canyon exploring with Michele Angileri

Fosso della Rocca

In a beautiful corner of Sabina, by the village of Salisano, among hills, farms, villages and mediterranean bush, there's Fosso della Rocca. Its name comes from Rocca Baldesca, a medieval castle built on the shoulder dividing the narrow canyon of Fosso della Rocca and the large canyon of Fosso di Rasciano. Today castle's remains hide amidst dense mediterranean bush. The place is really charming.
Today by Rocca Baldesca rises the hydroelectric plant of Salisano. It makes energy from drinkable water of Peschiera aqueduct, which then continues its path to Roma. Turbines are located in the underground of a rocky hill.

Unfortunately the sources of Fosso della Rocca are caught, so stream remains dry for the greatest part of the year. Only in winter when it often rains you find water flowing in canyon, animating the nice waterfalls. This is the right time for a good relaxing descent of Fosso della Rocca.

I remember ...

I remember an old-way exploration, placing only 3 bolts and using trees though far and difficult to reach. It was an ordinary day in the middle of an ordinary week. I remember the concentration which comes from being alone. And canyon was flowing slowly under my eyes as I went on hour after hour. The last little nice waterfall, the exit, then standing down on a meadow in the sun, then going up back to the car. I remember the happiness for a place like that to be. In those years I wasn't happy or satisfied, but thinking about that canyon made me feel rich.

Photographs in this website show ultralight ropes (6 mm ropes made of high tenacity fibers). Read multimedia book Ultralight ropes canyoning technique to learn how to use them.

Copyright © 2002- Michele Angileri. All rights reserved.