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Trekking in the Apennines

The Grande Escursione Appenninica

ISBN

9781852847661

Availability

Published

14 Jan 2016

Edition

Second

Pages

160

Size

17.20 x 11.60 x 1.00cm

Weight

180g

Delivery & Returns

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Guidebook to the Grand Apennines Trek, or Grande Escursione Appenninica (GEA). Through Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna and 2 national parks, this 400km trail takes 23 days to complete, exploring the mountains, forests and hills of central Italy. Suitable for a range of walkers, it can be split into shorter sections or day walks if needed.

Seasons

spring through to autumn: late June-September fits best with accommodation availability in the central section

Centres

Abetone, Arezzo, Bibbiena, Bologna, Parma, Pieve Pelago, Pistoia, Pontremoli, Porretta Terme, Prato, Reggio Emilia, Sansepolcro

Difficulty

no special experience needed: any fit walker can embark on this route, and there are plenty of short sections, making the route perfect for bespoke walking holidays. The few moderately exposed stretches can always be detoured

Must See

the Casentino National Park and Franciscan sanctuaries; the WW2 Gothic line; open ridges on the northern stretch; alpine-style lakes in the Apennines National Park; Monte Prado, Tuscany's highest peak (2054m); magnificent beech woods; alpine flowers

ISBN

9781852847661

Availability

Published

14 Jan 2016

Edition

Second

Pages

160

Size

17.20 x 11.60 x 1.00cm

Weight

180g

Delivery & Returns

Overview

A guidebook to trekking the Grande Escursione Appenninica (GEA), a 400km waymarked trail through Italy’s Appenine mountains. Extending from Bocca Trabaria to Passo Due Santi through the regions of Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna, the route is straightforward and suitable for a broad range of trekkers, with walking on paths, forestry tracks and quiet lanes.

The GEA is presented in 23 day stages, graded by difficulty, of between 8 and 25km, with accommodation available at each stage end (though camping is also possible on some stages). With convenient access by public transport, it is also easy to walk a shorter section of the route.

Route description illustrated with sketch mapping and elevation profiles
Comprehensive notes on accommodation and facilities
Peaks including Monte Prado (the highest peak in Tuscany)
Advice on preparation and planning
Sized to easily fit in a jacket pocket

Table of Contents

CONTENTS

Map key

Overview map

Introduction

The Apennines

The GEA trek

Highlights and shorter walks

Wildlife

Plants and flowers

Getting there

Local transport

When to go

Accommodation

Food and drink

What to take

Maps

Emergencies

Using this guide

The GEA

Stage 1 Bocca Trabaria to Passo di Viamaggio

Stage 2 Passo di Viamaggio to Caprese Michelangelo

Stage 3 Caprese Michelangelo to La Verna

Stage 4 La Verna to Badia Prataglia

Stage 5 Badia Prataglia to Rifugio Città di Forlì

Stage 6 Rifugio Città di Forlì to Passo del Muraglione

Stage 7 Passo del Muraglione to Colla di Casaglia

Stage 8 Colla di Casaglia to Badia Moscheta

Stage 9 Badia Moscheta to Passo del Giogo

Stage 10 Passo del Giogo to Passo della Futa

Stage 11 Passo della Futa to Montepiano

Stage 12 Montepiano to Rifugio Pacini

Stage 13 Rifugio Pacini to Pracchia

Stage 14 Pracchia to Lago Scaffaiolo

Stage 15 Lago Scaffaiolo to Boscolungo

Stage 16 Boscolungo to Lago Santo Modenese

Stage 17 Lago Santo Modenese to Passo delle Radici

Stage 18 Passo delle Radici to Passo di Pradarena

Stage 19 Passo di Pradarena to Passo del Cerreto

Stage 20 Passo del Cerreto to Prato Spilla

Stage 21 Prato Spilla to Lago Santo Parmense

Stage 22 Lago Santo Parmense to Passo della Cisa

Stage 23 Passo della Cisa to Passo Due Santi

Appendix A Route summary table

Appendix B Italian–English glossary

Appendix C Useful contacts

Appendix D Background reading

Updates

July 2023

Rigoso B&B

p129 The village of Rigoso now has a lovely community run B&B Corte di Rigoso www.cortedirigoso.it

August 2021

Stage 5

Rifugio Città di Forlì is closed for the time being. Luckily comfortable accommodation is available at nearby Locanda Chalet della Burraia (www.chaletburraia.it Tel 0543/980006 – Cell. 335/6565764). From the rifugio take the lane E downhill to the Locanda. 10min should suffice.

October 2018

Updates

Stage 7:

The Mugello authorities have cleared the paths from near Colla della Maestà all the way to Colla di Casaglia as well as

Stage 10: the entire stretch from Passo del Giogo to Passo della Futa.

Sept 2018

it is stage 7 and 10 that are seriously overgrown in places - not Stages 4 and 5 as stated below. add at least 2 hours to each day.

Aug 2018

Stage 1: The road to the start of the trek is closed about 3km from Bocca Trabaria due to a land slip and there is no bus for the time being. It's possible to get a taxi from Sansepolcro to near the collapse and then walk to the start. (Road repairs are due to start soon - completion approx Nov 2018).

Stages 4 and 5 are seriously overgrown in places - add at least 2 hours to each day.

(Thanks to Graham Shorrock)

July 2018

Stage 4 :Sections between Chiusi della Verna and Badia Prataglia + stage 5 : San Godenzo (Passo Muraglione) to Colla di Casaglia are reportedly blocked by fallen trees, requiring scrambling to get around. Some trails are overgrown with brambles and tall ferns, and rife with ticks.

Stage 7: Colla di Casaglia - the Locanda no longer offers accommodation but a resto/hotel will pick up walkers, give them a room and meals and drop them off at the trailhead next morning: Le Spiagge Albergo Ristorante, Loc. Alpe-Palazzuolo sul Senio. tel. 055812281; cell 3393863056.
(Thanks to Ricia Gordon and William Dixon)

Oct 2017

p120 Lovely Albergo Carpe Diem at Passo di Pradarena at the end of Stage 18 has changed management and is now thankfully open once again:

tel 0522 899113 or mob 388 6471360, email: info@albergocarpediem.com

(Thanks to Barbara O)

August 2016

p72 Locanda della Colla www.locandadellacolla.it
Albergo Carpe Diem is currently closed. Stay at Rifugio Bargetana on the previous stage.

p141 Locanda degli Aceri is closed so go to the Ostello. Contact <>

via email forestalepassocisa@libero.it or phone: mobiles 328 8741814 or 347 4197674. The land line 0525 629072 no longer works.

p145 Zum Zeri website no longer works

(Thanks to Martin and Sue)<>

By Gillian Price

Gillian Price has trekked throughout Asia and the Himalayas, but now lives in Venice. Gillian has steadily explored the mountain ranges of Italy, and Corsica, and brought them to life for visitors in a series of outstanding guides for Cicerone. She is an active member of the Italian Alpine Club (CAI) and Mountain Wilderness.

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