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Hiking Trail
· Basilicata
Sanctuary Madonna di Sirino and Monte Papa from Varcovalle of Nemoli
Little Fish Trek
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The tunnel located at the beginning shortly after passing under a highway bridge.Photo: Mario Briotto, Little Fish Trek
Sirino massif in the Lucanian Apennines: ascent to the Sanctuary Madonna di Sirino (or Madonna della Neve) and to Monte Papa from Varcovalle of Nemoli near Lake Sirino.
Ascent to the Sanctuary Madonna di Sirino (or Madonna della Neve) and Monte Papa starting from the valley floor along SS 19 delle Calabrie about 1 km from Lake Sirino.
Basically, it is the traversal of the CAI 650 trail which is always well marked.
It is a hike that mainly takes place with southern exposure, unlike the shorter and classic northern exposure which starts from Lake Laudemio.
The difficulty is "medium" due to the short ridge section on the Asino’s Back between the Sanctuary Madonna di Sirino and Monte Papa: the rest is easy or very easy – just have the kilometers and elevation gain in your legs, and you can do it at a comfortable pace.
In this August outing, the summer haze did not allow for the great distant views possible from this summit, but it remains a nice "long walk" and you can always come back in autumn-winter carefully evaluating what to do when there is snow.
Author’s recommendation
Some photos are in vertical format and do not display well in previews: switch to full view to get a more complete idea of the excursion environment.
Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.
Track types
Show elevation profileSafety information
Avoid the upper part with snow (unless properly equipped), ice or wet conditions.
Tips and suggestions
For a complete overview of the routes traveled and described in Basilicata within the Province of Potenza, you can refer to the link → Hikes in Basilicata within the Province of Potenza.Roadbook
Premise
This route was followed on August 4, 2021, and all subsequent observations and considerations apply fully only to that day.
The report is intentionally concise because it is a quite intuitive route and it is fully mapped on OpenStreetMap.
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Report
At the beginning of the CAI 650 trail, starting at about 800 meters, there is a series of small roads-tracks (with a single short paved section) that passes under the highway and continues for a long stretch up to about 1235 meters.
Then the trail climbs to the Fontana della Cardonera and follows a ridge in sparse woods until a long traverse leftwards in open field ending at the Mazzapecora signpost.
From Mazzapecora there is the only steep section where you "have to push" to climb.
Anyway, it is a very wide mountain side (a large pasture now frequently grazed by cows) where there are various faint walking traces with red marks that guide on less tiring lines for those who do not want to go straight up.
In total, there are 200 meters of elevation gain that ends at the entrance of a wooded section with a signpost reading "La Lupara."
After the well-marked small wood, there is a short ridge in open field that leads to a wide trail (to the left of the elevation opposite) that leads to the Sanctuary of Madonna di Sirino or Madonna della Neve.
From the Sanctuary (unfortunately closed at our arrival), you descend on a small road to a carriageable pass, and from here there are at least three options to climb towards Monte Papa.
We chose, both for the ascent and the return, the central one that starts with several tens of meters on an easy ridge, where you can perceive the best walking path and where there are also some red marks: watch out only for some loose stones – this is the Asino’s Back.
You enter a rather dense small wood with a main trail where we also saw a small cairn at a junction.
There are various cow paths that can cause confusion, but just stay near the ridge line (more to the left going up) and you will come out on the well-marked final open field trails CAI on a couple of different possible lines close to each other.
Coming from today’s direction, shortly after the summit of Monte Papa there is a lower sub-peak just 2 meters lower.
Directions
Refer to Lake Sirino between the Lagonegro and Lauria motorway exits.
Lake Sirino is included as a place of interest in "Google Maps" for those who use this navigator.
You can set it as the final destination and stop about 1 km eastwards in the Varcovalle locality.
Parking
Small parking near a bus stop close to the start of the CAI 650 trail.Coordinates
Book recommendation by the author
Various publications on the Lucanian Apennine Park can be found at the link → https://www.parcoappenninolucano.it/emporio.php.
Author’s map recommendations
In the electronic maps category, the entire route is found in OpenStreetMap and derivatives.
Book recommendations for this region:
Equipment
Standard hiking equipment.
Localization
Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.
User Questions