From Rio Verde to Monte San Nicola - Pescopennataro
The starting point of this itinerary is easily accessible by car near the picnic area of Rio Verde Fonte Quarto. With your back to the small car park of the picnic area, go into the woods following a wide and comfortable driveway clearly visible from the road. In general, the path is well signposted and, in this lower part, it is easy to follow the trail. After about 1.5 kms you'll reach a first signposted intersection, in the Mount Pasquale area. Keep slightly to the right, continuing in the direction of Mount Campo-Mount San Nicola-Fonte Castrati. The ascent is still gentle among sumptuous beeches, until you reach near a fir-wood. Pay some extra attention to the signs in this section of the trail (especially in some places where visibility is poor due to vegetation) and follow the red and white symbols on the trees, slightly to the left, you begin to climb towards the area of Cannavinella. Here the path offers a marked left turn into the woods, in conjunction with an obvious wooden man-column. From this point you will go straight up to the saddle where you will see Mount San Nicola peak. The ascent to the top of the mountain is extremely panoramic, zigzagging between the rock jumps to the highest point. From here the view over the Sangro Valley in Abruzzo and the Trigno Valley in Molise is truly spectacular. The route continues downhill along the ridge, following the path of the yellow poles of the gas pipeline, to Guado Cannavina. At this saddle you have to take the path on the left, which goes back to the forest and still leads to the intersection of Mount Pasquale. Here, go straight on until you get out of the wood. You will meet the shore of a stream. Follow it on the right for about 1 km. You will be back on the asphalt road that leads you to the starting point.
