83km Subiaco to Albe
Parco Regionale Nazionale dei Monti Simbruin, beech trees
Day 3
Overview
Leaving Subiaco, a mule track runs alongside the gorge of the Aniene river and heads up into the Simbruini mountains. The riding is both a delight as well as a challenge, as you pedal on a white and rough road through woods and fields, past ruined mills and caves. On joining the quiet SP45a, you begin a 25km climb though spectacular mountain scenery. The small village of Vallepietra is the last village for nearly 30km and the road zig-zags its way up to the Sanctuary of the Holy Trinity which is perched on a ledge of rock above a sheer 300m drop. Thereafter, the road becomes a mountain track, which descends to the Campo della Pietra - the stone field. You ride across a spectacular high karst plain, where semi-wild horses and cattle roam. There are picnic areas and a couple of mountain refuges which can be busy in the height of summer, but at other times, the solitude is immense. To cycle out of the basin requires effort as the path is steep and rough, but once over the top, there is a superb 20km downhill run on a well-surfaced valley road from Camporotondo to the hill-hugging town of Tagliacozzo. From Tagliacozzo a quiet road leads to another track which heads inexorably, but not too severely, uphill to Sorbo and Massa d’Alba which overlooks the Fucino basin. It was, until 1878 when it was drained, Italy’s third largest lake, and is now a grid of rectangular fields famed for the quality of the potatoes which are grown in the rectangular fields. The day finishes just off the official route at the Medieval fortified town of Albe, where there are spectacular Roman ruins and a comfortable place to stay.
Ride practicalities including suggested places to eat and stay;
START/FINISH: Subiaco/Albe. DISTANCE: 83km. TOTAL ASCENT: 2101m TERRAIN AND SURFACES: Mountainous. 25km on off-road tracks, most of which are hard going on a gravel/adventure bike with 36mm tyres. CST signage is reasonable, but unreliable. It is absent at key junctions, so follow the downloadable map with care FOOD/STAY: Vallepietra: La Brace da Pietro, a good mid-morning/early lunch stop, Camporotondo: Il Bucaneve - good mountain lunches, Albe: Antico Borgo di Albe (English spoken by hosts - good food and comfortable rooms)