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The local
area |
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The Niccone valley floor is farmland
for mainly maize, sunflowers, grains and, decreasingly, for tobacco.
On south facing slopes are grapes and olive terraces. There are
some new walnut fields. There are occasional flocks of sheep, goats,
cattle and even alpacas and most of these are associated with schemes
to bring life back to the countryside Higher up, at the level of
Vasciano, the farmland has often been abandoned adding to a sense
of secrecy. Above this are oak woods, grown and sensitively managed
for firewood, interspersed with sweet chestnuts. The latter are
grown for their fruit and are also the traditional timber for building.
At the west end of the valley, in Mercatale the road divides and
twists up over hills and down to Lake Trasimeno to the south and
Cortona to the west. The east end of the valley joins the Tiber
valley at Niccone and goes south to Umbertide and north to Citta
di Castello. |
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