Monte Amaro up the backside: a bittersweet ascent in the Apennines

November 13, 2019 Trip reports abruzzo, apennine 2000ers, apennines, hill walking, italy, maiella, monte acquaviva, monte amaro, monte macellaro, monte morrone 0 Comment

Welcome to this, the second in my series of Apennine ‘up the backside’ posts, so called because I tackle the mountain from the opposite of its usual side. I have previously talked about an ascent of Monte Marsicano via its

Monte Camicia and the last snow of spring

July 3, 2019 Trip reports abruzzo, apennine 2000ers, apennines, edita, gran sasso, hill walking, italy, monte camicia, monte tremoggia, pizzo di camarda 0 Comment

Some people say you should never return to a place where you have enjoyed happy memories, because it will always be a disappointment. Monte Camicia had been my favourite ever day out in the Apennines, so how would I enjoy it the second time around?

Pizzo di Camarda: a return to the Apennines

May 1, 2019 Trip reports abruzzo, apennine 2000ers, apennines, gran sasso, hill walking, italy, monte corvo, monte ienca, pizzo di camarda 1 Comment

It was the Easter bank holiday weekend. We had booked our flights from London, and we were going back to the Apennines, come rain or shine. It was the first time I had returned to these peaks in nearly two years, and they carried some special memories.

Dreams of Maiella: a shepherd’s life in the Apennines

April 10, 2019 Reviews and tributes abruzzo, apennines, blockhaus, eric newby, italy, maiella, monte amaro, mountain literature, paolo sanelli 6 Comments

Maiella is a high tableland on the eastern side of the Apennines in central Italy. Recently I read a book about it that brought back a few memories. I made three visits there with Edita to climb Monte Amaro and its surrounding peaks from various directions.

Introduction to the Apennines — Part 5: Monti della Laga

February 27, 2019 Opinion and advice abruzzo, apennines, cicerone guides, hill walking, introduction to the apennines, italy, lazio, monte gorzano, monti della laga, pizzo di sevo 2 Comments

I was lucky to live and work for a year in Rome, where the highest peaks of the Apennines were accessible within a couple of hours. It was a hill walker’s paradise, with a feast of mountains of great variety,

Introduction to the Apennines — Part 4: Sirente-Velino

November 14, 2018 Opinion and advice abruzzo, apennines, cicerone guides, hill walking, introduction to the apennines, italy, monte sirente, monte velino, sirente-velino 0 Comment

Sirente-Velino has only regional park status, but don’t let this put you off. It’s easily the equal of the three surrounding massifs with national park status. There is great variety to be found here, from emerald-green paradise, to bare moonlike landscapes and dramatic cliff faces.

Introduction to the Apennines — Part 3: Abruzzo National Park

August 8, 2018 Opinion and advice abruzzo, apennines, cicerone guides, hill walking, introduction to the apennines, italy, monte marsicano, monti della meta, wildlife 2 Comments

Abruzzo National Park is the wildlife capital of the Apennines. Its peaks are slightly lower in altitude and are aproned in forest which are a sanctuary for bears, wolves, lynx, chamois and deer. It is particularly vibrant in autumn, when the peaks rise in a rainbow of colours.

Monte Marsicano up the back side: 8 summits in one day

June 27, 2018 Trip reports abruzzo, apennine 2000ers, apennines, cicerone guides, club alpino italiano, edita, europe, hill walking, italy, monte marsicano, peak bagging, wildlife 2 Comments

Since climbing Monte Marsicano from the south on one of our first visits to Abruzzo National Park, we’d had in mind to climb the mountain via a longer route from the more remote northern side. This route took in no fewer than 8 Apennine 2,000ers in a single day.

Introduction to the Apennines — Part 2: Maiella

April 18, 2018 Opinion and advice abruzzo, apennines, cicerone guides, hill walking, introduction to the apennines, italy, maiella, monte acquaviva, monte amaro, monte morrone, wildlife 3 Comments

Maiella is Italy’s equivalent of the Cairngorms, but at a much higher altitude. It’s a huge plateau of multiple summits linked by broad ridges, and divided by deep, mouth-watering gorges. You can walk for miles without dropping below 2,000m.

Introduction to the Apennines — Part 1: Gran Sasso

March 7, 2018 Opinion and advice abruzzo, apennines, cicerone guides, corno grande, corno piccolo, gran sasso, hill walking, introduction to the apennines, italy, monte brancastello, monte camicia, monte corvo, pizzo cefalone, pizzo d'intermesoli 3 Comments

Without doubt the Gran Sasso massif is the crowning glory of the Apennines. It contains its highest and most dramatic peaks, limestone cathedrals, ruled over by 2,912m Corno Grande, the highest mountain in the Apennines.

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