“CASALE CAMALDA” HIKING CENTRE

Three itineraries suitable for all to reach Camaldoli Monastery on foot and how to reach the footpaths in the C. F. National Park

ITINERARY C (green)

Uphill: 138 m
Total length: 3.150 km
Time: 1.15 h.

From Casale Camalda (678 m) follow the main gravel road downhill for 300 metres until you arrive at Case Castagnoli; here you take the path (CAI n°68/a) that goes past these country houses on the left. When you arrive at a spring, the path turns right and starts to climb; after passing a small country cottage and a bend to the left, it levels off and passes through bitteroaks, downy oaks and brambles, gorse and dog roses, going gently up and downhill.The scenery changes after you take a sharp left: a wood of large, centuries old chestnut trees starts here, once cared for by the monks of Camaldoli. Continue west, along the flat path amidst these large chestnut trees until you arrive at the gravel road at Prato al Tiglio (724m). Take this road uphill to the left for about 350 metres, and then continue gently downhill.

You will come across a sports ground and then a ford that has become a little trickier because of a landslide, and then, after about 1.5 km, you will find yourself directly below the enormous Camaldoli Monastery (816m). The visit to the Monastery is very interesting and takes in the church, two cloisters, the guest lodge, the bookshop (that sells on a fair-trading basis) and the old pharmacy. Should you wish to continue up to the Hermitage (1111 m) simply follow the well-marked path and calculate about 45 minutes –one hour.  Follow our itinerary A or B for the return route, starting out just past the car park, almost in front of the hotel-restaurant: after you have passed the bridge on the main road, immediately turn left onto the little road closed by a bar.