Serre dei Cuponi - Serra di Campo Soprano - Serra La Manca

Premise

This route was completed on January 2, 2022, and all subsequent observations and considerations may fully apply only to that day.

↓

From the chosen parking point along Via San Michele in Teggiano, pass the well-paved part of the climb towards the Church of San Michele Arcangelo and shortly after reach the right hairpin leading to the final stretch toward the Church.

At this right hairpin, turn left onto a narrow paved road that then becomes a natural surface country lane.

At the end of the country lane, you must continue ascending the gentle valley up to an evident wide saddle at the ridge crossing point, which you must then climb toward the right.

We ascended the gentle valley “from inside” looking for corridors (which exist) among some brambles, broom, and various shrubs.

Walking is fairly swift, but observing the gentle valley from above, it is advisable (from the end of the lane section) to climb immediately up a “short steep” onto the ridge that bounds it to the left in the direction of the ascent.

This ridge, fairly wide, is free of obstacles and there are also ruins indicating the existence of an old passage road up to the large dry stone walls on the target saddle.

Now from the saddle, climb the ridge up to an almost flat stretch leading to a repeater clearly visible almost from the starting point of the excursion.

After the repeater, another steep ascent on the ridge up to the Serre dei Cuponi.

Along these ascents there are various discontinuous animal trails made by grazing animals, and you can choose whether to go straight up or “zigzag leapfrogging” between one trail and another.

From the several close summit points of the Serre dei Cuponi, the peak of Monte Faggitella can be clearly seen against the background of the slopes leading towards Serra di Campo Soprano.

You must descend and ascend the ridge to the left of a beautiful pasture area now populated by horses.

This pasture is very flat and rectangular in shape, resembling a “polo field.”

After ascending this ridge, you must choose what to do upon reaching the other elliptical pasture area of Campo Soprano: either descend and cross the large plain or stay a bit higher on the ridge to admire it better – we stayed on the ridge.

Here the Serra di Campo Soprano is evident and you cannot go wrong on the best ascent route, with the harsh southeast face of Monte Faggitella clearly in view.

From Serra di Campo Soprano, the short connector with little elevation change up to Serra La Manca is still very evident.

Now begins the descent towards the southwest on the wide and long ridge called Destro del Pantone on the map of the Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park.

Here there are some segments where sharp stones prevail over greenery and a minimum of attention is needed to protect the joints, even though there are no truly steep stretches.

The ridge – still in open terrain – at the bottom meets a small grove that begins to cover it and at that point turn right into the woods.

Here you must descend until you intersect the CAI 521 path, which runs along the valley floor of Valle Buccana or Bucana.

At first, there are discontinuous animal trails that help bypass the few brambles without too much trouble, and after a nearly direct descent section, a much wider path appears making a large diagonal to the left.

At the end of this diagonal you find more than one small path that crosses sideways and seems to be the right one because it continues decisively even towards the exit of Valle Buccana.

You must continue descending (the slope is not difficult) and pass two or three of these small paths: CAI 521 is recognized because it is very wide, almost a small road at that point, and many closely spaced trail markers are immediately visible that do not exist on other paths that could lead to confusion.

In any case, CAI 521 is mapped on OpenStreetMap and derivatives, and if you have this map preloaded on your GPS, it is not difficult to intersect it, keeping in mind, however, that satellite reception is not great in that restricted area: if necessary (if you do not already know the route) stop for 5/10 minutes to let the GPS recalibrate and then continue.

Now it’s just a matter of walking in a relaxed manner until the exit from the valley where you can optionally park a second car if you do not want to do the entire ring on foot.