Hiking to the ancient Masi, traditional mountain houses

We will walk on the Masi road along the Noce stream of Val de la Mare to discover how people lived in the past

• Place: Cogolo 
• Duration: 2,5 h – half day 
• Distance: about 8 km. 
• Starting level: 1,175 m. a.s.l. (Kristiania) 
• Arrival level: 1,400 m. a.s.l. (Fratta Piana)   
• Elevation gain: 236 m. 
• Elevation loss: 236 m. 
• Lunch: not expected – return to the hotel 
• Extra costs: no

Route:

Starting from the hotel, you can walk along the river in search of small berries and beautiful flowers. If you are lucky enough, you can see a small squirrel jumping from one branch to another. Follow the main road of the Val de la Mare to the big hydroelectric power plant, the most beautiful in Italy. Take the dirt road on the right along the Noce River. Little by little, while you are climbing, the sound of water gets louder; let’s stop and listen to it. Along the trail, we will see several typical masi. In Fratta Piana, you can stop along the river, regain your strength and relax while sipping some fresh water. Then we will leave again for the hotel, crossing the river and keeping our eyes wide open…

Curiosity:

The Maso, in dialect “màs”, is a typical rural house of the valley. Usually it includes a barn, stables and a small room where food was cooked and cheese was prepared. The building is mainly made of wood. The Maso is surrounded by meadows intended for mowing or grazing.