Frassati Path of Campania and Pilgrims’ Path

Premise

This route was traveled on December 26, 2022, and all subsequent observations and considerations can fully apply only to that day.

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Report

From the convenient parking lot we found in the locality Tre Cantoni, in less than 400 flat meters you reach the incredible "Paleochristian Baptistery of Marcellianum at San Giovanni in Fonte".

It is pointless to describe it here with all the available literature, but this construction over such a "generous" spring with clear water is truly surprising.

It’s a pity about the classic winter morning fog but… on the other hand, it’s a good excuse to come back.

Then continue for just under 2 km up to the ruins of the Monastery of Sant’Angelo.

After another 100 meters or so, there is a short detour from the main path to the Cave of Sant’Angelo with its "Chapel in the cave".

Continue always on very comfortable small roads and trails passing under the small hill of Tempone with the Torre dei Gatti, then near the Madonna of Loreto, and finally taking the path that leads to the Sanctuary of San Michele at Colle della Balzata.

Here, being curious, we also saw a characteristic niche with a small Madonna (accessible from outside) below the church floor level.

From the Sanctuary of San Michele begins the long final path towards Sito Alto.

The first part is clearly visible with various ups and downs up to the Junction for Casone.

Then, given the recent rains, we found a muddy-swampy stretch where (more than the markers) we tried to follow lines with firmer ground.

After crossing a stream there is an ascent beside a woods with fairly spaced markers leading to a small road where you turn left and from there (turning right) you could reconnect to the Frassati Path of Basilicata (see route → Frassati Path of Basilicata and Monte Arioso).

Follow the small road into a small pine wood to bypass a mountain ridge, and exit onto a comfortable path that leads to another small road.

From here proceed to the junction with the Pilgrims’ Path which leads back to Sala Consilina, and to complete the Frassati Path climb up to Sito Alto with its small Church of the Madonna of Sito Alto or Sit’Auta.

The “true” Frassati Path should end here, but various publications also include in the Frassati Path of Campania the descent along the Pilgrims’ Path which is a more than logical alternative to a simple out and back.

The descent along the Pilgrims’ Path (CAI 602) is very evident and “univocal” up to the locality "Calvario" with Cross and image of the Madonna.

Then the path is still marked CAI and with sufficiently close markers, but there are several almost parallel “walkable tracks” (always near the Cervara Valley watercourse) that can cause some uncertainty.

We tried to follow only the "marked tracks," but in the upper part you still end up on the path anyway.

Then – between the localities “Al Fascitieddu” and “Pietra della Guardia” – you leave the valley to stay on the hydrographic right on a well-marked path, which becomes a “quasi-small road” passing under “The Castle” and then leads to the entrance of Sala Consilina.

The conventional end of the trail is in Piazza Umberto I° in front of the Church of the Most Holy Annunciation.

Here a second car would be needed but we decided for a return to the start on foot following the normal roads.

It is about 6.8 km of linear travel with approximately 50 meters of ascent and about 135 of descent to be subtracted from the total numbers of the circuit to have an idea of the physical effort of the Frassati Path of Campania.

There are also more internal alternative roads, but we chose the most linear one.