THE NATURALISTIC PATHS: BREGONZE
Who walks regularly among the amazing hills of Bregonze, situated in the area of the districts of Carrè, Chiuppano, Zugliano, Calvene and Lugo of Vicenza, can observe how much they are frequented.
Early in the morning, during the afternoon and in particular in the week-end you will see people walking, running, going out for a walk with their family, enjoying the view riding on horseback, sometimes you will also see school-children accompanied by their teachers and by any experts…
In fact the hill with its environment is a “good” even more craved. The hills are valuable for their landscape and nature. Thanks to the nature of the volcanic substrate that lied down on soft humps and soft features over millenniums, the landscape is always open and airy, the slopes are large and sunny. Only the bottom of the short valleys reserves very picturesque spots of shadow. The summits of the humps are pleasantly bright and open on the Val D’Astico and on the high plain of area around Vicenza.
The hills are enjoyable in all seasons, except in high summer, when the temperatures are too elevated.
We show you in succession some possible ways.
From Oltrastico to Ca’ Vecia through Rosa district
The north-eastern side of Bregonze dips quite steeply down to the River Astico, it is carved by the two deep cracks of Valdaro and Val de Onéo. However slight districts have settled themselves on the thin crags among the crests or inside the valleys in a good panoramic position.
They are: Santa Maria (also called Sanguanin), Lazzarini, Rosa, Cerchiarolla.
Over these districts the versants subside on the calm outline of the humps’ summits. The way we suggest you (and that takes three hours or a little more) touches two of these districts and comes finally up to Cà Vecia, on the top of the hills.
Considering the morphology of this side, the lowest part of the way is steep and characterized by narrow horizons, the second is on the contrary calmer and airy.
From Alpini’s Bridge on River Astico (along the Lugo-Calvene street) you move to Oltrastico (altitude 156). Here take Lazzarini street, near the dairy. The dairy that represents a recollection of a time in which in Oltrastico existed the cattle-breeding, shows a beautiful icon of the Virgin on the side of the street and along the slope you see the ordered arches of its windows.
You go rapidly up through kitchen gardens and meadows: down runs the River Astico and you can see Calvene at the mouth of Ciavona; on the very right you can observe the crown of the Lugo’s parish and the ridge of Volpente that raises by degree toward Mount San Pietro. You enter then in Valdaro going through a shady acacia and chestnut wood. After the last bend you notice the houses of Lazzarini district. The oldest buildings reveal the original masonry made up of bricks and black basalt. Basalt is the volcanic rock typical of this places and it constitutes the skeleton of Bregonze.
The narrow way you have just gone along finishes now. Turning left at the first house you take the grassy pathway that in a short time brings you to the Rosa district (altitude 270). This small and tidy district is located on a hillock turned in airy position to the River Astico. The way rises beyond the houses and the slope becomes calmer. On the right over Valdaro you can see the white houses of Santa Maria and the tiny bell-tower; the horizon is closed at the top by edge of Pian di Marola, that is the highest part of the hill-complex.
The white road, that presents hedges on its sides, enters into the ridge between Valdaro (on the right) and Val de Onéo (on the left) passing through fields and vineyards. The hills’ scenery becomes various and pleasant.
You find now another stretch. When you notice a junction with a private house stay on the right and walk up to the top: you’re welcomed by a farmhouse, fresh meadows and vineyards held in the traditional way, that is vines supported by cherry-trees.
It is a pleasure to come here in April, at the moment of their blossoming. Going further you arrive at Zugliano-Cà Vecia road(346 altitude). You will follow this road.
Now you cross the southern side of Mount Grumo. You catch sight of the soft outlines of Bregonze that shades to the plain through meadows on bumps and small valleys with woods. So you reach Cà Vecia (altitude 386). This place is a cross-road for who wishes to reach the surrounding towns: Marola, Chiuppano, Carrè, Centrale.
You can come back through the previous way; who is a little bit more expert of hikes(a little bit over the cross-road just found, at altitude 346) can go down to the left through “Strada del Musso”, an historical grassy and panoramic way, it is situated on the ridge between Zugliano and Lugo; when you reach the Baldi locality you go down to Oltrastico walking through Cerchiarolla district.
.
From Centrale to Ca’ Vecia through Igna Valley and Tavanai district
This way takes an half day.
The valley of the Steam Igna is the most various and articulate valley of the south versant of Bregonze. This valley arose on the versants of Mount Grumo Alto (altitude 388) and it goes down open to the sun to the town of Centrale. Here the Steam Igna leaves the hills.
The itinerary stars from Centrale near the old dairy of the town (altitude 180). You go along the old military way that was built during the Great War, in the moment in which after the offensive known as Punitive Expedition (1916), the Austro-Hungarians had stopped on the Mount Cimone near Arsiero and threatened the Val D’Astio area. For this reason it was necessary to fortify the summit of Bregonze on purpose to arrest a possible new attack from the Austrians against the plain. This is the reason why quick roads were built in this area. The road preserves nowadays long paved tracts.
If you go further on a very light slope you see that the valley opens on the meadows, showing the Morti Capital. On the left you admire the water of River Igna. Going further you arrive at the area of Fontanèle. Inhabitants of Centrale and Thiene went here long time ago to drink the ferruginous water flowing from the steam’s gravel-bed. This water remains still fresh also in long dry spell. You walk up to Prà Largo going through acacia, elder, alder and rows woods; here Igna valley meets Spìllere valley. These meadows become particularly bright at the middle of April, when the yellow colour of rape and taraxacum appears.
After the Igna’s bridge the road goes up to the Tavani’s bridge (altitude 248) built in military style al well. Nearby there’s the fountain of the omonimous district, where in a previous time the women came with several baskets in order to do the washing.
After the bridge you walk on the road that extends, after some turnings through fields and small walls, to the houses of Tavani (altitude295) . You reach the Capital of the district taking a lane among houses and cowsheds; you go up then to the recent residences in Costa Diana. The view is wide on west where you see the near Hill Fratta and you notice in the distance the Mount Summano and the Astico Valley. You arrive at the Fratta-Cà Vecia road and then you take the small way that brings you to Casa Dal Bianco and to Pon di Chiuppano district passing through fields and airy meadows.
Our way makes now a detour on right, avoiding the houses, to the meadows of Roccolo Moschéle. It rises near the old elementary school of Marola and near the partisan cippus in Brigata Mameli. Moschéle is one of the most important bird-net with decoys in the area of Bregonze also because it has a favourable position Today this is a birdwatching site. Taking now the way to Cà Vecia on the right, you walk on one of the most open and panoramic summits of Bregonze: there is a wide view on the south versant of “Sette Comuni” (at the back) and on the Val d’Astico hills (on the right). So that you arrive to Cà Vecia (altitude 386) the most famous tavern of the hill. It was a place of meeting for the local peasants, but always for the young people that came here to dance at the folk-parties. From this point you can admire the plain around Vicenza toward the southern declavities of Bregonze slope down.
From CàVecia you go down to Centrale passing through Rua district and Villa Rospigliosi (today called Divin Maestro’s House).