Grande Anello dei Sibillini Stage 5: Garulla to Rubbiano

The route of Grande Anello dei Sibillini Stage 5

The start is in Garulla, a hamlet of Amandola. Garulla is a few kilometers from the town of Amandola. The previous stage, Grande Anello dei Sibillini stage 4, leads from Monastero to Garulla. The next one, Grande Anello dei Sibillini stage 6, sets off again from Rubbiano.

The route crosses a series of small villages. The marked points include Garulla Superiore, Casalicchio, Capovalle, Valle, Piedivalle, Vetice, Tribio and finally Rubbiano. The route passes Capovalle and Piedivalle, crosses the Ambro stream and climbs back up toward Rubbiano. There is a pedestrian ford on the Tenna river, so it is advisable to check the condition of the watercourse before setting out.

The walk runs among hamlets, fields and woods, with many places to stop and refill with water. A break along the route allows a visit to the abbey of Santi Vincenzo e Anastasio.

Stage 5 technical data: Grande Anello dei Sibillini

• Start: Garulla (Amandola)
• Finish: Rubbiano (Montefortino)
• Route type: linear, not a loop
• Elevation gain: 440 m
• Altitude: from about 555 m to about 882 m.
• Difficulty: T (tourist).
• Managed by: Parco Nazionale dei Monti Sibillini

Hiking footwear, a packed lunch and a change of clothes are the basic kit. Checking the weather before setting out is always worthwhile.

For an overnight stay in Garulla there is the mountain hut, in the hamlet of Garulla Superiore. It has 6 rooms, one of them accessible, for 31 beds, and also offers meals. Before fixing the stage it is advisable to phone and check that it is open. In Rubbiano, on the other hand, after the 2016 earthquake some Grande Anello huts were damaged or moved to temporary structures. For the arrival it is therefore necessary to find out where to spend the night.

Map of Grande Anello dei Sibillini Stage 5

On the map the stage reads from Garulla to Rubbiano, with the trail marked as GAS. The route is linear: it ends in Rubbiano without returning to the starting point, so the return or an overnight stay needs to be arranged.

Points of interest along Grande Anello dei Sibillini Stage 5

The most notable site is the abbey of Santi Vincenzo e Anastasio, also called San Salvatore. The oldest part is the crypt, founded around the year 1000 by the monks, who chose these isolated places. Nearby there is also a church listed as Abbadia San Salvatore.

Along the route there are also:

• the summit of Monte Rocca;
• a mountain hut and two springs at Garulla Superiore;
• churches in the hamlets, including Valle;
• various drinking water fountains, marked at Garulla Superiore, Vetice, Capovalle and Piedivalle.

In the villages along the route, such as Capovalle, Piedivalle, Vetice and Rubbiano, there are water points for refilling. Water can also be taken from the Ambro stream and the Tenna river. Stream and river water is not drinkable without treatment, so it is better to fill water bottles at the fountains.