The ridge which separates Versilia from Garfagnana, in the part which connects Mount Croce (m. 1314) with the Pania della Croce (m. 1858), is made up of a particular type of limestone rock where impressive cavities can often form, called “tecchie”, characterized by a wide entrance which can be seen from afar, which go into one single room which does not communicate with the inside of the mountain.
The origin
Many thousands of years ago one of these tecchie was situated almost at the top of the crest. It looked like a huge mouth opened wide towards the sea, which in the afternoon was illuminated by sunrays right up to the end of the room. The ceiling of this one big room with a floor sloping towards Versilia, was only a few metres distance away from the slope opposite the crest, the east one, which goes down towards Garfagnana .
With the passing of time the erosion caused by weather conditions made the ceiling of the room higher and at the same time lowered the surface of the mountain, until it caused the collapse of the diaphragm of rock which separated the internal part of the cavity with the surface of the east slope of the crest. Only the entrance remained of the tecchia, above it stands what remains of the old ceiling: a natural bridge which connects the two peaks of what is known today as Mount Forato, one of the most characteristic reliefs of the Apuan Alps.
The huge natural arch, clearly visible both from Garfagnana and from Versilia has a light of 32 metres and a height of at least 25. The minimum thickness is of 8 metres.
A destination for thousands of mountain excursionists every year, this unique and impressive monument of nature, is one of a kind, also for its highly scenic position.
Monte Forato, the origin and the swing
The icing of the cake: the possibility to go on swing in mid air which is anchored under the natural bridge, swinging back and forth towards the sea at a maximum height of almost thirty metres. This is possible only in a few days of the year. The swing is included in the programme of day excursion lead by expert mountain guides . For information call the number: 3402946579 (Valentina Lucchesi).
