The best family-friendly hikes and walks in Riserva Naturale Di Berignone-Tatti

Great spot for a nice refreshment in the Cecina River

Perched on a rocky spur in the Cecina valley, the Rocca di Berignone, also known as the Bishops' Castle or Torraccia, is a place that smells of history and legend. Already mentioned in 896, it was a bastion of the episcopal power of Volterra, a refuge and symbol of resistance in the struggles against the Municipality. Besieged, rebellious, conquered by the Sienese in 1399, it then began its slow decline. Today, its imposing ruins emerge among the woods of Berignone, silent witnesses of a tumultuous past, framed by a landscape that still retains a wild and fascinating aura.

If the partially closed path is too dangerous, you can walk along the riverbed.

Castello dei Vesovi or Torraccia a stupendous place that takes you back to the past. The castle known as Rocca di Berignone (from the name of the forest where it is located, a large forest complex that still today presents itself to the eyes of the visitor in its suggestive natural beauty), Castello dei Vescovi or simply Torraccia, is an important fortified site located south of Volterra, on a rocky spur at the confluence of the Botro al Rio with the Sellate torrent, in the upper Cecina valley. Traces of the castle emerge as early as 896, when it was donated by Adalberto, Marquis of Tuscany, to Alboino, Bishop of Volterra. Since then it was a stronghold and residence of the bishops of Volterra (hence the name), used to administer justice, to mint coins but above all as a refuge during their long struggle against the Commune. The bishops retreated there several times to avoid reprisals, such as in 1266, after the Guelph victory of Benevento, to escape the assault of the Ghibellines. In 1361 Berignone rebelled against the municipality of Volterra, but was easily reconquered. In 1381, the inhabitants of Berignone themselves wanted to place the defense of the castle, occupied by the relatives of Simone dei Fagani of Reggio, bishop of Volterra, under the protection of the municipality. Numerous other disputes ensued until the peace stipulated on February 5, 1382. In 1399, the castle was occupied by the Sienese and from that moment its definitive decline began. Today, only the ruins remain, dominating vast woods populated by ungulates and birds of prey, but even from these one can intuit the strength and severe elegance of the architectural structures of the past.

https://castellitoscani.com/berignone-vescovi/

Masso delle Fanciulle. Great for swimming and picnics.

This tour is my personal highlight. You can start the tour at the marked point, if you dare to drive through the previous river bed by car (large parking space available) or you park the vehicle under the trees and cross the riverbed on foot. At the beginning of the tour is something about meadows then a piece through the forest. From then on always along the river. This is the secret tip of the locals for swimming. The path ends at a small beach, the rocks go right and left to the water. From now on, the path only goes through the riverbed. Here you have to swim about 20 meters, then it is flat again. From here you have nature and this beautiful valley for yourself. Again and again you reach deeper places that invite you to swim and refresh and listen to the splashing, otherwise you can wade through the water or climb the rocks at the edge of the river. The surface changes again and again between coarse sand, thick stones and large boulders. You can do the tour as a round trip, if you do not shy away from the hot path through the forest or just back. It is highly advisable to go with (hiking) water shoes. We also had a watertight ton (from the helm need) for car keys, photo, drinks to overcome the swimming spots.

A little hard to find especially if the river can not be crossed by car but a great place to refresh yourself.