VIc.14    Section Cusano Mutri - Solopaca   24 km

I had planned to hike up to mountain Campitello Matese. However looking out of the window and later being outside changed my plan. The mountain tops where all and staid all day long in the clouds. This would prevent any views and make walking more difficult. On top of this there was a strong gusty wind. So I decided to follow the little trafficed road to Lago del Matese and on to Pass Bocca della Selva at 1393 m. There was a restaurant by the road directly at the lake. It was closed. Instead I found a place by the lake out of the wind. On I walked to the pass where it was rather cool. The rifugio at the pass was of course closed. The explanation was: work in progress. I was directed to La Torre. Arriving it was closed too. There was a phone number posted at the door. I rang the number. The result of the call was the information that for a single hiker no one would come to open up.

I continued E1 downhill. The trail shall lead down to Cusano Mutri. Than the markings split. I tried one way. Soon the trail ended and there where no markings. Than I tried the other. Here the markings stopped soon too. Following the GPS-track lead me to nowhere. By now it had become rather late. I found a site for my tent that looked ok and set up my tent. The gusty wind did not like that. No way I could spent the night here. I broke up my tent and went back uphill towards the forest at the paved road.

On the way up I met a shepherd who locked in his sheep for the night. He fed his many dogs who would watch the sheep overnight. Laboriously conversing we communicated. He did not live up here but drove every day one hour one way from his house down in the valley. He offered to give me a ride down to Solopaca. We drove a very poor gravel road up to the road and than down the steep road. All the way down was a few days later mountain ascent for racing cyclist of the Giro d'Italia. Here as so often I was the only guest in a freshly renovated hotel. Down in the valley it was pleasantly warm and very little wind. The shepherd still had to drive a bit to get home.

Fountain

Still many bare trees

All mountain tops near Monte Miletto (2050m) are in the clouds with a strong wind

Also near Lago del Matese the mountains are in the clouds

View of Cusano Mutri and all the way to Cerreto Sannita

Rock formations below Bocca della Selva