Trekking Monte Capanne

Quite hard hiking route , but of middle difficulty in the valley of Monte Capanne, it takes about 3 hours and 30 minutes.

--INTRODUCTION--

Route of Monte Capanne
- Time: 3 hours and 30 minutes
- Pertained paths in cartography: part of number 1 and number 6
- Ideal route to: hiking
- Gradient: 350 meters
- Difficulty: medium

Here we walki in the most montainous of the Island of Elba, between the sea, the granites of Monte Capanne, the chestnut woods and the bushes of scrub. The route takes three hours and can be covered during the whole year. It starts from the height of 355 m (Marciana) and it reaches 702 m at the crossroads of La Stretta. To complete the route, we recommend a visit to the Archaeological Museum.

It starts from the parish church of St Catherine, immediately going up to the Piazza della Gogna in Marciana, which can be reached by bus: Portoferraio-Procchio-Marciana Marina-Pomonte. The path to be followed for the way is reported in cartography with the number 1.; in the square, turn left. On the laneway Sant'Agabito we go to the namesake door and in Via della Rena, we complete the crossing of the historical center of Marciana.

An useful arrow indicates the direction to be followed; even from here, the Monte Capanne, also reached by a cable car, dominates the scene. Passing over the belts supported by drywalls, the trail crosses the Uviale di Capepe on a wooden bridge and enters in the chestnut groves. We walk among the arboreal heathers of the undergrowth and we overcome the two branches of the moat of Pedalta. The mule track rises now decisively, neglects a branch on the right, passes under the cable car and reaches San Cerbone (45 mins).

The wood surrounds the oldest place of worship on the Island of Elba, whose origin dates back to the arrival of the Bishop of Populonia, Cerbone. The Bishop took refuge in a natural cavity close to the point where, when he died in 575, the Church would be built. For an official quote, you need to go to 1421, when he became a Franciscan monastery of Osservanza.
Abandoned by the monks, the monastery was turned into an hermitage and only in recent years has been recovered. From the open space behind San Cerbone we turn right in the path to monte Capanne. Over 600 meters we get out of the wood and the view opens on Poggio and Marciana Marina, but soon falls into a thick palm oaks plantation and climbs steeply up the Valle Grande until a crossroads of paths. We leave the number 1, leading up to Monte Capanne and the number 6 to continue right along the route 6 GTE (big crossing of Elba) (25 minutes).

With his 1019 metres of altitude, the dome of Monte Capanne, is the highest point on the Island of Elba and the Tuscan archipelago. If you proceed along North bright and early, you can see the mouflons, red partridges, buzzards, and boars. You walk along a flat stretch on the slopes of the mountain and, after about half an hour the route number 6. turn right and go down to Marciana; it is a short alternative in case of bad weather or fatigue. Otherwise the tour continues with the marker n. 28, rising to an altitude of 702 m, where there is a new junction (1 hour). Here you take the path number 10 and descend along the eastern slope of monte Giove. On sunny days the best views are on the Corsican Cape, Capraia, a large part of the Island of Elba and the Tuscan Coast. You come out of a dirt laneway which runs through the pine forest and on the left leads to the sanctuary of the Madonna del Monte. If you would like to visit it, you have to make a detour of about 800 m. From the narrow road, keep to the right and go down. At the junction turn left. Just below, the road becomes paved and comes to the Pisan fortress. Under the panoramic terrace in front of the fortress there is the home of the park, surrounded by a botanical garden adjacent to the chapel of San Liborio, placed on the steps leading to the fortress and to the archaeological museum. It comes down to the historical centre along via del Pretorio, Piazza del Cantone and with the latest steps you come back to the Church of Saint Catherine (50 minutes).

Monte Capanne

Monte Capanne

Mount Capanne is the summit of Elba Island and of all the Tuscan Archipelago with its 1,019 meters.

Position
Cableway of Monte Capanne

Cableway of Monte Capanne

In Marciana in Pozzatello locality there is the Cableway, by which it is possible to visit the top of Monte Capanne.


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