The Zompo lo Schioppo waterfall

For years I had dreamed of going to see the waterfall and of taking my children, who also seem to show an interest in hikes in the woods.

I take advantage of the first real sunny spring Saturday to load everyone into the car, children, wife and grandma, to go and see the waterfall. On the summits of the Simbruini the last snow is melting, so presumably the waterfall is still visible. The waterfall is in fact intermittent, that is, its flow depends on the amount of rain and snow at altitude and on the amount of snow that settled during the winter.

You get to the Comune di Morino (AQ) easily: there is no shortage of tourist signs for the reserve and it's hard to get lost.

The beech wood is already in full spring growth. The young little leaves have already covered the trees and the wood is a kaleidoscopic riot of shades of green.

From the car park where we leave the car, the route is marked by a rope handrail that clearly shows where to walk. Small and rather charming wooden footbridges have been put in to cross the many little streams in the undergrowth. In this setting the children seem to enjoy discovering nature, which can be done in complete safety.

We reach the Fonte della Volpe; Elisa and Gabriele don't seem to feel tired. Grandma isn't in her best shape but follows along “nice and slow”.

Just after the first kilometre the children are suddenly starving... we stop in a small picnic area along the route. There are comfortable tables for eating a quick sandwich.

With hunger and thirst satisfied we set off again straight away; the curiosity to see the waterfall (which we have only glimpsed through the trees) spurs us to speed up the hike.

We come across a second picnic area, where a little family has set up a barbecue of sausages. We envy them a bit, because the smell spreads all around, sending our appetite and our imagination galloping...

They tell us that you can do a loop that takes you back to the car park, passing close to a small artificial lake that collects the water.

Carrying on, we find ourselves in damp undergrowth full of little trickles of water. The mountain, fortunately, is soaked with water. There are mosses and lichens, ferns and small plants of every kind. We also see wild strawberries, which haven't flowered yet.

We reach the lowest point of the route, where the stream formed by the waterfall roars and tumbles down over the rocks. Around us we look up at overhanging limestone walls. The place has the air of a fairy wood. The waterfall we see in front of us plunges eighty metres with an imposing roar.

We stop for a few minutes to take the obligatory photos, and we drink the water from the stream: it tastes clean and you can't make out many suspended particles. It really does seem particularly clean.

From the stream we carry on along the loop that was suggested to us. Now and then we turn off to look at the water. With a small detour we lose the original path, only to find it again shortly afterwards.

In less than half an hour we reach the small artificial lake that collects the water. The water is crystal clear and blue. The effect is due to the clean water but also to the particularly white limestone rocks. From here the view of the main waterfall of Zompo lo Schioppo is the best of the whole route. You can also see the other three little cascades of the “monache” (the “nuns”) coming out of the undergrowth.

From the lake the loop closes quickly. You pass alongside the “Lo Schioppo” campsite and then climb back up to the car park. In all, just over two kilometres of route and a few hundred metres of height gain. A beautiful hike suitable for children (and for grandmas), a chance to rediscover the scents and smells of the woods. A chance to practise the patience of leading your own children. A moment of true relaxation immersed in nature. A moment of genuine serenity for the parents and of joy for the children.

A hike of truly varied naturalistic interest.