The Moneglia stream and its crayfish

"The chaotic torrents make speeches that reach the heart" 

- Adam Zagajewski -

Not far from the city, a tributary of the Baganza valley, flows this small stream whose name reminds me of Liguria. In its initial stretch it seems to be just a small anonymous canal, not even very clean, which flows on the edge of a town. But from this small town a small path starts that runs along the canal, and leaving the last houses behind, it immediately enters a beautiful forest, a small and charming valley, where the stream here appears a little larger and meanders gently in this beautiful forest, very lush and green in spring, and very magical in autumn.

Contrary to initial impressions, the water appears clear, very clear and clean, as does the forest which reveals a beautiful, rich and colorful natural environment. You can walk along a beautiful path that runs alongside the stream, crossing it in several places, or you can go up the stream itself, without any particular difficulty other than some obstacles from branches and trunks, discovering a lush and semi-wild nature, which reminds me some nineteenth-century paintings of rural and pastoral landscapes.

Along the stream you come across some old stone walls which testify to the ancient coexistence of man with these waters, you also come across a small lake in the upper part of the valley, where the path then leaves the stream heading towards some small villages. In the upper part of the valley the stream is divided into several small streams that are difficult to follow as they are very narrow and invaded by vegetation.

With great surprise, walking in the riverbed, I discovered that this fascinating stream is inhabited not only by some fish, not even very small ones, but also by many freshwater prawns, a great discovery that confirms the purity of these waters, in fact these animals are very sensitive to pollutants, and need clean and well-oxygenated water. After having realized the great beauty, but at the same time the great delicacy and fragility of this environment, I realized that what for us can be a simple walk, for other forms of life this environment is life, it is home, therefore it is always necessary pay the utmost attention to where you put your feet, and we must move with great caution and delicacy, so as not to damage the bottom of the stream, and naturally we must not leave any trace of our passage, be it in the water or in the woods: for these reasons I am hesitant to provide too precise directions to locate this enchanted place.

I have collected some images of these beautiful and rare animals, and of this very particular and evocative environment, photographing the stream both above and below the surface of the water, as well as the beautiful forest that accompanies it, particularly in the autumn period nature offers to our eyes very seductive colors and contrasts and almost fairy-tale atmospheres. These are the places that "enter inside me", they are those small sanctuaries of nature where you can always come for a walk to rediscover contact with your spirit and dialogue with the soul of the Earth and the fairy beings, who certainly dwell here , shy and silent.