Spring:
A two-day trek on the Parma Apennines between the first blooms of spring and pastures of wild horses. The route will cross one of the most evocative corners of the Regional Park of the Hundred Lakes, inside the National Park of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines, to discover the now extinct lakes of glacial origin and the expanses of primroses and crocuses that color the last tongues of snow. Four lakes that rest in enchanted basins, this is the kingdom of newts, but also of foxes, wolves and night birds of prey that will lull us during the night in a real mountain refuge, a wooden house set in the woods on the shore of the lake. It almost seems to have stumbled into a fairy tale, but the excellent dishes prepared by the manager will bring us back to reality; here everything is carried with a backpack, there are no access roads, there is no electricity, and the water must be collected from the spring that flows among beech trunks not far from the refuge. You can breathe the scent of wood and home, but already in the morning we will have to greet him to reach the summit. We will meet forgotten boundary stones, screes and glacial moraines to get to the ridge where on clear days you can enjoy a boundless view over the Lunigiana up to the Gulf of La Spezia and the Ligurian Sea. From here going down through woods of ancient charcoal burners we will return to the sources of the Enza Torrent from which the homonymous valley starts and following the course of the canyon dug by the water but keeping in altitude we will reach Rigoso, the highest village of Parma where we will enjoy a typical lunch based on local products. A quiet digestive walk on the path that used children until the early ‘900 to go to school in the nearby village with a visit to the Chapel of San Rocco and San Sebastiano recently renovated, protectors of pilgrims and the plague, to return to the village to greet us after a nice sip of spring water to the fountain of the Cortesi.

Program:
Day 1
Our excursion will begin in Rigoso, an ancient border village between Emilia and Tuscany where stories of knights and smugglers are intertwined. The walk will take us to the shores of Lake Squincio, one of the 19 lakes of the Park, where during lunch there will be environmental interpretation activities to rediscover the strong bond that unites us to nature. We continue our journey to reach Lake Paduli on the Passo del Lagastrello from which the Enza is born, a torrent that divides the provinces of Parma and Reggio Emilia. Reached the Refuge City of Sarzana we will have time to relax on the shores of Lake Monte Acuto before an excellent dinner restaurant. A pleasant night walk to listen to the sounds of the night and the life that animates the darkness of the forest will mark the epilogue of the day before falling asleep.
Length 7 km
Difference in altitude +570 m -100 m
Duration 6 hours (stops included)

Day 2
Leaving the refuge at the first light of dawn we will climb the panoramic Monte Acuto 1756m where, with a bit of luck, our gaze will range from the Lunigiana to the Ligurian Sea. In this charming atmosphere we will enjoy a rich breakfast in full contact with nature. We continue our journey through pastures of wild horses and beech woods until we reach Lake Paludi. The route will take us to pass near a plateau full of trees with twisted and intricate branches nicknamed by the local “Forest of the witches”, where we will live perhaps the most engaging experience of our trek. Through Emotional Wilderness activities a strong bond with the natural world will be created. Once you reach the Lagastrello Pass, you will be short of time to enjoy a lavish lunch at a typical trattoria in Rigoso where you will find delicious Parmesan cuisine.
Length 9 km
Elevation gain +260 m -730 m
Duration 6 hours (stops included)