Lake Endine
Encyclopedia
Lake Endine is a lake of the Province of Bergamo
, Lombardy
, Italy
. Covering an area of 2.1 square kilometres, it is formed by the Cherio River
at an altitude of 337 metres in the Val Cavallina. The lake lies in the territories of the municipalities of Endine Gaiano
, Monasterolo del Castello
, Ranzanico
and Spinone al Lago
.
The lake, set in the narrow valley between tall peaks, has preserved virtually intact the natural environment previously classified "area of remarkable environmental interest" by the authorities of the Lombardy region, subsequently promoted to park and as such subject to protection[1].
The lake banks alternate thick reeds
- an ideal breeding area for the wide variety of fish and a bird haven - to small beaches densely populated during week-ends by tourists, who can picnic there in areas suitably equipped with wooden tables, waste bins, etc.
The lake water, sufficiently clear, tends to a characteristic dark green colour. On the West bank, beyond state road no. 42, the territory is highly anthropised, especially in the lower sector; the less sunny East bank, on the other hand, has few villages.
The nearby villages and territory do not have remarkable monuments of times past, except for the Medieval castle of the Suardi, located at Bianzano, from which traffic on the lake could be controlled.
Water sports are practised on the lake (sailing
, windsurfing
, canoeing
and kayaking
), as well as fishing
.
Free camping is not allowed, nor is using motor boats.
Ancient donkey paths rise up from Endine Gaiano and from the right bank to Ranzanico and from there to Bianzano. The small lakeside villages have small churches rich in works of art.
In the coldest winter days the lake is covered by a thick layer of ice
and it is possible to walk and in some spots to ice skate or ride a bicycle on it (although forbidden by municipal regulations due to safety reasons). Winter crossing of the frozen lake was exploited up to 19th century to cross the lake from Monasterolo at its narrowest point and reach the West bank.
Province of Bergamo
The Province of Bergamo is a province in the Lombardy region of Italy. It has a population of 1,098,740 , an area of 2,722.86 square km, and contains 244 comuni...
, Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. Covering an area of 2.1 square kilometres, it is formed by the Cherio River
Cherio River
The Cherio River is a river of the Province of Bergamo, Lombardy, Italy. The river runs for 32 kilometres and has a basin area of 161 km ². Its source is at 1,276 metres above sea level at Monte Torrezzo near Lake Endine and flows into Oglio at Palosco...
at an altitude of 337 metres in the Val Cavallina. The lake lies in the territories of the municipalities of Endine Gaiano
Endine Gaiano
Endine Gaiano is a comune in the Province of Bergamo in the Italian region of Lombardy, located about 70 km northeast of Milan and about 25 km northeast of Bergamo...
, Monasterolo del Castello
Monasterolo del Castello
Monasterolo del Castello is a comune in the Province of Bergamo in the Italian region of Lombardy, located about 70 km northeast of Milan and about 20 km northeast of Bergamo...
, Ranzanico
Ranzanico
Ranzanico is a comune in the Province of Bergamo in the Italian region of Lombardy, located about 70 km northeast of Milan and about 25 km northeast of Bergamo...
and Spinone al Lago
Spinone al Lago
Spinone al Lago is a comune in the Province of Bergamo in the Italian region of Lombardy, located about 70 km northeast of Milan and about 20 km northeast of Bergamo, on the left bank of the Lake Endine....
.
The lake, set in the narrow valley between tall peaks, has preserved virtually intact the natural environment previously classified "area of remarkable environmental interest" by the authorities of the Lombardy region, subsequently promoted to park and as such subject to protection[1].
The lake banks alternate thick reeds
Reed (plant)
Reed is a generic polyphyletic botanical term used to describe numerous tall, grass-like plants of wet places, which are the namesake vegetation of reed beds...
- an ideal breeding area for the wide variety of fish and a bird haven - to small beaches densely populated during week-ends by tourists, who can picnic there in areas suitably equipped with wooden tables, waste bins, etc.
The lake water, sufficiently clear, tends to a characteristic dark green colour. On the West bank, beyond state road no. 42, the territory is highly anthropised, especially in the lower sector; the less sunny East bank, on the other hand, has few villages.
Activities
The lake perimeter can be walked entirely on foot, since it is flanked on the East side by the road connecting Monasterolo del Castello to Endine Gaiano. A few kilometers north-east of this last village there is another tiny lake, lake Gaiano, no more than 200 metres long and 100 metres wide, highly renowned for fishing pike.The nearby villages and territory do not have remarkable monuments of times past, except for the Medieval castle of the Suardi, located at Bianzano, from which traffic on the lake could be controlled.
Water sports are practised on the lake (sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
, windsurfing
Windsurfing
Windsurfing or sailboarding is a surface water sport that combines elements of surfing and sailing. It consists of a board usually two to four metres long, powered by the orthogonal effect of the wind on a sail. The rig is connected to the board by a free-rotating universal joint and comprises a...
, canoeing
Canoeing
Canoeing is an outdoor activity that involves a special kind of canoe.Open canoes may be 'poled' , sailed, 'lined and tracked' or even 'gunnel-bobbed'....
and kayaking
Kayaking
Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving across water. Kayaking and canoeing are also known as paddling. Kayaking is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle...
), as well as fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
.
Free camping is not allowed, nor is using motor boats.
Ancient donkey paths rise up from Endine Gaiano and from the right bank to Ranzanico and from there to Bianzano. The small lakeside villages have small churches rich in works of art.
In the coldest winter days the lake is covered by a thick layer of ice
Ice
Ice is water frozen into the solid state. Usually ice is the phase known as ice Ih, which is the most abundant of the varying solid phases on the Earth's surface. It can appear transparent or opaque bluish-white color, depending on the presence of impurities or air inclusions...
and it is possible to walk and in some spots to ice skate or ride a bicycle on it (although forbidden by municipal regulations due to safety reasons). Winter crossing of the frozen lake was exploited up to 19th century to cross the lake from Monasterolo at its narrowest point and reach the West bank.