Those who stop in Ubiale, a small cluster of houses at the beginning of the Brembana Valley, have the very impression of taking a plunge into the Middle Ages.
The elegant bridge that Count Attone had built over a thousand years ago over the Imagna River, at the point where it flows into the waters of the Brembo River, stands out.
Attone, the last count of Lecco and Almeno, is credited not only with the design of the bridge but also with the construction of the castle of Clanezzo and a fortification on Mount Ubione, which controlled access to the Imagna valley.
A few significant parts of the castle survive today, including a tower.
The strategic importance of the locality is confirmed by the fact that a mule track descended to the Brembo River at a point where there was once a ferry connecting the two banks.
In its place in 1925 a suspension bridge was built to allow the passage of laborers working in factories in the area.
The bridge is still in use today.
A short route from Ubiale to the mouth of the Imagna River provides access to the remains of the grandiose iron-working mallet that remained in action until half a century ago.
Despite its abandonment, the site is awe-inspiring.