Next departure: 10 June 2023
A tour that offers the opportunity to experience a journey of the highest naturalistic, landscape and environmental value. The paths that characterize this trekking cross a mountainous territory, characterized by luxuriant nature, where woods and pastures are undisputed masters.
Small, but very significant to understand the main characteristic of Molise, are the historical and cultural testimonies that are visited.
Duration: 4 walking days, 5 nights, 6 days overall.
Destination: from Colle Arso (Carovilli) to Agnone.
Typology: medium level mountain itinerary.
Features: itinerant; cultural and historical; experiential; natural; food and wine.
Accommodation: 1800 cottage, bed-and-breakfasts and hostel.
Where to eat: 1800 cottage, farmhouse and restaurants.
Group size: 8-12 people.
Difficulty: medium
The trail contains a mix of steep uphill and plateau walks. Altitude differentials often exceed 500 meters per day, both uphill and downhill. This itinerary is suitable to everybody who is used to mountain walking. Individual trails, including the Tratturello Castel del Giudice-Sprondasino trail, are not technical and do not have specific challenges. The journey is on foot and is itinerant. Short transfers are by motorized vehicle. The overnight stays are comfortable.
Length of the itinerary: 64.5 km.
Total height difference, uphill: +3290 m.
Total height difference, downhill: -2910 m.
An added value to the journey is given by the villages we meet along the way. Soaked in high-profile landscape contexts, each one offers remarkable architectural evidences: Castiglione di Carovilli and its church (XV century); the nice village of Carovilli; Vastogirardi and its Angevin castle (XIII century), with the annexed church of Santa Maria Assunta; Capracotta and its center full of palaces and churches; Pescopennataro, its cliff and its architectural heritage made up of churches and fountains; Agnone and its rich historical-cultural heritage, a real jem of Molise.
To mountain-climber lovers, you will climb three of the most important peaks of alto Molise: Monte Cavallerizzo (1524 meters above sea level), Monte Capraro (1730 meters above sea level) and Monte Campo (1746 meters above sea level). All the three peaks are characterised by the presence of superlative rockly environments and lush beech forests, that you will cross along while climbing and descending. In addition, these mountains stand out thanks to long ridges and rocky balconies from which you can enjoy sensational views.
During the rest, you can attend significant people. They storytell histories and traditions of the rural and pastoral Molise’s culture. Then, you meet a family that has a riding school where they do responsible tourism since 2000; you can visit a biological farm, a stoneworker and the Campane Marinelli – Pontifical Bells Foundry.
Evidencies of Samnites, with the defensive system around Monte Cavallerrizzo’s peak (1524 m a.s.l.) and Vastogirardi’s doric temple. Hermitages of San Luca, carved into the rock and place of meditation since the Middle Ages, and of San Giovanni Battista, on Monte Capraro’s peak (1730 m a.s.l.). The different and fascinating pastoral trulli, where countless generations of transhumant shepherds used to take a rest. The fortified Medieval village of Macla Strinata on Monte San Nicola’s peak (1517 m a.s.l.). The place where Regio Tratturo Celano-Foggia and Tratturello Castel del Giudice-Sprondasino meet, both direct witnesses of centuries of transhumance and priceless historical-cultural heritage.
The journey is enriched by the excellent traditional cuisine of Molise and its excellent drinks. Typical products and traditional dishes, often handmade and old-fashioned, cheer up the evenings of walkers. You can taste cheeses such as caciocavallo, pecorino, burrata, manteca and others; cured meats like soppressata, ventricina, capicollo, rolled up ventresca, etc.; local and seasonal vegetables and legumes. You can drink Moscato white wine and Tintilia red wine.
Really outstanding landascapes that you can admire step by step. You will have many chances to contemplate mountain ranges of Molise and Abruzzo, hills of central and western Molise and southern Chieti, valleys of Sangro’s River and Verrino’s creek (tributary of Trigno), until you even get to see the Adriatic sea on the horizon. The Abeti Sovrani woods will further set this tour apart, an extensive beech forest with large isolated white firs. A forest that is a real rarity throughout the central Apennines.
Arrival at Isernia and meeting with Professional Nature and Interpretive Guide.
Transfer by motorized vehicle to Colle Arso district (Carovilli).
Accommodation and explanation of the journey.
Dinner in a 1800 cottage and meeting with the owner’s riding school.
The night will be in the same structure, in multiple rooms with shared bathroom. There is the possibility to sleep in the nearby village, in a bed-and-breakfast, in twin rooms with private bathroom.
After the breakfast, starting of walking day from Colle Arso (Carovilli) to Vastogirardi.
