In recent years, the Bucamante waterfalls have become a very popular place to visit in our Apennines and in the Serramazzoni area.
Walking along the path, you will understand why.
Contact with nature, the beauty of the waterfalls, and the sense of freshness they give are just some of the reasons that make this place special.
The circular route proposed here starts directly from the centre of Serramazzoni.
Taking the scenic road out of the town, in just 4 km you will reach the small village of Monfestino.
The hamlet and its castle are important evidence of the history of the Serramazzoni area, in both civil and administrative terms.
It is not sure exactly when the castle was built; however, the oldest part of the fortress, which in ancient times comprised a high, square tower surrounded by mighty walls, undoubtedly served as an outpost to defend the “Castro Feroniano” and the mountainous territories under it, which, at the time, were subjected to the Church and the Exarchate of Ravenna. The fortress helped to delay Longobard penetration into the area for about two hundred years.
Even though you cannot go through the gates of this beautifully preserved fortress, you can admire its round towers and mighty walls, walking along the beautiful green trail alongside it. Carrying on still further, you will be able to admire the views over the highest peaks in the Apennines.
In the little church of Monfestino, which dates back to 1304, there is a 17th-century painting of St. Giovita, with the village and castle of Monfestino in the background.
Continuing along the itinerary, you will come to the Bucamante waterfalls.
The narrow valley of the ‘Bucamante’, enclosed between Monfestino and Mount Cornazzano, is one of the most significant natural areas of this part of the Apennines; and it is here that the Bucamante mountain stream, a tributary of the River Tiepido, begins its course.
The Bucamante Waterfalls are extremely beautiful and make an ideal walking or trekking destination suitable for all, reached by paths that start from Granarolo or Monfestino.
Deep in the woods and surrounded by dense vegetation consisting of hornbeams, maples, dogwoods, laburnums and oaks, you come to the waterfalls, or rather a series of medium-sized cascades.
The microclimate is also perfect for orchids, peonies, wild peas, knotted cranesbill, ivy and old man’s beard, which makes the woodland even more impenetrable with its twining tendrils.
Lastly, “the Bucamante waterfalls” are the setting of the tragic legend which tells of the thwarted love affair between a shepherd and the daughter of a dignitary of the Podestà of Monfestino.
Continuing along the path that runs alongside the waterfalls, you will come back to the starting point.
