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The ancient Trades Path

Sover, Faver, Grauno, Grumes, Valda

Category

Difficulty

Intermediate

Duration

6:00

in hours

Distance

13.3

in km

Suggested period

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Description Details Turn-by-turn directions How to get there Equipment

The 'Sentiero dei Vecchi Mestieri' (Old Trades Trail) follows ancient paths that have linked the two sides of Valle di Cembra from time immemorial.

Whereas the existence of such paths helps explain, for instance, why in the past young people from Sover frequently ended up marrying young people from Grauno or Grumes, the presence of paths across the 'Dossone di Cembra' (i.e. the ridge separating Valle di Cembra from Valle dell'Adige) paved the way for seasonal workers to descend to the Unterland/Bassa Atesina (the area around Auer/Ora, Neumarkt/Egna and Salurn/Salorno). A road system that seemed irretrievably lost following the 1966 flood and is now the focus of a comprehensive recovery programme. The walk restores the ethnographic fabric of the upper valley through artefacts and factories that in some cases remained in operation until the 1950s: the lime kilns, certainly not easy to find in a geological framework dominated at all levels by Permian porphyry, the mills driven by the diversion of important watercourses, and the forges where metal and textiles were worked. The naturalistic component is equally noteworthy. The Avisio gorge in this section has a high degree of naturalness.

Further information and useful links

Ufficio Turistico Cembra - Tel. +39 0461 683110 - info@visitvaldicembra.it – www.visitvaldicembra.it

Tags

Linear route
Scenic
Geological highlights
Fauna
Insider tip
Refreshment stops available
Cultural/historical interest
Flora

Route data

Intermediate

Distance

13,3 km

Duration

6 h 00 min

Ascent

836 m

Decent

810 m

Physical condition

Scenary

Highest point

988 m

Lowest point

599 m

Safety guidelines

THE 10 RULES FOR HIKERS

Prepare your itinerary beforehand
Choose an itinerary that suits your physical abilities
Choose suitable clothes and equipment
Check the weather forecast
Hiking by yourself is more risky; if this is the case, take a mobile phone with you
Leave information about your itinerary and your expected return time
If you are not sure about your itinerary, contact an Alpine Guide
Pay attention to signposts and directions that you find along your way
Do not hesitate in going back if you feel too tired
In case of emergency call 112

Starting point

Grauno

Directions

From Grauno one descends to the Avisio torrent, first on comfortable roads, then on paths through a wild and fascinating landscape. In years gone by, this road was used by the inhabitants of Grauno to cultivate their land almost up to the banks of the Avisio torrent. Also notable were the passages for small trade exchanges with Sover, Montesover and Piscine, or purely for visits of friendship or kinship. These contacts were interrupted in 1966 when a flood swept away the bridge connecting the two banks of the Avisio, and only in 2009, with its reconstruction, were they able to resume (Pont da la Rio). From the small Maso dei Molini, just on the opposite side of the Avisio torrent, turning left, one can then follow the 'Sentiero dei vecchi mestieri' (Old Trades Trail). This is a very suggestive path, which runs for a long stretch alongside the torrent, to arrive at Maso Pianacci; from here you climb up a steep little road to Piscine. From here, it is possible to reach Sover by following the dirt road (percorso vita) which branches off in the lower part of the village, or by following the provincial road, then descending again to Molini. Crossing the bridge over the Avisio again, you reach Maso La Rio, and continuing along another stretch of the 'Sentiero dei vecchi mestieri' (old trades trail), which takes you back up to Grauno. From Maso La Rio, one encounters the ruins of mills that have been in disuse since the 1960s; the recently restored 'blacksmith's forge' as well as the 'Venetian-style sawmill' located alongside the former state road. Further up is the 'Cristofori mill', from where you can return to Grauno in a few minutes. Unforgettable are the views of the landscape that can be admired along this route.

How to get there

By car: From south or north, on the A22 Brennero motorway, leave the motorway at the Trento Nord exit (22.5 km from the toll gate), continue northwards on the Main Brennero Road SS12 until the turn-off for Lavis, then take the Lavis - Castello di Fiemme Main Road SS612 which will take you to the Cembra Valley.