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Michele Angileri

Manzella-Giglietto

The landscape of the hills around Carfizzi features cliffs and rock faces of soft conglomerate surrounded by steep slopes covered with ilex forests and bush. In these soft but compact rocks, even modest torrents dig deep canyons, thus generating a complex orography, where even small distances require long and winding paths and nearby places are in fact far away.

The numerous canyons carved into these hills by Manzella torrent and its tributaries can be traveled individually or even linked together to form longer and more complex canyoning routes. Manzella itself is formed by the union of two main canyons: Vallone della Favata, on the oroghraphic left, and Vallone Sùvero, on the right.
Just downstream the confluence, the Manzella digs a short narrow featuring a couple of waterfalls that lead to the beautiful Giglietto Waterfall. Further downstream, the Manzella flows through a magnificent setting of cliffs and hanging forests, with no more difficulties.

There are no waterfalls in Vallone della Favata, so it can be traveled in both directions, as a hiking route, or linked with Giglietto narrow and the following part to make the long canyoning route described here.

Name Manzella-Giglietto
Area Calabria
Nearest village Carfizzi
Elevation loss 120 m
Length 2800 m
Highest cascade 46 m
Rock Conglomerate
Rating6
Shuttle Needed
Explored by Favata canyon: Michele Angileri, Saverio Talerico; January 5th 2023
Giglietto fall: Sabine Branca, Pascal Cervesato; august 2010

 

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I remember ...

The accesses to canyons in the Manzella valley, long and complex because of the orography and gradual disappearance of the mule tracks that crossed the area, are further complicated by the fact that large portions of the land are privately owned, delimited by fences and closed by gates. However, since fences and gates are also found around state land to delimit grazing or hunting areas, when I have to go to a canyon I don't let a barbed wire gate stop me, not even if it's closed on one side by lock and chain, provided it can be opened from the other side!
That day however, after leaving the shuttle car we were joined by an off-road vehicle: it was the owner of the land. Surprised that someone had driven into that area, once he knew our intentions he didn't get angry and he was very kind.

When we later reached the shuttle car we noticed that the owner had moved a mechanical shovel that was obstructing the passage (and which on the way in we had passed not easily) and had even removed the chain from the entrance gate, to make it easier for us to get back home. However, not wanting to take advantage of such exquisite hospitality again, I later found an alternative access, which turned out to be even shorter and more convenient.

Copyright © 2002- Michele Angileri. All rights reserved.