A panoramic path ideal for the coldest months of the year, when you can dive into the flowering fields and enjoy the change of the tree liveries.

From the historical center of Isola del Gran Sasso you reach the post office and climb up the little road behind it that turns soon into a stone paved mule track. The track leads quickly to the asphalt road that comes from Cesa di Francia. Move on along the road until you find a country road that goes down on the left. This dirty track passes through the fields until a crossroad, next to a summer house. Turn on your left and climb up on gravel ground until you reach the ruins of the ancient monastery of San Valentino.
From the ruins, keep moving on the main dirty road for about 100 meters, until you find on the right a marked track that passes through the oaks. A steeper stretch of the track leads nearby the highway, that you cross passing below it through a concrete tunnel. Climb up skirting a field until you reach a middle slope mule track; take it on the right until you reach the first houses of Forca di Valle.
Avoid the asphalt road that climbs up with long turns, and follow instead the steep track that goes up through the village houses. Once you reach the top of the village, next to a fountain, take the left road and follow the park wooden signs. It's a very steep stretch. You pass by Fonte del Peschio, a big rock dripping water, and you arrive to PianaLunga saddle that opens up to the highest slopes of Montagnone.
Move to the left from the saddle through the fields until you reach the top of a big green hill. This is "Lu Ncuume". After a due break to enjoy the wonderful view of the Gran Sasso massif and of the Siciliana Valley, you just have to go down following without any clear path the fields that fall towards the est. As you go down towards Cerchiara village you find a thin track in the greens that gets wider and wider.
The track crosses a dirty road that connects Cerchiara and Fonte Chiavatteri. Take it to the left, reaching the village in a while. Now you just need to go down through the houses until you reach the country road that goes to the San Valentino ruins and then back to Isola del Gran Sasso.
 
Document edited by Marco Flammini Minuti
Website: http://vallesiciliana.wordpress.com