The Pyramids of Zone
The pyramids of Zone form one of the most unusual sights in the province. They are found near to the village of Zone on the road from Marone. Some of the pyramids are 30 m high and 8 m in circumference.
They are capped by a rock which protects the soil immediately below it, while the rest is washed away by erosion. They are the remains of a ancient glacier which covered the whole of Lake Iseo valley one million years ago. When the glacier withdrew, the waters began to erode the soil which, being a mixture of clay and gravel, did not crumble easily.
The less easily accessible soil, that below the rocks, remains entire while the rest is slowly washed away (see “Lake Iseo”).
The Peat moss at Sebino
South of Lake Iseo are the most important wet-lands in the province.
They were formed towards the end of the 18th century as the peat was taken away for use as fuel. The excavations in the peat formed the large basins, now filled with water, that have been taken over by wildlife for their habitat. They form an ecosystem of their own with canes and rushes surrounding expanses of water covered by water-lilies and thronged by insects, herons, cormorants, brown kites and shovellers.
There are paths laid out across the peat moss with bridges, walkways, bird-hides and picnic areas.
The pleasantest walk is probably the circular one starting and finishing at the Monastery of San Pietro in Lamosa at Provaglio.
Photo: TwinGin, Dino Quinzani
