Between river Cherio and Colli di San Fermo (the San Fermo hills) there were many mills, all of which have disappeared. Except for one. The small mill, Mulino dell’Acqua Sparsa, which for generations belonged to the Agazzi family, can be visited still today.
The mill Mulino dell’Acqua Sparsa is not far from the large Grone quarry, where a small village grew up around this building which includes a wooden structure dating back to the 1930s. The mill is still in operation today, with a hybrid power source, with both a water wheel and electrical energy.
The Acqua Sparsa springs gave the mill its name. In fact, the water reaches the wheel through small channels in the rock, and so it is not “wasted” (acque sparse can be translated as “wasted water”).
The mill is situated in a true oasis of tranquillity, in a green, timeless setting that suggests what life could have been like in a small hilltop village, when the rural culture was dominant in our land. Today the building can be visited exclusively by small groups of people, on request and with prior booking.
For keen hikers, close to the village of Grone, you can take track 614 that enables you to discover the area, with its chestnut forests, panoramic views that open up unexpectedly, and the small church of San Fermo. Ideal for a morning trip.
