Hiking guide and map atlas for exploring the Majella

. A human mountain, maternal and at the same time harsh towards the people who live on its slopes. It is with the same sense of deep humanity and sensitivity that the authors...

The only mountain in Italy to be sworn at by name (“mannaggia la Majella”, roughly “damn the Majella”), it is at the same time a mother mountain, the second-largest massif in the Apennines. A human mountain, maternal and at the same time harsh towards the people who live on its slopes. It is with the same sense of deep humanity and sensitivity that the authors (Alberico Alesi and Maurizio Calibani) lead us by the hand through the complex geography, culture and history of this imposing mountain group  still too little known to most people.

A guide ought to be handy, physically small, pocket-sized, but this guide, like the other SER (Società Editrice Ricerche) publications, does not respect a single one of the conventional canons, luckily for us, we would say: they are heavy, in a format unexpected for this kind of publishing (16.5 x 23.5), entirely in colour. No corners have been cut on the quality of the paper, nor on the editorial care, the research and the depth.

Altogether we find no fewer than 44 routes and 2 more demanding treks. The book is divided into 6 geographical areas, each with its own routes. Those who already dabble in hiking, those who go to the mountains and know how to read between the lines … easily sense that Alesi and Calibani really have been out in the mountains. And not only that... these two great authors are not hit-and-run hikers. Through what they tell you sense their ability to observe, the patience of continuous research, of resting their gaze where it should rest without letting the most interesting and curious details slip by.

Each route comes with a map drawn on the basis of the IGM maps (Istituto Geografico Militare, the Italian military mapping agency), corrected and supplemented with numerous notes and hiking information. An introductory note opens each chapter, giving us a general idea of the type of hike. Then come the technical notes on the hike: height gains, ascent and descent times, difficulty, waymarking, for an at-a-glance view when you already have clear ideas about what to choose.

Alternating with the descriptions we find an endless series of information, of short cultural and in-depth chapters. Reading these guides is like rummaging in a bag of sweets... new flavours and new surprises are always waiting for you.

And finally the choice of photographs... lots and lots of photographs, spread out without crowding the layout too much. What amazes about the photographs is the selection of unique subjects, often so astonishing that they leave even the most expert and uninhibited hiker-photographer wanting to get back to the Mother Mountain as soon as possible.

Together with this guide, the pocket map atlas Parco Nazionale della Majella, from the same publisher, is very practical to use. Ring-bound, it leafs through quickly; the thick paper does not wear out like ordinary maps, does not crumple in the wind, stays open where needed and, so that you do not lose your bearings, can be consulted at any moment. The 1:25,000 hiking map is collected in pages, easy to consult even in strong wind, with coordinates on the margins for immediate use with the GPS. Index of names for quickly finding places, springs, huts and villages. Photo album of huts, summits, saddles and notable places, with GPS coordinates. Hiking and ski-mountaineering routes to the summits and tourist spots.

Contents of the book

Introduction
    History of the Park (the white danger). Hiking.

The routes in this book
    The technical descriptions.  In winter. Waymarking. Permits. How to behave. Who to go with. In case of accident. In case of fire. Traverses and treks. Guidebook and maps. Orientation and GPS (satellite navigator). Huts and bivouacs (list and description of 50 huts of the Majella).

Birth and evolution of the Majella.
    Not only Majella. A long history. The history goes on. The plant and animal environment

AREA 1

Gole dell'Orta – From Bolognano
Eremo di S. Onofrio and Castel Menardo
Torre di Polegro (540 m) and the springs of the Alento
Loop of the agro-pastoral complexes

AREA 2

Eremo di S. Bartolomeo and the Valle Giumentina agro-pastoral complex.
Majelletta (Fonte Tettone)
Valle dell'Orfento. Eremo di S. Giovanni
Valle dell'Orfento.
Stazzo di Caramanico
Monte Perco Falcone
Monte Amaro – From Lama Bianca by the Rava del Ferro
Monte Amaro – From Fonte Romana by the Forchetta and the Valle di Femmina Morta

AREA 3

Upper Valle del Foro
The shepherds' caves of the Vallone delle Tre Grotte and the Valle di Selvaromana.
Monte Amaro – From Rifugio Pomilio
Monte Focalone
Loop of the 3 summits. Monte Focalone, Monte Acquaviva, Cima delle Murelle
Monte Amaro from Rifugio Pomilio to Campo di Giove
Monte Amaro from Rifugio Pomilio to Fara San Martino
Cascata di San Giovanni
Majelletta – From Bocca di Valle by the Rapina
Valle dell'Avello
Valle di Selvaromana
From Pennapiedimonte to Bocca di Valle by the Rapina
Montagna d'Ugni
Monte Amaro – From Fara San Martino
Cima Pomilio
Valle Serviera
Cima dell'Altare

AREA 4

Grotta del Cavallone – From Lama dei Peligni by Rifugio Tari
Grotta del Cavallone – From Taranta Peligna by the Valle Taranta
Monte Porrara – From Madonna dell'Altare
Monte Porrara – From Campo di Giove to Palena station
Tavola Rotonda – From Campo di Giove by the Guado di Coccia
From Campo di Giove to Taranta Peligna

AREA 5

Monte Secine – From Pietransieri
Monte Secina – From the Gamberale road
Monte Rotella
Monte Pizzalto

AREA 6

Monte Rotondo
Morrone di Pacentro and Monte Mileto
Monte Morrone
Monte Morrone
Monte le Mucchia

TREKKING
The way of the Majella valleys (3 days)
The way of the hermitages and the stone huts.

Index of places and bibliography.

To put the guide into practice, try the climb to Monte Amaro by the Rava della Giumenta Bianca.