Walking Program

Our walking holidays are based at Sensone in the wonderful Garfagnana National Park - also known as "Little Switzerland"!

We have noticed that many walking companies use a valley base and walk up the mountains, usually finishing the walk at around 1000 m, but they are missing the point! A whole wonderful world of undiscovered Tuscany awaits - the high Mountains of the Apennines!
Sensone is located at the apex of the local access road, and we can walk directly on to 100's of kms of forest and mountain track, without the need to walk a tarmac road!

Our walks are great for all abilities and despite being high mountain, the itinerary can be easily tailored to the group ability - from gental walks to challenging assents. We can even stay on the mountain overnight using our local network of mountain refuge.

Typical Itinerary

Day 1.
Assesment of group - walk from Renaio to Barga, 8kms down through beech and chestnut woods to the medieval city of Barga, chance to visit the Duomo, grab a refreshing Gelato, beer etc. Lunch in town, walk back to Renaio via La Mochia (ascent of 600m) - 8kms.
Relax in Jacuzzi - followed by evening dinner and optional evening visit to local shops / bar.

Day 2
High Mountain - From Reniao - Lago Santo.
We take the mountain foreststrada, to the Vetricia refugee, then follow the old mountain track towards mt Omo. We then take a mountain path over the crest into the Modena side of the range, passing just below the summit, strong walkers can take the path up to the peak (no need for ropes in the summer). We then drop down to Lago Santo, a beautiful lake high in the Apennines for lunch at the local refuge.
The walk back follows the same route.
This is a great walk where you will experience a different Tuscany to almost any other visitor.
This walk can be made short or relatively long - if we walk the whole route, it is a good eight hours of walking, but we have the option of taking our 4x4 part way, and reducing the walking time to 4 hrs. This is a group choice, as we will make sure that the 4x4 is able to retreive at anytime should people get too tired!

Day 3
High Mountain - Reniao - Santa Anna
Walking across the Apennine ridge, pass the Satello plateau, we drop down to the ski resort of Santa Anna (passing a small memorial on the track where a group of locals were shot as collaborators by the Germans in WW2).
Passing through beech woods, shepherd huts and Ski lifts!
The total route is 26kms, but we we can reduce this to 6kms or anything in between!

Day 4
High Mountain - Satello - San Pellegrino
Relatively easy walk from the Satello pass following the ridge along to the Mountain pass of San Pellegrino in Alp - lunch at the Church - spectacular views over the Garfagnana and visit the church and pay our respects to the two mummified Scottish Saints that lay on view! Also visit the rural museum in the same complex - return back to Satello.
Route 10kms.

Day 5
The Horrible Botri!
For ths walk, we take the 4x4 down the valley to the ravine valley called the Oridable di Botri, this extraordinary walk takes us up the valley, following the river and then around the top of the valley, looking at the extreme drops! An easy days walking - but fabulous views

Day 6
We walk the Apuanes - up to the Panna and view the spectacular Liguarian coast of the Italian Rviera!