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Tuesday 15 December 2020

The Pinewood of Monte San Costanzo

The pinewood of Monte San Costanzo (Termini, Massa Lubrense) is a place frequented by many, locals and tourists alike, but which is practically unexplored by the majority who limit themselves to using it as a starting point for walking up to the chapel or as a way to or from  Vetavole and Punta Campanella along the CAI300 trail.
In fact most people are probably  totally unaware that the central section of the forest, descending from the saddle towards Jeranto,  actually has a series of practically horizontal paths for every 25 to 30 metres of altitude, connected by short zigzagging paths to reduce the steepness. A little further west, other shorter trails reach the edge of the gully of the Rivolo San Costanzo (Rivo ‘a Falanga), offering unusual and fascinating views.
Unfortunately, over the past few years, gale force winds and forest fires had seriously damaged the forest, with many of its trees reduced to charred trunks, the paths blocked and hidden by fallen branches. The partial collapse of some of the dry-stone walls had also contributed to the problem, rendering the whole area a veritable obstacle course.
Confined by Covid regulations to his local council area, Giovanni Visetti decided that he would combine getting some much needed and welcome exercise with something useful and so, together with a few  volunteers from the local walking group Camminante, he began a new project, retracing and mapping the trails  and making a start at clearing them wherever possible. Now, after just a few sessions, nearly 3 kms are already accessible (the trails marked in red on the map) descending roughly 120 metres from the ridge and the CAI300 path. Any trees still blocking these paths can  easily be by-passed or climbed over.
The idea is to restore the area as much as possible to how it was, thus recreating a perfect, natural "gym" for anyone who wants some exercise out in the fresh air without going too far. That said, you can make it as long and as steep as you wish, go as fast or as slow as you fancy and  all this without the slightest possibility of getting lost, since all you need to do is follow one of the paths uphill and you will come back to the ridge and therefore to the road.  



photos courtesy of Giovanni Visetti's Discettazzioni Erranti

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