Welcome to an area that resembles a lunar landscape, on a circular route running from Pietraroja to Fontana Maruccia and the Tholos shepherds’ hut, then back to Pietraroja. The first part of the loop features an alternation of large and small ridges separated by many open fields. Once you have left the town, cycle on the Morcone road where, a world apart from motor traffic, you pedal in the silence of Pietraroja’s unspoilt nature. In the second section, you will be travelling along a dirt road. On the way, large mistletoe bushes are a prominent feature in the vegetation, and they offer a good excuse for romantic cyclists to take a brief pause. The destination is the Tholos shepherds’ hut, with its panoramic view. Restoration work has made it possible to visit the interior of this small shelter. A steep descent puts cyclists’ courage and experience to the test. Contrada Maruccia is an area for grazing sheep and horses. To reach the old Tholos shepherds’ hut, once you have gone past the iron bar that keeps the animals in, you cycle uphill for a short distance until you reach the spring. You can fill your bottle with fresh, cool water, and then you return to a tarmac road. Cross the bridge over the Vallantico torrrent and continue towards Mastramici di Sopra and Sotto, the two districts of an old stone-built hamlet. To replenish your energy we recommend a visit to the local farms: fresh and matured cheeses made from sheeps’ and cows’ milk, accompanied by a slice of locally-made fresh bread. From the Costa degli Uccelli hamlet there is a final steep slope back down to the town and the starting-point.
Technical Information
Start and finish: Piazza della Vittoria, Pietraroja. Distance: 18.7 km loop. Total ascent: 300 m. Duration: about 3 hours. Type of path: tarmac, with the central section on rough track. Difficulty: suitable for fit cyclists, accustomed to steep descents on rough tracks. Notes: best avoided in periods of snow; considering the altitude, we recommend layered clothing. There are several locations on the route where drinking water is available. After 7.25 km, there is a bar that keeps the horses in; it is important to close it after going through. The route is also suitable for gravel bikes. We recommend taking the circuit in a clockwise direction, due to a steep dirt track that can be walked if you prefer not to risk cycling down it. The tholos at Fontana Maruccia is an evocative destination.