Vote Trail, from Calea

Introduction

An extremely interesting route from a historical and economic point of view in the sense that the Brosso mining system characterised the economic development of this area on the edge of the Valchiusella valley. The route along the remarkable 'delle Vote' mule track allows visitors to fully enjoy the works of the mining system: a true open-air museum.

Description

You start off by following a short stretch of the road to Lessolo until you reach a small road, with signs for the Brosso Mines, which starts right in front. You start along a small tarmac road, make a hairpin bend and proceed very slightly uphill until you come to a dirt track: turn left and, shortly afterwards, take a path to the right following yellow arrows. One ascends the forest, encountering a 'coloured' stream, a clear sign of the presence of ferruginous material in the area. Continue along the path for a short distance until it joins the dirt track again: follow it to the right, going practically level, until you reach the small bridge over the Assa stream and the Brosso Mine complex (368m, 0h20'), where the "La Miniera" holiday farm is currently located. We turn left and begin to climb up the Strada delle Vote or Sentiero delle Vote, an interesting mule track, paved in places, with beautiful drystone support walls; we begin to climb up the chestnut wood, encountering a first votive shrine. The mule track then begins a long series of twists and turns that allow you to gain height in the forest until you come to a small embankment on which, at one time, the tracks for the carts used to transport material ran. Continue along the mule track, encountering a second votive shrine and a ruin opposite. The route now crosses the most evident part of the mining system, reaching the remains of the first roasting furnaces (a process that allowed the reduction of alterable minerals to heat): these structures date back to the 18th century. We continue on, encountering, shortly afterwards, the interesting block of the Ubertino Forge, dating back to 1774. The walk continues and comes to an end; one skirts imposing dry-stone walls and encounters the third votive shrine. A little further on you reach the Sclopis reservoir and the turnoff for the beautiful Pissun waterfall. Retrace your steps, passing by another roasting oven, and take the mule track again, which has now become a beautiful grassy road, then paved, reaching the "Pila" chapel (702m, 1h15'). Continue along a short stretch of cobblestones, meeting the fourth votive shrine as you cross the beautiful forest of the Brossasca Park. Finally we reach the tarmac road that leads briefly to the village of Brosso (767m, 1h30').
The return is along the same route as the outward journey (0h45').