Sala Consilina - Sito Alto via Giorgino Garone Path - Sasso di Castalda

Premise

This route was walked on August 1, 2024, and all subsequent observations and considerations fully apply only to that day.

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From Sala Consilina to Sasso di Castalda ascending to Sito Alto via the Giorgino Garone Path

The departure is from the Polo Culturale Cappuccini in Sala Consilina to follow the CAI 603 path dedicated to Giorgino Garone who for 75 years (not a mistake: it really is 75 years) was the keeper of the Sanctuary of the Madonna of Sito Alto.

Currently, the path is all well marked and is followed without difficulty.

After a first short stretch on small roads, you pass the junction with the Marsicani Path (or CAI 604, a possible shorter variant of this crossing) and continue encountering various points of interest well indicated with signs.

The elevation gain to the summit of Sito Alto is less than 900 meters, but it takes time because the walkway is moderately gentle – and then ... you lose time admiring the views!

From the Sanctuary of the Madonna of Sito Alto, you enter the Frassati Path of Campania, and descend ignoring the branch towards the Pilgrims Path.

Continuing to follow the CAI arrows towards "San Michele" you reach the exit point from the Frassati Path of Campania where another CAI arrow indicates 15 minutes to the Marsico Cross.

You thus reach the Marsico Cross at the border between Campania and Basilicata, turn right or southeast onto a trail that becomes an "almost little road," and continue for about 400 meters in the undergrowth beside a fence.

After approximately 400 meters, there is a gate on the left to cross the fence (and the border between Campania and Basilicata) and you immediately exit into an open field on a grassy inclined plane, where today we were welcomed ... by a hedge of ripe blackberries ❗😋

Here is the only point on the entire hike that, as of today, does not have an evident walkway although it exists under the regrown greenery.

Basically, to the right, there is a kind of sunken track that in the upper part reached today is completely overgrown with thick shrubs and brambles and cannot be used.

Nevertheless, you must move to the right among the meadow shrubs even if the front is open, and you should spot a series of construction ribbons (faded but visible today) guiding you to cross this shrub belt and a small wood: occasionally a footprint can be seen on the ground.

You thus reach an open grassy flank where you continue descending: today the grass had just been mowed.

Descending, you find the lower part of the aforementioned sunken track which here is clear, and follow it until entering a wider dirt road leading to the central asphalt of this excursion.

(This junction – according to Basilicata Region cartography – is indicated next to Masseria Lo Giurato.)

This asphalt logically crosses with a bend initially to the right the large basin that leads towards the mountains (or large hills) beneath Sasso di Castalda avoiding the main central depression where Pergola is located.

It's pointless to describe all the turns ... just follow the GPS track.

You reach the underpass of the SS 598 and continue to the locality of San Vito where we made a short detour to the Church of San Vito Martire.

From the detour point for the Church of San Vito Martire you need to pay attention because just over 100 meters later you have to turn left onto Via Zaccanello (we are in the municipal territory of Marsico Nuovo).

The asphalt road now narrows and continues with a slight descent, crossing an area of some agricultural activities (and today also the territory ... of a Maremma shepherd dog 😮) and shortly reaches the end of the asphalt after just over 7 km of travel.

Then continue toward crossing the basin of the Zaccanello Stream.

At the start, there is a flat stretch on a dirt road inside a beautiful valley, then the dirt road descends with switchbacks to a small footbridge crossing the stream.

Finally, you ascend and immediately encounter the delicate stretch already mentioned in the "SUMMARY" sheet where there is a very deep central furrow probably caused by erosion from water flows.

You must flank the first few meters of the furrow – on a potentially slippery trace – staying to the right "pressed" against the shrubs or (watching your clothes) moving into the shrubs themselves.

It's only a few meters and then you can pass to the left of the furrow (which becomes lower) where walking is easier.

With other passages on the right or left where more convenient, in just under 200 meters the little road-track normalizes and you continue ascending without problems.

After several turns you pass under the Masseria del Conte Gaetani and the little road exits the fully open field to enter a sparse woodland.

Finally, it enters a high forest all made of oaks – truly 100% oaks – and joins the final asphalt that in about 3.5 km mostly downhill leads to Sasso di Castalda.