Foltrone Mountain and the Valley of the Squirrels

In the green heart of the Central Apennines, a stone's throw from the golden beaches of the Adriatic, in the Gran Sasso-Laga National Park, are the Twin Mountains: which the poet D'Annunzio defined in his Nocturne (1921) “the great mountain, cilestrina, aerial, snowy, confused with shining clouds ...”.

Of the two mountains, perfectly symmetrical when viewed from the coast, the one to the south has always been known as" the Mountain of Campli ": a multifaceted mountain, with impenetrable wooded slopes, mysterious beech woods , spectacular gorges, waterfalls, Dolomite rock walls ... And to the south, just a few minutes from the charming historic center of the Farnese town, is the Valley of the Squirrels, a true outdoor paradise for lovers of trekking, mountaineering, climbing, biking, Nordic walking, paragliding, or simply for lovers of unspoiled nature. Come to Campli to find out and experience it !!!
[Text by Marco Nardi, CAI Regent Val Vibrata-Monti Gemelli].

Recommended excursions

• CAI trails 432-425 from ROIANO to VALLE DEGLI SCOIATTOLI alla FORCHETTA (The tourist itinerary is of medium difficulty with a 3-hour journey).
• CAI 420 path from PIAN CERRETO to FOLTRONE to the FONTE DELLE IACCERE (The tourist itinerary is challenging with a 4-hour journey).
• Path 423 from BATTAGLIA to PIAN DELL’ORO to the summit of MONTE FOLTRONE (The tourist itinerary is challenging with a journey of 4 hours).
• The Valley of the Squirrels is rich in both single-pitch and non-pitched and mountaineering cliffs.

Points of interest

• Agro-pastoral settlement at high altitude (Foltrone Mountain)
• Source of the Iaccere (Foltrone Mountain)
• Pian dell’Oro (Foltrone Mountain)
• Sant’Eremo (Foltrone Mountain)
• Italic necropolis of Campovalano (14th century BC - 2nd century BC)
• Church of San Pietro (13th century)
• Cave of Sant’Angelo (F.ne Ripe of Civitella Del Tronto)
• Gorges of Salinello (F.ne Ripe di Civitella Del Tronto)
• Castel Manfrino (F.ne Macchia da Sole-Valle Castellana)
• CAI Leofara House (Valle Castellana)

Information:

• Campli touristic office
  Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, 4
  Tel: +39 0861 560 1207 - turismo@comune.campli.te.it
• CAI Val Vibrata - Monti Gemelli
  Info +39 328 648 2273 - caivalvibrata@gmail.com / www.caivalvibrata.it