Loop of Vallone Acqua del Milo, Croce della Conocchia and Pistillo

Premise

This route was traveled on January 13, 2022, and all subsequent observations and considerations may fully apply only to that day.

It is all on trails mapped on the hiking maps of the area, both the CAI Monti Lattari map and those of the Amalfi Coast "cart&guide" series.

The entire route is included in OpenStreetMap and its derivatives.

Given all this basic documentation, just a bit of attention is enough and you won't get lost even if it's your first time as in our case.

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Ascent to Croce della Conocchia via the right hydrological side of Vallone Acqua del Milo

Basically, just follow the CAI 338 trail, but we found some differences compared to what was published on January 13, 2022, on the CAI Monti Lattari website.

From Moiano, take Via Paradiso, and after about 400 meters of paved road, the well-marked trail starts on the left.

You ascend easily up to the Colle Maista area and after a first stretch in open field you reach a large cairn that precedes slightly the "crest steepening".

There on the CAI Monti Lattari site it says "a crest stretch begins with some rock jumps with 2nd-degree climbing difficulty passages" – and the GPS track published so far actually follows this line.

On the terrain, however, a new route has been traced and marked more to the left in the ascent direction and avoids difficult passages.

We followed this new route except for a variant (where old erased signs were noticed) to avoid a shaded section at the time of our passage.

Faithfully following the new CAI signs, there remain a couple of small jumps helped by metal steps.

Thus, you reach località Bandera, where the long and airy traverse towards the head of Vallone Acqua del Milo begins.

The first part is on a small path up to the fork with the indication for località Casa del Monaco, which is reached without problems with a bit more attention to signs.

Finally, you go around the head of the valley on very wide tracks and reach the ridge on the other side that is briefly climbed up to the Croce della Conocchia.

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Descent from Croce della Conocchia to Santa Maria del Castello passing through Pistillo, Vena Longa, and Punta Medico

You go back from Croce della Conocchia following the well-known CAI 300 towards the Forestry Barracks and Montepertuso-Positano.

You descend part of the stretch with narrow hairpins and wooden barriers, and more or less at elevation 1130 you must go out to the right to cross the bottom of that valley towards the well-visible Pistillo tower.

Today we found the very first meters grassy without a visible trace, but it is not difficult because from the exit one already notices that shortly beyond there are walkable paths.

Having quickly crossed the bottom of the valley, you proceed towards Pistillo and then up to the left hydrological ridge of Vallone Acqua del Milo that descends towards Punta Medico and is called Vena Longa.

This spectacular stretch can be defined as a narrow ledge path, almost on a single level: level jumps are few, not more than one or two meters high and always with fairly comfortable holds.

It is clear that on a general hiking scale it must be considered exposed and difficult, but a hiker of average experience with "wild tendencies" surely enjoys it (considering dry ground and good visibility).

Arriving on the crest of Vena Longa, you descend without major difficulties to the junction with the paved detour to Santa Maria del Castello.

There are some uneven stretches, but the rocky steps are all avoidable by anticipating them, with some observation, from one side or the other.

The last easy stretch crosses the area of Agriturismo La Ginestra which was closed today with the access gates locked.

Therefore, we made a slightly longer detour through freely walkable paths.