The track of the Buono lake
- Travelling time: 3 hours and 15 minutes
- Difficulty: Easy
- Why we love it: A track to discover a small lake and horses grazing
- Length: 30 km
- Total Elevation Gain: 300 m
- Way to travel: On foot
- Cost: 0 €
- Our Advice: To discover in autumn, spring and summer
Up on the crest among the Vona and Testanello valleys, the sky is reflected in a small lake in which are watered the horses grazing.
Starting point: Valesi (Borgo Val di Taro) Cai trials number 843B, 843C, 843 From San Pietro to the Buono lake, through Tiedoli Pian del Monte.
The starting point is at the crossroads under Valesi, one of the little villages around San Pietro. The road goes around the side of the mountain and goes down steeply towards the Taro river getting into a little valley of the Trovi river, until the village with the same name (Cai trail number 843B).
From Trovi get into a track in the woods that takes you to the road to Tiedoli (asphalted), going up.
When you see the church of Tiedoli, after passing the crossroads to Barca, it is possible to divert and reach the valley bottom in Ostia Parmense (Cai trail number 843C). Follow the road on the right then another side road on the right going down to Magrano.
Carry on going up (843B) and pass the church reaching the village of Costa, Lavacchielli and Fadà. The asphalt ends, but the road goes on cutting an alomst vertical rock. Under the narrow valley of Testanello there is the abandoned village of Folladori.
Pass the rock and get into the hollow of Pian del Monte. Wide fields, centuries old chestnuts and a dark pinewood create a fairytale like atmosphere. This is one of the oldest settlements of the Borgotaro Municipality, housing a kiln dating back to the roman time.
Some old bricks are still visible, reused, in the rural building. Near a little church leave the road and go left, going up through the woods, until you reach the crest.
Get out of the woods on a wide field, wet by the waters of the little Buono lake.
The area is very interesting for the flora among which we find the asphodels in bloom. Walk along the lake on the right following a narrow trail going down that gets onto a cart road. The track ends in an open space among the beeches, dominated by a little church dedicated to the Deads of the Resistence.
Here is the village of Pradonico, where the track gets into the Via degli Abati (843), that can be followed to go back to San Pietro. Cover photo: Lago Buono
