers a view of the whole area.
Courtesy of Riserva naturale statale Abbadia di Fiastra
© 1997-2010 Enrico Massetti
TangoItalia - Food, Wine, Travel, and... tango in Italy.
Visit Marche:
Marches one page
Mount Conero
Fabriano
Pesaro-Urbino
Pesaro-Urbino art
- food
Urbino-Montefeltro
Valmarecchia food
formaggio di fossa
Fiastra Abbey
Ascoli Piceno
- Carnival
Ascoli History:
- Piceno capital
- the Roman Age
- the Longobards
Marche Castles:
Gradara
Gradara history
Gradara legend
San Leo
San Leo legend
San Leo history
Wine trails:
Verd. Matelica
Verdicchio di Jesi
- Cupramontana
- Montecarotto
- Morro D'Alba
- Poggio Marcello
-
S. Paolo Di Jesi
- Staffolo