Parco dei cento laghi – 100 lakes park
Sara Mantovani June 8, 2012
The Parco Regionale di Crinale Alta Val Parma e Val Cedra, also known as Parco dei Cento Laghi (100 lakes park), covers about 12,600 hectares and includes the eastern upper Apennines surrounding Parma. It is the perfect location for trekking lovers.
This typical mountain territory has interesting geo-morphological sites; it is covered by woods and dotted with lovely lakes. This recently established park (1995) is included in the municipalities of Monchio delle Corti and Corniglio and features some precious botanical species of alpine origin. The landscape in the lower part of the park is made of mixed hardwood woods where the main trees are Turkey oak and hop-hornbeam, while well kept chestnut groves can be found near Rimagna, Trefiumi, Bosco and between Riana and Corniglio. Between 1,000 m and 1,700 m the mountains are covered with beech trees that frame the lake basins. Silver fir, Norway spruce and yew are precious examples of the ancient forest landscape that once covered this area. For this reason the autochthonous species in this protected area have been included in a European Union project (Life Natura ’95) for the Emilian Apennines. Ferns grow in the shade of the undergrowth while lush vegetation can be found in the gorges. The top parts up to the ridge are covered with low moors and meadows with bilberry, bog bilberry and flora typical of rocky areas.
The park hosts the species of animals typical of this side of the Apennines such as wolves, otters, roe, deer, wild boar, shrews, hazel dormice, dormice, foxes, badgers, weasels, beech-martens and polecats. The most important bird of this park is the royal eagle; other birds of prey that can be seen here include the honey buzzard, goshawk, buzzard, kestrel and sparrowhawk. Scops owls, hoopoes, tits and eagle owls can be sighted in the woodland area. The streams offer the ideal habitat for the rare white throated dipper.
The Park authorities are organising a number of marked theme routes to offer visitors the possibility of learning more about certain aspects of the natural environment of the park such as the silver fir, Norway spruce and yew. The park has a network of CAI (Italian Alpine Club) trails. Educational routes have been organised for schools with the following themes: woods in Val Parma, lakes and peat bogs in Val Cedra and farms. A Park Information Point is available at the Albergo Ghirardini in Bosco di Corniglio.
The Riserva Naturale Orientata Guadine-Pradaccio established in 1970 is also worth visiting with the lakes Guadine and Pradaccio, which are two of the most interesting lakes of the entire Apennines. The Laghi basin is one of the largest peat bogs in size of the Parma Apennines. From Lagdei it is possible to walk up or take the chairlift to lake Santo, the largest natural lake of the Emilia Romagna Apennines. From the village of Cancelli, following the unpaved forestry road for about 6 km you reach Lagoni. The trail 711 starts here and goes to lake Scuro dominated by the imposing Mount Scala and offering beautiful glimpses of the Gemelli lakes below. Continuing towards the ridge there is lake Bicchiere.
More info
Park Headquarters, Monchio delle Corti
Via Parco dei Cento Laghi, 4
43010 Monchio delle Corti (PR)
Tel. +39 0521 896618 Fax: +39 0521 896742
parco.centolaghi@cmparmaest.pr.it