Packed lunch.
Dinner at farmhouse.
Night in bed-and-breakfast, in twin rooms with private bathroom. After exhaustion of rooms in bed-and-breakfast, in farmhouse, in twin rooms with private bathroom.
From Colle Arso’s district (Carovilli) we will go through the forest of Selva di Castiglione, to get to the hamlet of Castiglione di Carovilli, with its fortress. Once visited the small center, we’ll head to Carovilli. After, we’ll climb up the mount of Coste Ingotta (1035 m a.s.l.), then we’ll walk on the slopes of Monte Ingotta (1185 m a.s.l.) to the Guado della Mala Cavuta, between Carovilluccio hills (1076 m a.s.l.) and Macchia Pelata (1126 m a.s.l.). On Colle Riposi (1098 m a.s.l.) we’ll cross the Regio Tratturo Celano-Foggia and enter the woods of Santa Maria and La Selva, along Monte Pizzi (1372 m a.s.l.). Then, after crossing Trigno River, we’ll stop in Vastogirardi.
Technical features of the journey
Duration: 4.5 hours (rest-times not included).
Lenght of the trek: 15 km.
Total difference in height (up): +700 m.
Total difference in height (down): -500 m.
Difficulty: easy.
After the breakfast, starting of walking day from Vastogirardi to Capracotta.
Packed lunch.
Dinner at restaurant.
Night in different bed-and-breakfasts, in twin rooms with private bathroom.
From Vastogirardi we’ll reach Piano Sant’Angelo and visit the doric Samnite Temple. Then, go up towards Crocetta and Monte Cavallerizzo (1524 m a.s.l.), on whose peaks we’ll be able to visit one of the most beautiful Cyclopean walls of Sannio pentro. Going around the evocative mountain, we’ll climb up Monte Capraro (1730 m a.s.l.), from which we’ll be able to admire a beautiful view of Molise mountains and southern Abruzzo. Once down from Monte Capraro, we’ll reach Capracotta.
Technical features of the journey
Duration: 5 hours (rest-times not included).
Lenght of the trek: 14.5 km.
Total difference in height (up): +930 m.
Total difference in height (down): -700 m.
Difficulty: challenging.
After the breakfast, starting of walking day from Capracotta to Pescopennataro.
Packed lunch.
Dinner at restaurant.
Night in hostel, in twin rooms with private bathroom.
We’ll climb Monte Campo (1746 m a.s.l.), the highest peak of high Molise, from which we’ll be able to admire a panorama that sweeps up to the Adriatic Sea. Along the path there are several pastoral trulli – dry stone enclosures for the shelter of shepherds and peasants on rainy and cold days. Once you get to the top, very characteristic is the long rocky ridge of this mountain, with jumps and rocky spurs overhanging the valley below. Afterwards, we’ll descend to Prato Gentile, a modest but particular circular grassy plateau. Next, we’ll visit the hermitage of San Luca, set on the rock face of the homonymous mountain, cross the beautiful Bosco Abeti Soprani, an ecological rarity of central Apennines, and we’ll arrive at Pescopennataro.
Technical features of the journey
Duration: 6 hours (rest-times not included).
Lenght of the trek: 19 km.
Total difference in height (up): +800 m.
Total difference in height (down): -900 m.
Difficulty: medium.
After the breakfast, starting of walking day from Pescopennataro to Agnone.
Packed lunch.
Dinner at restaurant.
Night in different bed-and-breakfasts, in twin rooms with private bathroom.
We cross another portion of the beautiful Bosco Abeti Soprani until we reach Guado della Cannavina. From here we return to admire the valley of the Verrino stream. We arrive at Guado Liscia, we climb Mount Sant’Onofrio (1386 meters above sea level), and then we descend, among rural environments, to the major center of the upper Molise: Agnone. This town is remarkable and rich in art.
Technical features of the journey
Duration: 6 hours and half (rest-times not included).
Lenght of the trek: 21 km.
Total difference in height (up): +800 m.
Total difference in height (down): -900 m.
Difficulty: medium.
Time to say goodbye and go back.
After breakfast, we’ll visit Agnone and its Campane Marinelli – Pontifical Bells Foundry: considered to be the oldest foundry in the world, an incredible spectacular artisan attraction.
Then, transfer by motorized vehicle to the station of Isernia to get the train or bus.
For group from 8 to 12 people.
| Start | Finish | Availability |
| 10/06/23 | 15/06/23 | Available |
Notice: This program may be to change, before and during the journey. Changes are based on the climate, the needs of travelers and the people that host the group of travelers.
