SI T04

From Umberto I square, after crossing part of the village through narrow streets, passing by the Municipal Pine Forest, the trail continues steeply at times, alongside Mount Difesella, until reaching the wind farms and then gently down to the Salicone (or Arenara) area. From here, it steadily ascends to the summit of Santa Croce (elevation 1893), one of the three peaks of Monte Alpi, an important massif on the northwestern border of the Pollino National Park. The first stretch, up to the Fontanelle spring (elevation 1165), is along a dirt road, then onto a path passing by the Gavitoni spring (elevation 1550) and Piana Fiorita (elevation 1620), a location also reachable by a dirt road from the south-western side of Monte Alpi and frequently visited by locals for day trips. From Piana Fiorita, the ascent continues among the beech trees, which extend almost to the ridge saddle (elevation 1835), between the peaks of Pizzo Falcone (elevation 1900) and Santa Croce (elevation 1893), where the 970 trail intersects, and where one is likely to encounter herds of Podolic cows during the summer grazing period. From the saddle, one reaches the rocky ridge at the summit of Santa Croce. The route continues along the ridge towards the peak of Punta del Corvo (elevation 1742), before descending on the eastern slope of the massif into the dense beech forest of Favino until reaching the homonymous refuge (elevation 1348), where a spring is located. Following the horizontal signage, one will enter a short stretch of asphalt and then onto the 'Tratturo Regio', which leads directly to the small village of Castelsaraceno, marking the end of the stage.