LA TANA CHE URLA
SPELEO SPELEO CANYONING
YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN A PLACE LIKE THIS
A journey into the underground heart of Tuscany
Sometimes, to see beautiful things, we close our eyes and imagine; in a cave, all you have to do is turn on a light…
GENERAL INFORMATION
Difficulty: Aventure
Experience Duration : 2,5-3,5 H
Total duration : 3,5-4,5 H
Approach hike : 15 min
Return hike: 10 min
Price : 60€ up to a 13 years old, 65€ from 14 years and up.
Period: All the year
HOW IT WORKS
After a brief introduction, we immediately put on our wetsuits, harness and all other equipment. A 15 minute hiking trail will lead us to the entrance to the cave. After the briefing on safety and on the activity, off we go!
This is a unique, one way and return route. We will follow the underground torrent upstream, with small sections of climbing and downclimbing. The temperature of the air and water varies between 10 and 11 degrees centigrade. In the highest point upstream that we can reach, you will have two options to choose between: swim across the small terminal underground lake, approximately 10 meters fully immersed in the water, or not. Your headlamp will reveal colors and images that you will never forget.
Although the return retraces the same route as the one followed to enter, in some parts it will be unrecognizable to you, almost as though it were a different route.
For general information regarding this activity, download the briefing and the activity sheet.
EQUIPMENT PROVIDED AND INCLUDED IN THE PRICE
- Isothermal wet suit in 5mm neoprene
- Helmet*
- Lifejacket flotation device * (to be requested and booked in advance)
- Harness*
- Descender, safety slings and carabiners*
- group materials (ropes, first aid kit)
- *All Collective and Personal Protection Equipment used is conformant to current standards
WHAT TO BRING
- Polyester thermal shirt (base layer) to wear under the wetsuit,
- Bathing suit,
- Towel,
- Gym/hiking shoes to wear into the canyon (they will get wet)
- No rings on fingers.
- If you wear eyeglasses, find a way to tie them on to avoid losing them; if you wear contact lenses, it is best if they are of the single-use type, and bring a spare pair!
- A plastic bag to use for your shoes, socks and everything else that will be wet after the descent.
- Canyoning boots can be rented at 5€ per person, to be requested when booking the descent.
INFORMATION
Before entering the cave you will be informed and trained on:
the objective and subjective risks found in the speleological environment and in the speleology activity.
the behaviors to be followed for personal and group safety
the progression techniques, as described on the documents called “briefing” and “form”, downloadable on this site
on behaviors to respect the environment.
You will be accompanied by professionals, experienced Canyon guides, with a diploma from the Italian Canyon Guide Association or with equivalent qualifications
Recommended age: from 11 years * / **
* minors must be accompanied by at least one parent or another adult to whom they have been entrusted. In the latter case, parental authorization is required so that the minor can carry out the activity
** It is an experience suitable for younger children, according to the water level and the psychophysical characteristics of the participants
are you at least 11 paying? contact us for a custom rate
REQUIRED:
- a good and normal state of health, the absence of heart and / or respiratory diseases that are not compatible with physical effort.
- The absence of fear of closed environments
- Allergy sufferers, who by habit and safety bring anti-shock medicines with them, must notify the organization and the guide.
MEETING POINT
Reach the town of Fornovolasco (Lucca), from here continue following the signs for “grotta del vento” and “parco del Battiferro”. Once you have passed the park entrance, continue for 500 meters, immediately after the bridge over the “Turrite di Gallicano” stream, on the left there is space for parking.
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LA TANA CHE URLA Curiosities
Between Legend and Science
Among them, one of the most famous is undoubtedly **”La Tana che Urla”** (“The Cave that Screams”), named after the eerie sounds that seem to echo from its depths.
To reach it, follow trail no. 6 starting from Fornovolasco toward Monte Forato. After about 1 km, on the right-hand side and slightly elevated from the trail, you’ll find this cave, renowned for two main reasons: one rooted in legend, the other in science.
The Legend of the "Tana che Urla"
One summer morning, as he passed the cave, he caught sight of an ethereal figure: a beautiful young woman wrapped in a dress as light as a cloud. Captivated by her beauty, he tried to approach her, but she vanished like a wisp of smoke. The miner couldn’t forget her and kept returning in hopes of seeing her again, but to no avail.
As winter set in, the young man, consumed by longing and melancholy, fell gravely ill. No remedy seemed to ease his suffering. On a freezing night, as the wind whipped through the valley, he heard a knock at the door. Opening it, he found a basket full of summer flowers. He immediately knew that only the fairy could have brought them.
Without hesitation, he ran to the cave, where he finally saw her again. He confessed his desperate love, but she warned him that their union was impossible. She advised him to eat the flowers, which would heal him and help him forget her forever. But the young man, stubborn, refused.
The fairy then warned him: if he followed her into the depths of the cave, he would never return to the light of day. With those words, she disappeared into the cavern. The miner, unable to let her go, chased after her, and the walls of the mountain closed around him.
To this day, those who venture near **”La Tana che Urla”** speak of hearing the fairies’ songs and, at times, the distant sound of a pickaxe breaking the silence.
Thus, the legend endures, weaving mystery, beauty, and a touch of melancholy, making this cave a truly unique and magical place.
The Scientific Importance
While elegant for its time, this explanation was ultimately incorrect, as Vallisneri’s work convincingly demonstrated, marking a significant advancement in the understanding of hydrology.