STAGE 3: Nesce – Cartore (16.7 km)

The Way of the Brigantes starts again from the village of Nesce on its way to Cartore, with a trek on the slopes of Mount Velino. You descend the Salto River, walking alongside its course for a stretch. The itinerary continues under Mount Rose to the hamlet of Spedino, passing near the ancient town of Borgorose: we are in the southern area of the Duchessa Mountains Nature Reserve, with its Apennine panorama and limestone reliefs etched by deep valleys, with Lake Duchessa acting as its scenic jewel.

From Spedino, a dirt road leads to the end point, the beautiful village of Cartore, which gives its name to the most famous band of Brigantes and offers a pleasant view of the valley.

Length: 17 km
Height difference in ascent: 623 m
Downhill elevation gain: 497 m
Highest point: 944 m
Lowest point: 624 m
Type of surface: mixed

Technical tips:
Although the itinerary is easily passable and equipped at the various stopping places, it lacks continuous signage, so it is important to follow the proposed gpx tracks.

Municipality of departure: Pescorocchiano
Starting location: Nesce
Municipality of arrival: Borgorose
Finish location: Cartore

Recommended period:
from April to October

Useful links:
https://camminodeibriganti.it/

The Brigand’s trail is a trekking route between Abruzzo and Lazio, in the setting of the Central Apennines, that traverses wild and unspoiled nature , tackling old mule tracks and taking in the atmosphere of medieval villages. But it is also a border path: the border in the History of Italy, when the House of Savoy entered the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies on the way to unification; the geographical boundary between the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and the Papal States, where brigands moved from one side to the other on horseback, fighting newcomers; the blurred border between justice and injustice, between the underground chosen by those who could not afford the new taxes and the kidnappings and abuses, made and suffered.

The Brigand’s trail is a 100-kilometer loop trail, divided into 7 stages in this version on foot (but also passable by bicycle), in the footsteps of the Brigantes of the Band of Cartore. We are in the undomesticated wilderness of the Varri Valley, the Salto Valley and the slopes of Mount Velino, a wilderness that continually offers us wonderful views. Along the way we stay at an average altitude (between 800 and 1300 meters).

Credits: camminodeibriganti.it