📝 🇮🇹 Bismantova Highline Meeting

Pietra di Bismantova is just phenomenal! It has its unrepeatable beauty… and she’s a woman. She’s been amazing and inspiring for centuries. Not even thinking back very far in the past, let’s have a look at world’s pop culture icon and the symbol of New York’s night life. A model of greatest designers, a singer, an actress and a muse of Andy Warhol. What you think, who did the famous Grace Jones patterned her style on?

Kurt Russell – a quite well-known actor, Paul Phoenix from a popular video game Tekken or the Moai colossus from Easter Island built over 1000 years ago by some unknown sculptors.

As always, the question comes up – who’s the creator of style? Here in particular, the style called a ‘flat top haircut’ today. But, all in all, it doesn’t really matter how we call it now. So, who has the right to call himself a creator or a designer, but who’s just copied and took an example? In this exact case it’s like settling a dispute over the name of ‘the pyramid father’ among Cheops’ and Louvre’s pyramids architects. So, who? The one who was first. And first was Pietra! Therefore, as in other countless cases, the creator and architect is: Mrs. Nature.

Oh, what an unpredictable woman Pietra is… and so the weather here! One time there’s a schorcher and your blood tries to boil, next year she freezes you and sprinkles the snow on you. However, no matter how harsh was she during the day, outstanding sunsets will be your solace. (If only she’s in the mood!)

Thus, in May 2017, with the key contribution of Pietra, Bismantova Highline Meeting was born.

Index:

Safety: anchors checked daily, one member of riggers team per spot, buddy check
Additionally: the weather in May can be extremely changeable here.

Transportation:

I’ll guide you to arrive from the North, Bologna airport. Low cost airlines are landing here and its relatively close to the festival’s location (4-5 hr.).

From the airport you take a bus to Bologna Centrale (25 min.). Here you get into the train to Reggio Emilia (45 min.). From the train station it’s a stone’s throw (5 min.) to the CIM 30 bus station. You get a ride to Castelnovo Monti (1 hr. 20 min.) – for the last few years it was a bus nr 3B44. From here, you try to hitchhike to Il Rifugio Della Pietra. And if you’re not so lucky, a 45 minute uphill hike is ahead! Anyway, in the end you reach the spot. Content?

Remember, the public transport rides in Italy may take some extra time, so be prepared. It’s the country of siesta and it surely does not run like a Swiss watch! What’s also worth giving some attention, you cannot pay by your credit card in the last bus (3B44) and the maximum bank note you can pay with is 10 EUR. Don’t forget to check its last departure – in 2019 it was 18:30.

Accommodation:

Food:

You can do your grocery shopping in the town. If needed, you’ll be able to find a bank and a cash machine there too. Got your camping stove? If not, just stay in Rifugio and thank me later! Get yourself a pizza, pannino or a focaccia (relatively cheap options). And you must try the local delicacy: Il gnocco fritto! This local cake cracks with enjoyable sounds and should please even the most discriminating palates! If you’re really hungry, go get something from the main menu. The dishes are more expensive, but so big and so tasty. Rifugio serves a broad range of meals and has a variety of vegan options. The presence of well-equipped bar with drinks and the friendly staff of this mountain inn can make your way to the highlines quite a bit longer than you have planned.

Area:

That’s indeed a very well organized festival. In the info point you’ll be given all the essential instructions and get a brochure with map and schedule, the insurance (correct me if I’m wrong) and a T-shirt with Federico’s art design. All this included in the price of the ticket, which is not among the most expensive ones.

Come on, I’ll walk you a bit through the festival. Just please, don’t get lost here in the beginning, there’s no time to be wasted!

You leave the bar, turn right. The terrace is over, now you’re on the path. Yes, I know, there’s two of them. The steeper one is climbers’ path – you need to know, the climbing here is top notch as well! You’ve chosen the climbers’ way? Turn left just before the rock, the paths will connect. So now you follow this way some 10 or several more minutes and reach the stone stairs with some handrail ropes. What you think? Yes, you’re right – up! You’re almost there, almost on the top. As you probably have noticed on the pic already, Pietra’s top is flat like a tabletop. Now, no matter what direction you take, you’ll find a highline spot! Generally, most activities happen in Anfiteatro area.

Let’s talk about workshops. As Pietra’s in good mood and heats you up with sun rays, most of the activities happen right here on top of her head. And when she’s vexed and angry – you probably won’t die – but all the cool stuff moves to the bar, or a hall next to it, more specifically.

By the evening there’s music. I might have told you already, describing Sicily Slackline Meeting… but knowing myself pretty well, I might have been only thinking about it. Still, I‘m not fond of reading my own texts when they get published, so forgive me folks, I won’t check! On the other hand, the festival in Sardinia is next in line. We’ll dive more into the Italian musicality in the upcoming post.

Meanwhile, back to the topic. Once again I have an impression that the Italian people and the music – it’s kinda inseparable integrity. They are just weaned on music. Sometimes it seems to me as if everyone, completely everyone can sing and play an instrument or two. And they’re damn excellent! A propos… Beatrice? Tell me you haven’t quit singing! That would make an unforgettable loss. There’s a link down below – an InstaStory report and a short video of her very first public performance together with a DJ. It was quite something!

I will envy them a little while longer and you will have fun!