Sibillini Mountains Park

Introduction

Description

In the heart of Italy, between the Marches and Umbria, the Sibillini Mountains rise imposingly, with more than twenty peaks exceeding two thousand metres, reaching 2476 m with Monte Vettore. Established in 1993, the park encompasses an area of almost 70,000 hectares forged by the forces of nature and painted in places by millennia of local history and culture where, even today, the magical presence of the mythical Sibyl can be felt and where memories of ancient necromantic rites and evocative legends are handed down.

THE TERRITORY 

The Sibillini constitute a mountain chain of purely calcareous origin that has been profoundly modelled by the action of the Quaternary glaciers, traces of which can be seen in the splendid glacial cirques of Mount Vettore, Mount Bove, the upper Ambro Valley, the Val di Tela (Mount Rotondo) and the U-shaped valleys below. Below the summit of Monte Vettore, at 1940m, is Lago di Pilato, the only one of natural origin in the Marche region and one of the very few alpine-type glacial lakes in the Apennines.
 Particularly evident are also the karst phenomena in the plains of Castelluccio and in the numerous dolines located in the upper Panico Valley, in the Ambro Valley, at Palazzo Borghese, as well as in the grooves and cavities in the rocky walls of the main valleys where the massive limestone outcrops, such as the Tenna Valley, the Ambro Valley. Impressive from a landscape point of view is also the Fiastrone Valley, a gorge carved out by the waters where the Grotta dei Frati, an ancient and suggestive hermitage of the Clareni monks, dating back to the year 1000, is located. Going up along the river, upstream from Lago di Fiastra, you can reach the Acquasanta valley with its splendid waterfalls and the Grotta dell'Orso, a place-name that testifies to the past presence of this species in the Sibillini Mountains.

LA FLORA 

The vegetation tends, as if by magic, to change as you move from the basal base, located at an average altitude of 500 m, to the higher peaks. Up to about 1,000 m, woods of downy oak, black hornbeam and manna ash predominate, followed by beech forest, first mixed and then pure. Above the edge of the forest, which extends up to about 1700m, natural pastures extend, where very rare and valuable species can be found, such as the martagon lily, Eugenia violet, edelweiss, Apennine edelweiss, artemisia, anemone, Apennine gentian, bearberry and dwarf willow, which is considered the smallest tree in the world.
 On the 'orito side' of the park, the Ragnolo meadows stand out for their ornamental value, where, in the summer, one can observe splendid orchid orchids, liliaceae and other interesting species, such as the Orsini fritillary, narcissus or the alpine asters.

FAUNA

The park's fauna is very rich and varied: mammals include the wolf, the elusive wild cat, the porcupine, which has only been around for a few decades and occupies the more thermophilic areas, and the roe deer, which was reintroduced for the first time at the beginning of the 1950s and has now de nitively colonised the entire area. Thanks to specific reintroduction projects, today deer and the Apennine chamois have also returned to live in the park. Among the birds of note are the golden eagle which, since the establishment of the park, has also begun to nest in areas that had been abandoned for years, the goshawk and the sparrowhawk, typical inhabitants of the woodland environment, and the peregrine falcon. Among the strigiformes, the eagle owl is present, and among the galliformes, the southern rock partridge. The alpine chough and the coral chough are also frequent. Also of interest is the presence of the little plover, the rufous-tailed rock thrush, the alpine chaffinch and the wallcreeper.
 Among the reptiles, the Ursini viper is worth mentioning, which on the Sibillini Mountains reaches the northern limit of its distribution in Italy. As for invertebrates, there is the extraordinary presence of the Marchesoni chirocephalus, a small anostracus with a vivid reddish colouration, endemic to Lake Pilato.

HISTORY AND CULTURE 

In the Middle Ages, the Sibillini were known throughout Europe as the realm of demons, necromancers and fairies. Among the many legends, the most famous are that of the Sibyl, the 'Illustrious Prophetess' who lived in a cave on the mountain of the same name, and that of Pilate, according to which the lifeless body of the famous Roman procurator was dragged by some buffaloes into the red waters of the 'demonic' lake, which was considered a place of witches and wizards since the 13th century.
 Not far away is the Gola dell'Infernaccio, where memories of ancient necromantic rituals still hover.
 How can we forget the assets of historical and cultural interest: the territory is in fact particularly rich in castles, watchtowers, historical villages, churches, Romanesque parish churches, frescoes and works of art; also worth visiting are the places of the soul: sanctuaries and monasteries built in areas of great beauty and profound spirituality, such as the Sanctuary of Macereto or the Sanctuary of the Madonna dell'Ambro di Montefortino.

