The Path of the Brigands it is a route that winds between Val de Varri, Valle del Salto and the slopes of Monte Velino, approximately 100 kilometers (216 by mountain bike) between Abruzzo and Lazio at heights between 800 and 1,300 metres.
The name is due to the figures, precisely, of the brigands, who between the 19th and 20th centuries used the route as needed. The brigands in question were not simple criminals, but dissidents, opposed to the Savoy Kingdom, seen as an invader, who decided to go underground to fight and carry out sabotage actions (at the time, the territories in question were divided between the Papal State and the Bourbon Kingdom).
A path not for everyone
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The Brigands’ Path is not an itinerary to be underestimated, or worse, improvised. It requires a fair level of training and, for the more daring, a route dedicated to mountain bikes has recently been created, which doubles the distance, bringing it to around 216 km. A route that winds through mountain paths, dirt roads and single tracks, where technical descents alternate with unforgiving climbs. To testify to the severity of the route, we find climbs with gradients that exceed 12%, and rough surfaces that require experience and attention. The advice, for the less experienced, is not to underestimate the itinerary, because the Camino is only for those who know how to respect their own limits, without excesses or protagonism.
The main stages can start from three key points: Magliano de’ Marsi, Sante Marie and Sant’Elpidio di Pescorocchiano. It is here that every traveler can register, receive the safe conduct – a sort of traveller’s “passport” to be stamped along the route – and secure a final certificate, tangible proof of the feat accomplished.
For those who choose mountain biking, the Cammino dei Briganti represents a further challenge. challenging climbs and technical descents, irregular terrain, between rocks and mud, you immerse yourself in a mountain environment that grants no respite. Hence, the advice to equip yourself with a full-suspension MTB and a light backpack, because the narrow and difficult sections require agility and resistance.
The charm of the Brigands’ Path does not end in its harshness. Every kilometer travelled, every effort expended seems to have a deeper, almost spiritual meaning. Along the path, just look up to admire the views that open up between the valleys and slopes, while a profound silence envelops everything. This is the kingdom of the Apennine mountains, the Simbruini mountains, the Cicolano and the part of Massa d’Albe under the Velino, where nature imposes its presence and calls for humility, territories that saw the deeds of characters willing even to die to defend the cause. Those who have walked the Camino dei Briganti say that they have learned to follow the rhythm of the mountain, that they have accepted the mud, the brambles, the slippery rocks, even the frustrations of an itinerary that at times seems to want to push you to the limit, but that knows how to repay you for the effort made.
Useful tips
To best tackle the Path of the Brigands, it is advisable:
We leave you at the official website.
