Ancient pathways around Valleriana

When walking along the high trails around Valleriana, one can only marvel at the achievements of the inhabitants of former times. These high trails formed the major arterial routes for travel between the habitations across the numerous valleys of northern Tuscany.  The routes generally followed contours around the valley to minimise sudden changes of elevation, unlike their modern equivalent of hairpin bends every 200metres, and tracks descend to the villages, as opposed to today's roads up from the valley floor.
What also impresses me is the number, and size, of buildings en-route, principally churches, chapels, refuges and farmhouses.  Examples taken from the trails, as if walking from Pescia or Collodi  along the ridge to M. Battifolle, then to the Croce a Veglia and on to Lignana and Sorana are shown below:-

Chiesa S. Anna (about 7km from Pescia) above Pietrabuona

Capella della Mura, about 2km north of S. Anna - above Medicina

Madonna del Tamburrino on the slopes of M. Battifolle - above San Quirico

The refuge hut at Croce a Veglia - above Pontito

Maddonna delle Grazie, church above Pontito

Church on Lignana, also on the site of a medieval village - above Sorana