Altopiano delle Rocche, Mountain plateau in Ovindoli, Italy.
Altopiano delle Rocche is a high plateau in the Apennine mountains, sitting between several ridges at roughly 1,200 to 1,400 feet (370 to 430 m) above the surrounding valleys. The terrain mixes open meadows with patches of exposed limestone and rocky outcrops that break up the flat surface.
The plateau took its present shape during the ice ages, when glaciers carved the terrain and left behind depressions and underground drainage systems. Before that, the rock itself formed in the Mesozoic era, when this part of the Apennines lay beneath a shallow sea.
The name of the plateau comes from the rocky outcrops that give the land its rough, uneven character. Shepherds still bring their flocks here in summer, and the open grazing lands give the place a working, lived-in feel that visitors notice right away.
The plateau is easy to reach on foot from Ovindoli, and most of the open terrain can be explored without special gear. Weather at this altitude can shift quickly, so layers and sturdy shoes are a good idea even on clear days.
The Terranera sinkhole sits near the center of the plateau and acts as a drain, pulling surface water down through hidden passages that eventually connect to the Stiffe Caves several miles away. Visitors who tour the caves can actually see the water that fell on the plateau emerging underground.
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