San Severino – Devil's Gorges with Mingardo River ford – Medieval Village

Introduction

This route was traveled on January 2, 2025, and all subsequent observations and considerations fully apply only to that day.

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From the parking area just over 50 meters from the entrance of the new bridge to San Severino di Centola, we went down the staircase leading to the watercourse of the Mingardo River in a picnic area.

After climbing back up, we took some photos of the Devil's Gorges also from above the new bridge.

At this point, the plan was to walk along the SR 562 to calmly examine possible ford points and options for direct ascent on the right bank slopes.

Advancing along the SR 562, you pass a couple of tunnels – note: it’s better to have a flashlight, even if the tunnels are not dark, considering the traffic – and you reach a third one: it is the "Gole del Mingardo 1" tunnel, indicated as 102 m in length.

At the arrival entrance from San Severino di Centola, on the right, there is a small path (today free of vegetation) that descends directly to the river via the shortest way to the best ford point for those wishing to tackle the direct ascent on the right bank to the Medieval Village.

However, we did not choose this option and continued along the SR 562 to the fork for Marina di Camerota on the left and Palinuro on the right.

From the fork, we traveled another 150 meters approximately towards Palinuro and then left the paved road at a dirt road (entrance closed by a guardrail) that begins on the right.

After taking the dirt road for a few meters, we turned onto a path along the riverbed edge, and we decided to continue (in the opposite direction from our target ford) southwards to take a naturalistic look at the Mingardo River.

Indeed, this is not only a naturalistic detour, since it can help spot other potential ford points to connect this route with the one mentioned in the "SYNTHESIS" sheet starting by following the CAI 816.

We proceeded south for about 700 meters until the path was interrupted by a private property fence and a bend in the watercourse that interrupted the walkable floodplain area.

Then we returned and continued north for about 600 meters to reach the ford point below the start of the direct ascent slope to the Medieval Village.

This ford point is almost at the north end of the river's floodplain on this left bank stretch and at the south start of a floodplain stretch on the other side: perfect for the day's objective❗

After fording, at a point with an intermediate gravel tongue in the watercourse, right in front there was already the ascent slope, but we were still far from the vertical above the Medieval Village of San Severino di Centola, and there was a band of thick brambles and shrubs before the low grasses.

So, we skirted north along the base of the slope up to the end of the floodplain on that side.

Halfway, we saw a passage through brambles and shrubs created by cows (whose traces 💩 were also near the riverbed), but eventually, northwards, a real ascent path begins free of obstacles.

After the first few meters of ascent, the single path forks into multiple animal trails, and you have to choose which to take.

For our goal, we kept right heading up, with some switchbacks to soften the slope.

According to slope maps, the steepest parts are between 30 and 35 degrees, and more or less we had this impression.

Before reaching the final basin below the Medieval Village of San Severino di Centola, you pass two close ribs on the large suspended ledge that forms the upper part of the slope, and on the second rib, there is a small tower with a privileged view over the Mingardo River.

Just above the tower, a true little path emerges because the end is obligatory also for the cows roaming the slope.

We reached the Medieval Village next to a couple of spotlights that illuminate it at night and roughly at the height of the Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli (another trail leads to the higher exit).

To conclude the hike, we enjoyed a long visit to the Medieval Village, including the Castle of San Severino, without entering the uppermost part under restoration and currently very unsafe to access.

Finally, we took a walk above the characteristic old railway bridge and a last descent to the Mingardo River near the parking lot for… boot washing. 😉

Overall, it is a "modular hike" that can be composed depending on how much time and for what purposes you want to stay out.