Reaching the Tenuta di Monterufoli, in the heart of Val di Cornia, Tuscany, is just the beginning of a long journey. Preferably to be undertaken on foot or accompanied by a powerful off-road vehicle capable of tackling rough and treacherous ups and downs. For enthusiasts of trekking and walks in unspoiled nature, the trails that guide you on this excursion are a true paradise. Dirt roads and paths mostly run along the route of the ancient lignite railway, which connected Casino di Terra to Monterufoli from 1878 to 1928.
Amidst all this lies the Cava dei Bianchi with its precious chalcedony stones, as well as waterfalls and the seventeen ghost bridges over which the train once ran.
But let's go in order, take a step back, and start from the beginning. Accompanying us on this journey is someone who has lived in this natural park for thirty years and knows every hidden secret: Gabriele Macelloni, agronomist and manager of the same Tenuta di Monterufoli, where our excursion begins.
The estate, housed in the old railway station, is now an important tourist complex where peace, good wine, and local farm-to-table cuisine reign supreme. All this is set within over a thousand hectares of woods and vineyards, from which the Sangiovese "Poggio Miniera" and the Vermentino "Pian di Seta"- are produced.
The first stop of the trek is the chalcedony quarry, where extraction already took place in the 1500s. As documented in literature, "Grand Duke Ferdinand I and the powerful Medici family, within the scope of the development of Mannerism and an artistic policy in Tuscany, launched an initiative concerning the working of hard stones for the creation of various precious objects, cameos, jewelry, and especially inlays for architectural elements". "The Monterufoli complex," history tells us, "became the largest supplier of chalcedony to be worked by the Opificio delle Pietre Dure, founded in Livorno in 1540 and later moved to Florence in 1588." Fragments of chalcedony, large and small, can be easily found near the quarry, showcasing marvelous colors.
The breathtaking panorama that opens up to the eyes makes everything even more evocative. This panorama is then traversed to reach the ghost bridges. But before that, there is time to stop and admire waterfalls and natural springs: another living element of the Tenuta di Monterufoli is the water, which, in some areas, draws the terrain with streams and rivulets. These are precious to wolves, foxes, roe deer, wild boars, and an incredible variety of birds that inhabit the reserve and can be admired with a bit of luck.
Following the water leads to the old lignite railway track, renamed the ghost bridges loop. Originally there were seventeen; now four or five remain, heavily marked by time. The most spectacular is the so-called high bridge, standing out amidst the imposing vegetation. It is reached by climbing a hill, then descending to the stream that slowly crosses the bridge. The experience is enriched by the scent of plants and the vibrant colors of dragonflies and butterflies.
The final stop, before returning to the station—pardon, the Tenuta—is the trench dug between two towering rock faces through which the trains once passed. Here, the hand of man is evident, and passing through it gives the sensation that the railway is still in operation. The wind channeling through the trench seems to announce the imminent arrival of the train, the one that used to take you to the station and now leads you directly to the tables of the Tenuta's restaurant. Welcoming you is chef Gabriele Rosini, and here begins another story full of flavors and delicacies that deserve a chapter of their own.