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The
Upper Nure Valley
The Nure is a 80km long river
that begins near Selva (northern Italy) and flows into Po River.
Near its source there are some interesting places: small
glacial-originated lakes, peat bogs, thick woods and beautiful
mountains.
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1. Lake
Moo
The Lake Moo (1106 mt. above sea level) actually is more
a large grass field than a lake; during the summer it is can
become a quite harsh place. The flora includes species of Juncus,
Equisetum, the rare Aconitum variegatum and the
water lily Numphar luteum (Although it it not as
diffused as into Lake Bino).
In spring and summer it is easy to see horses that graze
in the wide field; you can get quite close, but pay always a
bit of attention to don't bother them.
The winter magically changes its look. The autumnal rains
have raised the water level...it is still quite small, I bet
that it is less than two meters depth and not more than 500
mt. wide, but it looks much nicer.
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In December an January the surface of the
lake is completely iced and the snow covers everything; this
combination of elements offers a lot of possibilities to the
photographer. The transparencies and the reflections of the
ice are a fascinating subject, in particular if you combine
them with the snow, the trees or the yellow reeds (this
plant is very common at Lake Moo and it occupies a wide area
of the lake). Some shrubs are completely covered by snow and
they look like abstract sculptures.
On the north-east of the lake there is a
small stream that enters into the wood. If you follow it for
10-20 meters, you see some waterfalls; though they are quite
small (near 1mt high), they can be an interesting subject,
in particular when the ice creates long, transparent
stalactites and other unusual structures.
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2. Lake Bino
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The Lake Bino (1298 mt, near 1 hour of walk
from Lake Moo,) is characterized by the presence of the
Yellow Water Lily (Nuphar luteum); between July and
August the lake is covered by the nice flowers of this
plant.
Near the lake there is wide grass field, a
very good place for macro photo: you can observe a lot of
flowers, butterflies and many other insects, as the weird
Italian Ascalaphid (Libelloides coccajus), an insect
that looks like a cross between a butterfly and a dragonfly.
The small stream that cross the field host tritons and other
amphibians; if you follow it for 300-400 meters, you will
reach a fresh (and potable) water source.
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3. Mount Nero and Lake Nero
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The area of Mt. Nero is very interesting for
the naturalist due the presence of rare and peculiar plants.
It is possible to observe the Abies alba and the Pinus
montana, a conifer that grows on rocky and gravely
environments.
You can see various species of orchids, as Dactylorhiza
sambucina (present with both its yellow and red
"variety"), Pseudorchis albida, Epipogium
aphyllum (very rare), Epipactis palustris and
many others.
Near the base of Mt. Nero, at an altitude of
1450 mt., there is the small Lake Nero, that contains some
species of fishes and amphibians (Rana temporaria,
Triturus vulgaris, Salamandra salamandra). The flora
near the lake comprise many species of Juncus and Carex.
Into some of the peat bogs of this area it
is possible to find the minute Round-leaved Sundew (Drosera
rotundifolia), a rare and fascinating carnivorous plant.
The sundew captures small insects with is sticky tentacles
to absorb nitrogenous matter; this ability allows to the
plant to live on soils poor of nutrient.
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4. Panoramic Points
Though almost all mountains offer a nice
view, a couple of them are particularly
"panoramic". You can use every lens, from wide
angle to tele, to capture spectacular sceneries or the
isolate interesting details of the landscape.
4.1 Mt. Groppo Rosso
In my opinion, this is one of the most beautiful
mountains of the Upper Nure Valley. The east side is covered
by woods; the west side, instead, is an almost-vertical rock
wall. From the top (1593 mt.) you can see the mounts of the
Aveto Valley and many mountain town (the largest one,
St.Stefano, is a particularly good subject). Note: when you
are on the top, pay a little of attention, do not get too
close to the steep wall.
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4.2 Mt. Maggiorasca
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The Maggiorasca (1796 mt) is the highest
mount of the Nure Valley and it offers a 360 degrees
panoramic view. In some limpid days, you can even see the
Sea of Liguria and the cities of the coast!
It is also a good place for night photography, the
illuminated towns are a fascinating view.
The top of the mount is covered by a grass
field (you can camp there, even though it is not very
comfortable due to the cold wind that often blows during the
night). On the west side of the top there is a radio
repeater; on the east side, instead, there is a statue of
Our Lord of Guadalupe and some benches, where you can sit
and admire the landscape.
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5. Refuges
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If you plan to spend more than one day in
the field, the refuges are a conformable alternative to the
tent. In the Upper Nure Valley there are four refuges; they
are always open.
Refuge Astass is placed on Mt. Roncalla, at
20 minutes of walk from the top of the Mount Groppo Rosso.
Capanna Rossetti is placed in a wide grass
field known as "Prato Cipolla"; it is the largest
one of the four refuges and it is also the only one that has
a source of water (the source is few meters from the
refuge).
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On the path to Mt. Nero, at the altitude of
1580 meters, there is Bivacco Sacchi; it is a small
structure that can accommodate six persons; it has a water
source, but it is not reliable (during the summer it might
dry).
The "Refuge Mt.Bue" is not
accessible, but it is a good place for photos. Actually, it
is not a refuge: it is an hotel that was built in late
sixteens together with the chair-lift. After some years it
ceased its activity and nowadays it is completely abandoned
and ruined. Of course, it can not defined "nice",
but it has a fascinating "dark" mood, and
atmosphere of devastation and mistery.
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6. Useful Informations
How to reach: The Nure Valley is in the
north-east of Italy. You can reach Piacenza with the motorways A1
(from Brescia or Torino) or A21 (from Milan or Rome). From Piacenza,
take the highway SS 654 to reach Ferriere or Selva.
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| Italy |
Nure Valley |
Upper Nure
Valley |
Where to stay: if you want to visit Lake Moo
and Lake Bino, you can sojourn at Ferriere (there are a couple of
hotels and a camping site). The Hotel "Lago Nero", near
Selva, if the best place to stay if you plant to explore the Mt.Nero
area, the Mt. Maggiorasca and Mt. Groppo Rosso.
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