TURIST OFFERING 

The hiking trails that, like a network, cross these mountains, guarantee, from spring to autumn, a lively discovery of both the natural and the historical-cultural environment. The winter, when the highest peaks are covered in abundant snow, represents a new opportunity to move, skis on one's feet, through woods and valleys enveloped in absolute silence.
 Horseback riding, mountain biking, hang-gliding or paragliding, rock and ice climbing, are other opportunities offered to visitors to the park. The area also offers countless and diverse possibilities for those who want to discover its treasures on foot in all seasons. Contact with the wilderness and the magical world of the peaks, on the other hand, can be achieved through more challenging hikes, which often require experience, training and suitable equipment. An unforgettable experience can be had along the Great Sibillini Ring (GAS), a 120-kilometre, fully signposted hiking route. Divided into nine stages, it allows you to discover, in addition to the variety of landscapes and natural beauty, the inestimable historical and cultural heritage that this territory preserves. For better enjoyment of the Great Ring, the Park has provided for the renovation of hiking refuges, which, together with the traditional accommodation facilities, allow it to be used in full harmony with the territory and the environment. The nature trails represent an extraordinary opportunity for less experienced hikers or those with little time to discover the Sibillini Mountains. Two of the 18 nature trails are "for everyone", i.e. they can also be used with pushchairs or wheelchairs.
 Exploring the Park on a mountain bike allows you to travel along roads and paths that were originally built for the "tregge" (a kind of small bicycle) of farmers, the mules of woodcutters, the boots of shepherds and the sandals of pilgrims.
 The guidebook 'Pedalando nel Parco', in which the routes are described in detail and maps are provided, proposes 14 loop itineraries, each of which can be completed in one day, as well as the Grande Anello in mountain-bike, which is 160 km long and can be completed in at least 5 days.
 To discover the Sibillini Mountains, even in a motorhome, motorbike or car, the Grande Via del Parco and 6 loop itineraries have been identified, making up a network of 450 km.
 The Grande Via del Parco is an itinerary of over 190 km, built on existing roads and practicable by car, motorbike and motorhome for a rewarding multi-day trip. It is divided into four stages. Six other loop itineraries are also connected to the Grande Via, identified in such a way as to allow a complete visit of the entire territory.
 Discovering the Park therefore means experiencing and understanding a nature and territory characterised by an unparalleled originality, the fruit of a harmonious and millenary relationship between man and the environment, which have adapted to each other in a fragile and delicate evolutionary parallelism. Visiting the centres of the Park's municipalities is therefore an unforgettable opportunity to relive, to the full, the charm of times gone by, to discover the treasures of man, so skilfully set in nature, to gain an experience that, also from a cultural point of view, will be truly vivid and unforgettable for every visitor.
 A visit cannot be missed to the museums in the area, including the Grotta della Sibilla in Montemonaco, the Duranti Picture Gallery in Montefortino, and the Museo dei Manoscritti Leopardiani in Visso. These, together with the park's Visitor Centres, are important documentation and tourist information points as they offer visitors a more general and cognitive experience of the entire park territory.
 In Castelsantangelo sul Nera and Bolognola, respectively, the Deer Fauna Centre and the Apennine Chamois Fauna Centre are worth visiting, where it is possible to observe some specimens of these two species recently reintroduced by the park. Each Centre hosts, inside, the Park House, which carries out tourist reception activities and provides visitors with the indispensable information for a correct and adequate enjoyment of the protected area. At the Park Centres it is also possible to find information material and purchase, in addition to gadgets, guides, maps and publications on the protected area. There are also 8 Environmental Education Centres in the Park. Officially recognised by both the Marche and Umbria Regions, they perform the important task of informing and acquainting visitors, especially schools, with the special values of the area and at the same time making them aware of the importance of a greater respect for the environment.
 To experience the Monti Sibillini National Park, however, is also to "savour" the area's numerous typical and traditional products, the fruit of an agriculture that has become a culture of tradition, ancient wisdom that has been able to hand down and update its uses, customs and methods, in a path of environmental sustainability, traditionality and quality. The best known products are pink apples, tasty chestnuts, superfine honey, the incomparable lentil, roveja, excellent for making an original polenta characterised by its intense green colour, cicerchia or spelt, without forgetting the precious and delicious truffle. Also worth mentioning are the beef and sheep meats, which, thanks to their originality and provenance in the area, are a certainty for the buyer in terms of food too.

Information

Year of foundation: 1993
 Area:70000 hectares
Maximum elevation: Monte Vettore (2476m)
 Municipalities involved: Fiastra, Bolognola, Visso, Ussita, Castelsantangelo sul Nera, Amandola, Arquata del Tronto, Acquacanina, Montefortino, Montegallo, Montemonaco, Pievebovigliana, Cessapalombo, San Ginesio, Fiordimonte, Pievetorina
 Institutional site: www.sibillini.net
Contacts: parco@sibillini.net