From “Monti Dell’Uccellina’’ to the “Colline Metallifere”, crossing parks and nature reserves, visiting perched villages and cycling on ancient medieval roads. Maremma Trail, a fascinating experience to discover a still wild land, an adventure to be experienced on “Gravel” or “E-bike”. Its name evokes the glamorous charm that can be felt while pedaling in the shade of the Granducali pine forest , it follows us on the beaches of the Maremma Park with the watchful eye of the Medici watchtowers, running on ancient medieval paths between the Mediterranean scrubland, the Merse and La Pietra Nature Reserves, in the shadow of the Colline Metallifere.
TECHNICAL FEATURES
This tour is organized with the support of FIAB Grosseto Ciclabile, creator of the MAREMMA TRAIL route
FIRST DAY:
Arrival in Grosseto on the same day by car or with the train and bike formula and accommodation in a hotel/farmhouse. In the evening, meeting with the guide, tour briefing, possible delivery and adjustment of the bikes (for those who have rented them). Dinner in the facility.
SECOND DAY: GROSSETO-FONTEBLANDA (54.2 km - altitude 260 m)
Our Maremma Trail starts from the "capital" of the Maremma, Grosseto and we immediately enter the splendid plain created by the reclamation of the swamps that once made this land harsh and inhospitable. We start pedaling on the cycle path that surmounts the right bank of the Ombrone, until we cross the river on the bridge dedicated to the memory of the historic ferryman Eugenio Luigi Bellucci, known by the nickname 'Gigi della Barca'. From this point we enter the Maremma Regional Park, a protected area where time seems to have stopped, and where we can admire the Maremma cows herds and horses that are bred in the wild. If lucky we can meet the Butteri at work, a unique experience! From the locality of Spergolaia, an ancient granary of the Lorena’s farm, we continue along the cycle path which we will follow up to Marina di Alberese and then reach the mouth of the Ombrone river. We continue on the cycle path in the Granducale pine forest up to the wonderful Collelungo beach and experience the charm of cycling among the centenary olive trees, and then arriving at the small town of Alberese. The second part of the day takes us near the ex Alberese railway station, from here we pedal on a natural route of about 2 km up to Collecchio and then reach the characteristic seaside village of Talamone. A few more kilometers along a dirt road by the sea and we arrive at the end of the first stage, Fonteblanda.
THIRD DAY: FONTEBLANDA-CAMPAGNATICO (Km. 62.9 - altimetry mt. 980)
Today's stage takes us into the hills that frame the Maremma, let's start from Fonteblanda cycling on stretches of roads with low traffic in the direction of Montiano. From now on the horizons change, the road begins to climb with more or less challenging slopes and you soon reach the first hill of the day, located at 262 m above sea level near the medieval village of Montiano. In these areas there are many historical evidence left by ancient civilizations. For example we have the Etruscans, the Aldobrandeschi up to the most recent events. From here the route begins to descend a little towards the Piagge del Maiano area where we find the Ombrone river, which we cross heading towards Istia d'Ombrone and its characteristic historical center, with the Portaccia as proof of the ancient medieval past. From Istia , the itinerary heads towards Campagnatico, with continuous Ups and downs accompanied by boundless views of the hills designed by rows of vines and olive trees. Before reaching Campagnatico we cross the Ombrone river again, from here the last climb of the day begins with a suggestive passage from the sources and the medieval wash houses, which anticipates the panoramic view of the Ombrone valley.
FOURTH DAY: CAMPAGNATICO-CASAL DI PARI (Km. 45.3 - altimetry mt. 860)
Today starts with a tour of the streets of the medieval village of Campagnatico, also mentioned by the Supreme Poet Dante in the ”Divina Commedia”. We take the Via Leopoldina, which follows the route of the Cycle Route of Due Mari, towards the Monte Antico Castle, from here we continue entering the Farma-Merse Nature Reserve until we reach the ancient Petriolo Baths. Here for those who want there will be the possibility of taking a bath in the natural pools of thermal water, a very relaxing experience! The last stretch of today's stage is uphill and takes us to the village of Pari, a beautiful example of medieval fortification (transformation from castle to fortified town), and then continues towards Casenovole Castle and finally arrives at the farmhouse for the well-deserved relaxation and dinner.
FIFTH DAY: CASAL DI PARI-ROCCATEDERIGHI (38.2 km - altitude 820 m)
After a tasty breakfast, we leave for the most challenging stage of our tour, we will visit Casal Di Pari, an ancient post station on the border between the provinces of Grosseto and Siena, the village where the cartoonist Aurelio Galleppini, also known as Galep, who became famous, was born for creating the character of Tex Willer. From here we enter one of the most beautiful stretches of the tour, the SP 124 of Belagaio, 15 km of beautiful white road that takes us to ”Piloni”, where it crosses the Via Maremmana. The next stretch, between Torniella and Sassofortino, is one of the wildest and most challenging of the entire itinerary, the route goes up the Farma stream along the borders of the Pietra Nature Reserve. After crossing the Farma bridge, the road rises up with moderate slopes and steep slopes that follow one another for about 8 km. The dirt surface is irregular and allows us to reach up to 590 m above sea level, the "Coppi peak" of the itinerary, and then begin the descent to Sassofortino. We have now entered the Colline Metallifere National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, we cycle on the slopes of the Sassoforte massif, which houses on its summit the remains of a legendary manor often disputed during the Middle Ages by the various families that dominated the area. Last kilometers still to reach Roccatederighi, the end of the stage, from where we can admire a fantastic panorama which dominates the Maremma plain from above, once Lake Prile.
SIXTH DAY: ROCCATEDERIGHI-GROSSETO (Km. 71.6 - altimetry mt. 620)
We leave Roccatederighi, for the last stop of our tour in Maremma, along a beautiful local road that quickly descends towards the Montemassi castle for a short visit. This village is linked to the domination of Siena over the Maremma, celebrated by the great fresco by Simone Martini "Guidoriccio da Fogliano at the siege of Montemassi” and located in the Sala del Mappamondo of the Palazzo Pubblico in Siena. In rapid succession we reach the former mining village of Ribolla to go up the old tracks that connected the lignite extraction wells. The passage from the square that housed the Pozzo Camorra is particularly evocative. It was built in 1948, near the Camorra farm from which it later took its name, and became the site of the largest Italian mining disaster after the Second World War where 43 miners died (1954). The most challenging sections are now behind us, a long slight slope takes us up to Sticciano Scalo. The railway line will also be the common thread that accompanies us in the next stretch of the route to reach the Roccastrada station. Here, thanks to the availability of the property, we enter the Tenuta Di Paganico to travel along a long stretch of dirt road that crosses the entire Tenuta di Paganico. From here we follow the coplanar road until we reach the last climb of this tour, beautiful and a little challenging, which climbs up to the medieval village of Montorsaio from where you can enjoy a spectacular panoramic point, with a view that extends from the sea to Mount Amiata.
Downhill we reach Batignano, the last medieval village that separates us from the finish line in Grosseto which we reach by riding our bikes along the cycle path, a path that connects Grosseto to the Archaeological Park of Roselle. Once in the city our Maremma Trail ends.
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