Sambuco Loop
Motta Montecorvino, Pietramontecorvino, Castelnuovo della Daunia, Casalvecchio di Puglia, Casalnuovo Monterotaro, Carlantino, Celenza Valfortore, San Marco la Catola, Volturara Appula
- Length
- 102.5 kmLoop
- Climb
- 3,398 mDescent 3,397 m
- Altitude
- 191-896 mLowest and highest
- Indicative time
- about 11 hBy mountain bike, breaks excluded
- Difficulty
- EEExperienced hikers, physically extreme
The trail
From Motta Montecorvino back to Motta Montecorvino through Pietramontecorvino, Castelnuovo della Daunia, Casalvecchio di Puglia, Casalnuovo Monterotaro, the tower of Monterotaro, the Sente stream (a tributary of the Fortore), Carlantino, the shore of Lake Occhito, Celenza Valfortore, San Marco la Catola, Volturara Appula and the San Cristoforo wood.
The scenery is outstanding: wide views over the Tavoliere plain, as far as the Tremiti Islands and the Gargano, and nine villages, each with working public fountains, shops and cafés. The route crosses natural woods, rough in places but always passable, runs over the Occhito reservoir and along the lake shore.
The surface is mostly tarmac or gravel, with long stretches of forest trails and a few farm tracks. Difficulty EE (expert hikers): it is physically extreme and takes 11 to 15 hours by mountain bike; the technical difficulty has yet to be assessed.
On the map
- The trail
- Places along the trail
Elevation profile
- Motta Montecorvino start and finish
- Pietramontecorvino km 5.4
- Castelnuovo della Daunia km 14.3
- Casalvecchio di Puglia km 16.9
- Casalnuovo Monterotaro km 20.0
- Carlantino km 38.0
- Celenza Valfortore km 63.1
- San Marco la Catola km 68.8
- Volturara Appula km 77.9
Altitudes calculated from the terrain model, not from the track file.
Along the trail
In the app you get an alert as you approach each place, even with the screen off and without signal.
- Torre Normanna di Pietramontecorvinokm 5.3 · Pietramontecorvino · 80 m from the trailAlert
- Chiesa di San Nicola di Castelnuovo della Dauniakm 14.1 · Castelnuovo della Daunia · on the trailAlert
- Chiesa dei SS Pietro e Paolo di Casalvecchio di Pugliakm 16.7 · Casalvecchio di Puglia · 360 m from the trailAlert
- Fontana Monumentale di Casalnuovo Monterotarokm 19.9 · Casalnuovo Monterotaro · on the trailAlert
- Monterotarokm 25.0 · Casalnuovo Monterotaro · on the trailAlert
- Chiesa di San Donato di Carlantinokm 38.0 · Carlantino · on the trailAlert
- Diga di Occhitokm 43.1 · Carlantino · on the trailAlert
- Castello di Celenza Valfortorekm 63.2 · Celenza Valfortore · 50 m from the trailAlert
- Palazzo Ducale di San Marco La Catolakm 68.8 · San Marco la Catola · on the trailAlert
- Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta di Volturara Appulakm 78.0 · Volturara Appula · on the trailAlert
- Bosco di San Cristoforokm 87.0 · San Marco la Catola · on the trailAlert
- Monte Sambucokm 95.2 · Motta Montecorvino · 310 m from the trailAlert
- Quercia di San Luca di Motta Montecorvinokm 102.3 · Motta Montecorvino · on the trailAlert
Villages along the way
Before you set off
- Start and finish
- Motta Montecorvino
- Direction
- Either way
- Surface
- Tarmac and gravel, with long stretches of forest trails and a few farm tracks
- Season
- All year round; avoid it after heavy rain, as some rural stretches can be impassable for a few days
- Water
- Working public fountains in each of the nine villages
- Phone signal
- Good, checked with Vodafone; GPS signal always available
You follow the trails at your own risk. This is a long route with a lot of climbing: plan your fitness, water and daylight hours carefully. Some stretches in the woods are rough: take care. Check conditions before crossing the Sente stream, especially after heavy rain, when some rural stretches can also be impassable. In an emergency call 112.
