Lago di Vagli

Yetserday, we drove up the Garfagnana valley, crossed the bridge at San Romano, had a coffee in Camporgiano, and headed up the valley of the river Turrite.  In 1952, ENEL, the Italian electricity company build a dam across the valley of the Turrite as part of a group of similar schemes on tributaries of the River Serchio.  In the process they inundated a small village called Fabbriche di Carregine, which remains there, intact under the water to this day.  Every 10 years or so, the lake is drained for maintenance of the dam, and the "ghost village" reappears, complete  with medieval church and campanile.  Tens of thousands of visitors flock to see the village during the few months when it is exposed.

The old bridge at Pontecosi dwarfed by the railway bridge

The shallow lake at Pontecosi

Pontecosi

Railway viaduct with Poggio in behind 

The church above Sambuca on its basalt crag

The fortress of the d'Este family in Camporgiano

Lago di Vagli - submerged village somewhere to the right of Barbara ...

Vagli Sotto with Alpi Apuane behind

The survivor - Vagli Sotto was high enough to keep clear of the waters

Betty relaxes after a hard day's touring ...