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The Natural Park of Monterufoli takes up nearly 5.000 hectares of a large forest owned by the State of Italy located in Tuscany in the valley of the Cecina river. The protected area is crossed by many paths, some of them fitted out, made by the Mountain Community Val di Cecina and illustrated in a detailed map. It is an ideal area for horseback riding, mountain biking, cycling and walking. Expert horseback riders can discover the most hidden parts of Italy and experience the wild beauties of Tuscany with the guides of the Hotel and Riding Center Prategiano. The Park of Monterufoli consists of a series of steep hills, carved by clear watercourses that often run embanked in steep and striking rock cliffs. Among these watercourses, it is easy to meet two pretty small birds, their long tail always waving: the white wagtail and the grey wagtail. Two rare and interesting animals are the skunk, a nocturnal mustelid, and the hopping dipper, which usually nests along the clean hill and mountain creeks. The two forests that form the reserve are mostly covered by Mediterranean maquis and , less frequently, by holm oaks. The deep catchment basins host also mossy oaks, maples, service trees, hard beams and, along the watercourses, alders, ashes, poplars and willows. The horse riders also see groups of sessile oak and yew. It is worth mentioning that the forest has not been cut for over 45 years and today it hosts quite remarkable specimens of mossy oak, hop hornbeam, downy oak, flowering ash, elm and wild service tree. Walkers, mountain bikers and horse riders can easily imagine that this large forest, almost totally free of human presence, is home of many mammals such as boars, roebucks, foxes, badgers, porcupines and wolves. Many birds nest in the reserve and among them many species of birds of prey. The short toed eagle is the biggest predator that visitors can see circling the sky. It makes its nest between the tree branches and, after rearing its only chick, leaves for Africa in autumn to spend the winter there. One of the most interesting birds of prey is the hobby. It chases with great skills swifts and swallows, but also insects, especially dragonflies form a significant percentage of its diet. In Tuscany Italy, there are still a lot of unknown regions and wild nature to be discovered. Especially walkers, mountain bikers, cyclists and horseback riders are invited to come to the Hotel Prategiano Maremma Toscana and join the daily excursions.
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Tuscany, Italy, horse, riding, mountain, biking, walking,
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