A mountain reaching a height of 1,552 metres, with a name linked to the sea: palombaro, meaning a diver clad in a deep-sea diving suit. The route – six kilometres out and back, with a total ascent of 350 metres – is ideal for people who love hiking. Start from Pesco Rosito at a height of 1,200 metres, a massive pink-veined rock that was once quarried and that is perhaps the origin of the town’s name, Pietraroja (red stone). Follow a country road and you reach a small stream, where the path begins. Some sections free of obstructions offer fine views. White rocks emerge from the ground, as if to warn you that from here on, you will be walking in the forest. The path runs through beech trees and climbs gently to a fork: the track descending leads to the Guardiareggia forest, the other continues toward the destination. After 2 kilometres, a natural terrace offers a pleasant break. Hidden on the slope is Grotta del Gesso, the chalk cave. After a final stretch, you reach the summit. There are sweeping views over the fields, gentle hills, and the houses of the villages of Pietraroja and Cusano Mutri, framed by the mountains.
Technical Information
Start and finish: hamlet of Pesco Rosito – Pietraroja. Distance: 6 km outwards and return. Total ascent: 350 m. Duration: 2.5 hours. Type of path: first section dirt road, second section track. Difficulty: Hiking.