Selvasecca Forest Reserve

The starting point is the Centro Pro Natura in Acquacalda. Following the "Sentiero Lucomagno" and "Sentieri naturalistici del Lucomagno" signs we soon come to the edge of the forest Reserve. The path is subsequently marked white-red-white and is easy to follow. 

We are faced immediately with a breathtaking world of rocks, trunks, branches and roots. In the silence we see the Norway spruce and Swiss pine, some luxuriant and growing strongly, others broken by the wind that drives through these places: an environment dominated by ice and snow for much of the year. 

We can see the long, tough needles of the Swiss pine, grouped together in bunches of five. The wood is bright, albeit shady in places, with intriguing nooks and crannies. We breathe in the molecules suspended in the forest air, the same ones that enter the trees. Swiss pines live for a long time and are rich in scented resin. Some say that these places give off energy. What is certainly energetic is the bellowing of the male deer in autumn, looking for mates. Here and there the undergrowth is formed by juniper and Alpine roses. It's worth getting down low to look at the moss varieties attached to the rocks, which are sometimes dry and pale, but at others swollen by the rain and bright green. They're equipped for any situation. The closer you get, the more beautiful they are, like a miniature forest.

The path runs quietly through woodland and open areas, leading to the Alpe Stabbio Nuovo. Here turn right and make your way down to the River Brenno, following it all the way to Acquacalda. The route takes around 1.5 hours in total (without stopping), with ascents and descents of just over 200 metres.