Cammino nelle Terre Mutate: The Main Route

The Cammino nelle Terre Mutate main route

The itinerary is divided into 14 stages, which can be done on foot or by bike. It starts in Fabriano and passes through Matelica, Camerino, Fiastra, Ussita, Campi di Norcia, Norcia and Castelluccio di Norcia. After Arquata del Tronto it continues with Accumoli, Amatrice, Campotosto, Mascioni and Collebrincioni, as far as L'Aquila.

Stage 8, from Castelluccio di Norcia, ends in Arquata del Tronto. The route crosses the plain between the lentil fields and reaches the Forca di Presta pass. It then descends through mixed woods and panoramic views to Pretare and, on a paved road, to Arquata del Tronto.

Stage 9 sets off again from Arquata toward Accumoli. It leaves the Marche and enters Lazio. The first part runs through the southeastern corner of the Sibillini National Park and, for almost its whole length, looks toward the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park.

The stages through Arquata del Tronto require care. The official website warns that the Terre Mutate are largely open construction sites, with possible unforeseeable problems, impassable trails or sections to bypass. For the Arquata del Tronto – Accumoli and Accumoli – Amatrice stages, permission must be requested from the municipality. It is best to ask the organizers for updates before setting off.

Cammino nelle Terre Mutate main route: technical data

• Trail code: CTM
• Start and finish: from Fabriano to L'Aquila
• Route type: linear, not a loop
• Total length: more than 250 km
• Stages: 14
• Managed by: Associazione di promozione sociale Movimento Tellurico (a nonprofit association)

The page does not give the elevation change or walking time for the whole route. The stages vary widely in length and difficulty, so it is worth checking the description of each one on the official website of the walk. For a shorter alternative, see the page on the Cammino nelle Terre Mutate variant.

Cammino nelle Terre Mutate main route map

The official website of the walk offers a digital map with routes for travelers on foot, by mountain bike, by road bike or by camper van. The website states that the walk can be followed with the help of GPS tracks, to be downloaded before departure. Construction sites and earthquake-affected areas can require temporary detours, so the map should be checked before each stage.

Points of interest along the Cammino nelle Terre Mutate main route

Before reaching Arquata, the stage from Castelluccio shows some signature sights of the Sibillini National Park: the Piana di Castelluccio plain, Monte Vettore and the Sasso Tagliato. Castelluccio di Norcia stands on a hill overlooking the plain and the Sibillini range, but the village was completely destroyed by the 2016-17 earthquake.

In the Arquata area the route passes Pescara del Tronto, a hamlet walkers cross in silence: in these valleys the earthquake caused the greatest number of deaths and very heavy destruction. After Arquata comes Accumoli, close to the epicenter of the earthquake of August 24, 2016.

For services, Arquata del Tronto is among the places along the route with food shops and a pharmacy. More on other multi-day routes and treks is on the page multi-day hikes in the Sibillini.