SI U03

Note: Pay attention in the sections along the riverbed. From Aspromonte to the Ionian Sea. This stage of the Sentiero Italia CAI takes you from the mountains to just a few kilometers from the coast of Locride, San Luca, the birthplace of the writer and poet Corrado Alvaro. In one of his writings, Gente in Aspromonte, one of the most significant pieces of the new realism of the south, he narrates the hardships of shepherds in Aspromonte. From the Sanctuary of the Madonna di Polsi, the trail enters the Mancusa forest, an ancient oak grove that runs alongside the Fiumara Bonamico. It continues into the district of Salita dei Panzi, and amidst broom, ferns, and brambles, you reach the riverbed (in this last stretch, you may encounter brambles obstructing the path); continuing you arrive at the site of the former Lake Costantino, created by a landslide in January 1973 that blocked the river’s course, forming a lake that is now non-existent as it has filled with sand and stones. Continuing along the river, be cautious of the signage, as at a certain point, where the river begins to narrow, you cross the stream to pick up the trail on the opposite side, ascending the slope, the trail continues in the oak forest partly bordered by ancient dry stone walls. You descend back into the riverbed, and by keeping to the left side, you can proceed along the embankment; after crossing the aqueduct bridge, take the dirt road that leads to the main church of the village of San Luca. Difficulty for overnight stays.