The territory of Fortunago
Fortunago is a hilly municipality in the Oltrepò Pavese, with a population of 340 inhabitants and a territory that extends for 18 sq km between the altitudes of 320 and 570 m asl. between the Coppa, Ardivestra and Schizzola valleys.
The climate is temperate with average annual rainfall of 1000 mm, limited humidity which determines pleasant levels of comfort for most of the year and average summer temperatures contained within 29°C.
The landscape that can be admired from the ridges of Fortunago is beautiful, created by the presence of rock structures made up of sandstones, stable rocks, formed by sands with different levels of cementation and marl, easily eroded, formed by a mixture of clays and limestones. But our landscape is significantly determined by the work of man, who has cultivated vineyards, cereals, used the forest, built settlements and traced roadways in the area. The main crops are forage, cereals, permanent meadows which, along with the vineyards, create patches of different shapes and colors, alternating with the frequent woody areas with the presence of downy oak, chestnut, maple and elm. Splendid views allow the gaze to wander among nature, villages, castles, bell towers and, when the wind sweeps the plain, the crown of the Alps with the Monte Rosa frames this marvel.
A characteristic of our territory is the widespread presence of everlasting springs, which have favored settlement in the area over the centuries and which are highlighted by the presence of fountains, creating streams and wetlands. Tradition traces the appearance of springs back to the work of the martyr San Ponzo, patron saint of Fortunago.
The ancient access routes to the village, developed on the ridges of the Coppa, Ardivestra and Schizzola valleys, cross agricultural areas, woody areas, uncultivated areas with the presence of many varieties of flowers (periwinkles, violets, crocuses, daffodils, the precious wild orchids ...) and shrubs (juniper, hawthorn, honeysuckle, rosehip). Along these routes it is common to meet fawns, deer, squirrels, foxes, badgers or come across clouds of butterflies which present a very large number of species in our area.
This territory, once predominantly agricultural, has created traditions, products and typical dishes that can still be enjoyed with a visit or a stay in the area.
The traditional dishes are:
- the malfatti, gnocchetti with herbs, bread and cheese, with a tapered shape, to be enjoyed with various types of condiments, from the traditional ragù with various types of meat, to butter and sage. The traditional poor dish, whose origins date back to ancient times and whose basic ingredients are stale bread to be grated and various herbs (today leaves of the ribs and/or spinach) was considered essential for feeding oneself in the spring, when the stocks of cereals and previous year's fruit were depleted. Tradition indicates that any new spring shoot that sprouted on the trees was transformed into malfatti, waiting for the products of the fields and the new year's garden.
- the schita, a focaccia made with flour and water to be skillfully fried and eaten salty (with salt or cured meats) or sweet (with sugar, jam and for the younger ones in the updated version with nutella). Flour and water are the only ingredients of this very simple and delicious dish, which is accompanied in many sweet and savory ways and which is now re-proposed at festivals.
Some typical products assumed the municipal denomination (DE.CO) being recognized as characteristic of the place. Among these we mention:
- The meat of the Picchi company, produced from the company's Piedmontese cattle, raised outdoors and partly on pasture and therefore in spaces and with a diet that allows you to avoid the use of medicines typical of intensive farming;
- Pan dolce della Costa, a typical leavened cake, with raisins and candied fruit, produced by the Saviotti bakery in Costa Cavalieri;
Other quality local products are:
- The DOC wines of Paolo Goggi's Gravanago company
- The wines of the Lanfranchi di S. Eusebio company
- The biological wines of the Castello di Stefanago company
- Stuvenagh Brewery’s beer
- Cured meats from the San Pietro di Muttoni Francesco salami factory
- The fruit of the Sgorbini di S. Eusebio company
- The goat cheeses of the I Germinara company in loc. Porino
The park
A well-preserved landscape and intact nature.
Made up of forests of English oak, downy oak, maple, white poplar, manna ash, chestnut, cherry, rowan tree, hornbeam, birch, hawthorn and other essences that make up the hardwood forest typical of the high hills.
The structure of the rocks is at the origin of every landscape: the history and changes of a territory coincide with the history of the rocks and the earth's crust.
The characteristics of the rocks and their structural shapes make the demolition speed vary; the methods of erosion differ from rock to rock and the types of landscapes that can be admired are therefore innumerable.
The Fortunago area is characterized by a series of geological formations in which sandstone and marlstone prevail.
The strong alteration and the high density of the clay component of these rocks determined the composition of the agricultural landscape. The calcareous hilly complex has gentle slopes covered in the highest altitude range by woods and, in the lower part, it highlights agricultural areas with vineyards and meadows.
The cultivated fields and the border of the woods, together with the watershed lines, naturally define the perimeter of the Park.
From the confluence of the impluvium lines, consisting of shallow ditches and banks only a few meters wide, the sources of Schizzola and Ghiaia di Borgoratto also originate.
"Sacred hill", this is how Fortunago Park has been defined.
This definition indicates the "sacredness" which is connected to the nesting activity in this area by numerous species of birds of prey and protected birdlife such as: chickadee, bunting, blackcap, nightingale, white wagtail, redstart.
Walking in the Park it is possible to spot, among the birds of prey, sparrowhawks, buzzards, scops owls, owls, tawny owls and the long-eared owl.
There is also a large number of ungulates including fallow deer and roe deer, small mammals such as the dormouse and hares and foxes which, however, venture towards the cultivated areas and inhabited centers in search of food.
Those who visit the park will also be fascinated by the richness of the flora.In fact, there are numerous protected species present in the area: anemones, orchids, bluebells, leucoio, snowdrops, lily of the valley, cyclamen, holly, many qualities of medicinal herbs and undergrowth fruits: strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, mushrooms and truffles.
The “king” tree of the forest, the downy oak, is then accompanied by other typical species such as Turkey oak, sessile oak, field maple, hop hornbeam, manna ash, white poplars and birches.
There are numerous opportunities that the Park offers to discover all its most hidden corners.
The route that we recommend is outside the usual tourist itineraries, has a purely naturalistic imprint and has Monte Gagliolo as its destination.
Without any doubt the town of Fortunago, dominating the Coppa valley, deserves a visit, consequently Fortunago could be taken as the starting point for the visit.
The starting point of the path can be found along the paved road that leads to Gravanago.
The route always runs at high altitude, therefore, not only does it require a limited physical effort (in the event that you want to do it on foot), but it’s also satisfying thanks to the spectacular panoramic view it offers over the Val Ardivestra below.
After passing Monte Chiaro (537 m above sea level) on the right, proceed with a sharp bend to the right and, just before reaching the pretty village of Gravanago, you arrive at the entrance to the path.
Following a fairly simple first stretch, you cross the typical vineyards of the place and enter a mixed forest of oaks and chestnuts, vestiges of the ancient forest.
After the wood, you can easily reach the summit of Fortunago where, on the side of Villa Nassano, there is the Forest Garden.
All the native arboreal and shrubby essences of the Pavese Apennines are located there, ranging from the level of the plain to the broadleaf belt.
Furthermore, thanks to the presence of many observation huts located in the Park area, it is possible to spot some animals and carry out birdwatching and photographic shooting.
Do you want to buy local products, have lunch and dinner with typical dishes, or stay in Fortunago? Here are all the services you can find:
WHERE TO EAT IN FORTUNAGO
WHERE TO BUY TYPICAL PRODUCTS IN FORTUNAGO
Furthermore, you can stop in the picnic area, play five-a-side football, table tennis, bowls in the Sports Center with adjoining Bar del Circolo.
