Italy, was heading south towards Rome in October 1786, and wrote: ‘I find the Apennines a remarkable part of the world. Upon the great plain of the Po basin there follows a mountain range that rises from the depths, between two seas, to end the continent on the south…it is a curious web of mountain ridges facing each other.’
From their base near the Tyrrhenian coast, both Mary and Percy Bysshe Shelley were inspired by the Apennines, which made appearances in their respective works Valperga and ‘The Witch of Atlas’.
The ‘romantic’ wild woods and mountainous ridges were long the realm of smugglers, woodcutters and charcoal burners. The latter were renowned as a wild mob who moved from camp to camp erecting huge compact mounds of cut branches that underwent slow round-the-clock combustion. Their circular cleared work platforms are still visible. Plaques recording the passage of indefatigable Giuseppe Garibaldi are not unusual. Instigator of the unification of northern Italy with Sicily and the south in 1861 under the Kingdom of the House of Savoy, he crossed the Apennines on one of his campaigns, his ranks swelled by Robin Hood-style bandits in revolt in the Romagna region against harsh taxes and the Austrian occupation.
Lovely Lago Scaffaiolo (Stage 14)
The central and northern Apennines were subjected to widespread devastation in the latter years of World War II. Once fascist Italy had recapitulated and signed a peace agreement with the Allies in 1943, the Germans turned into occupying forces and dug themselves in to prepare for the inevitable advance which thankfully led to the liberation of the whole country in 1945. Massive defences were constructed in 1944 – the so-called Gothic Line – that stretched coast-to-coast across the peninsula, entailing drastically clearing ridges to enable control of strategic passes along with key communication routes. Although a sea of green has now all but obliterated signs of battle, there are poignant reminders in the shape of war cemeteries and memorials to the Italian partisans, former soldiers who sprang into action after the armistice, working closely in liaison with Allied servicemen parachuted in behind the lines.
The GEA trek
The trek described in this guide is a memorable long-distance journey on foot snaking its way through the central and northern section of the Apennines. The Grande Escursione Appenninica or GEA (pronounced ‘jayah’ in Italian) spends a total of 23 wonderful days covering a little over 400km (402.6km to be precise), approximately a third of the total length of the Apennine chain; it moves across altitudes ranging between 400 and 2054m above sea level. Accommodation en route is in comfortable guesthouses and alpine-style refuges.
Starting in eastern Tuscany on the border with Umbria and the Marche, the trek progresses northwest to make a number of forays into Emilia-Romagna – with marked changes in accents and cuisine – before heading inland parallel to the Tyrrhenian coast on its way north to the edge of Liguria.
Marvellous views over the Garfagnana to the Alpi Apuane (Stage 17)
The route was conceived in the 1980s by Florentine walking enthusiasts Alfonso Bietolini and Gianfranco Bracci, though many improvements have since been implemented. The walking is straightforward, on paths, forestry tracks and lanes with constant waymarking, making the GEA suitable for a broad range of walkers. In the northern part the odd brief tract negotiates exposed crest, mostly avoidable. The terrain ranges from rocky slopes and open windswept crests, thick carpets of flowered meadows through to woods, where layers of leaf litter provide a soft cushion for tired feet and the play of sunlight serves as distraction from fatigue. Almost every day road passes and villages served by local transport are touched on, enabling walkers to slot in or bail out at will, to fit in with personal holiday requirements.
The initial southernmost sections of the GEA traverse the 364 sq km Parco Nazionale delle Foreste Casentinesi, which boasts magnificent spreads of ancient chestnut, fir and beech wood lovingly nurtured over the centuries by monks. Here at times the route coincides with pathways taken by Saint Francis as he tramped the hills setting up isolated retreats and spreading his message of simplicity. Nowadays groups of pilgrims follow in his footsteps on their way to Assisi. The second, more elevated part of the trek where the Apennines overlook the intensively cultivated Po plain, comes under the auspices of the fledgling 240 sq km Parco Nazionale dell’Appennino Tosco-Emiliano, dotted with sparkling lakes, formed in ancient times by long-gone glaciers.
Highlights and shorter walks
The GEA is well suited for biting off sizeable chunks as single or multiple-day walks thanks to the excellent network of public transport that serves the Apennine villages and passes. To facilitate walkers who don’t have 23 days available for the entire trek, a selection of shorter sections encompassing highlights is outlined here. Each begins and ends at a location served directly by public transport (or within reasonable distance). In the absence of a bus, you can always ask at a café or hotel for a local taxi.
1 day Badia Prataglia–Camaldoli (Stage 5). Straightforward paths climb through divine woods to a broad ridge, whence a plunge to a landmark historic sanctuary and monastery.
1 day Passo del Giogo–Passo della Futa (Stage 10). A roller-coaster day that concludes at a poignant World War II German war cemetery.
1–2 days Montepiano–Rifugio Pacini–Cantagallo (Stages 12 and 13). Studded with shrines this wander through the vast sea of rolling green hills is a delight in springtime.
2 days Badia Prataglia–Rifugio Città di Forlì–Passo del Muraglione (Stages 5 and 6). A rewarding mini-trek through the Casentino National Park, taking in forests, high peaks and scenic crests, not to mention some good hospitality.
2 days Pracchia–Lago Scaffaiolo–Abetone (Stages 14 and 15). Exhilarating if tiring stretch that negotiates both beautiful woodland where deer abound and breathtaking open ridges, touching on two key peaks.
2 days Boscolungo (Abetone)–Lago Santo Modenese–San Pellegrino in Alpe (Stages 16 and 17). Some marvellous panoramic ridge walking, a justifiably popular lake resort and a historic sanctuary as the final destination.
2 days Prato Spilla–Lago Santo Parmense–Passo della Cisa (Stages 21 and 22). Plenty of open ridge with massive sweeping views, while myriad attractive lakes nestling in cirques provide good excuses for a detour. It takes in one of the best sections of the entire trek.
3 days Passo delle Radici–Passo Pradarena–Passo del Cerreto (Stages 18 and 19). Another unbeatable ‘top’ section that boasts brilliant views, the highest peak in Tuscany and the GEA, and premium bilberry ‘orchards’.
Monte Prado, the highest peak in Tuscany
PROMINENT PEAKS IN THE NORTHERN APENNINES
The following panoramic peaks are all included in the trek or reachable via a brief detour:
1520m Poggio Scali (Stage 5)
1657m Monte Falco (Stage 6)
1945m Corno alle Scale (Stage 14)
1936m Libro Aperto (Stage 15)
1935m Alpe Tre Potenze (Stage 16)
1964m Monte Rondinaio (Stage 16)
1780m
