A picturesque loop trail starting from the village of Vermogno takes you on a journey to discover the ancient Bessa gold mine, a place where untamed nature has gradually reclaimed an archaic and unique landscape.
Leaving the historic center of Vermogno behind, you enter a landscape that was profoundly transformed over two thousand years ago by the incredible mining activity of the Roman era. What was once one of the largest open-pit gold deposits of antiquity now appears as a fascinating labyrinth of imposing piles of pebbles—the waste left over from the washing of sediments originally deposited by glaciers.
Along the route, the botanical landscape offers wonderful surprises, showcasing the flora’s extraordinary ability to colonize a seemingly inhospitable environment. The rocky slopes are tinged with the intense colors of heather and erica, while birches and aspens stand tall as pioneer plants among the rocks. In the shadier, more humid areas—where Roman washing channels once flowed—lush ferns and soft carpets of moss now thrive.
The trail, which requires a bit of caution due to its rocky surface, winds through constantly changing scenery: at times, the vegetation grows denser, offering pleasant shade beneath chestnut and oak trees, before opening up once again onto the expanses of pebbles that define the horizon of La Bessa.
Finally, you return to Vermogno with the feeling of having explored an open-air monument, where human history and the evolution of nature merge in a silent embrace.
