Pratomagno

The great wooded-bulk of the Pratomagno (Big Meadow) makes the high rampart on the western side of the Casentino. The Arno runs down the middle away from Florence before turning near Arezzo and flowing back to the city.

This is up at 1400 metres above the tree line. The woodland goes from oak to chestnut to beech and then broken ground with heather, bracken, willow and juniper. You'd think you were up in the lower Cairngorm but here we are already above the summit of Ben Nevis.

The spring is only just arriving up here with puple crocus and a plant I don't know - see extra.

I arrived in our faithful Cleo from the UK climbing a long and increasingly rain-pitted stone track. The air was so sweet and cool.

Cattle used to be brought up here by transhumance from the villages at about 700m but that has now pretty much stopped and the scrub is encroaching on the heathland above the treeline.

On my descent I passed a shady restaurant that will open in the summer when the heat below gets too much and people drive up to spend long lazy days in the cool of the high forest.