Grande Anello di Arquata Stage 4: Pescara del Tronto to Pretare

The route of Grande Anello di Arquata Stage 4

Those who slept in Grisciano walk about 1 km on the Statale Salaria highway toward the SAE area (emergency housing area) of Pescara del Tronto and, just before it, take on the left a mule track hidden at first by the guardrail, which leads in about 300 m to the SP 129. To the right is Pescara del Tronto, the historic village, crossed from one end to the other past the six drinking fountains and the washhouse.

From the cemetery, where the old Salaria passes under the Tre Valli Umbre viaduct, a wide gravel mule track climbs among truffle grounds to a crossroads, after about 1 km: the route goes straight on, ignoring the road built for the new aqueduct. After roughly another kilometer it carefully crosses an ancient landslide, with views of the Monti della Laga, Faete and Spelonga. The route then passes onto the slope of the main village of Arquata and joins trail 104, which descends toward the Vena dei Corvi, at 945 m, among centuries-old chestnut groves.

At the next junction the route goes left toward Pretare: to the right lies the way to the radio mast and the main village of Arquata, a red zone with access prohibited. About 600 m later the road climbs with a couple of hairpin bends to the picnic area of the la Botte spring; the route continues to the ruins of the Casa del Conte Gallo and, at the junction with trail 103 for Camartina, keeps straight on. The climb is gentle, with wide views of the Monti della Laga and Monte Vettore getting ever closer.

A sharp bend at 1,220 m marks the turnoff for Fonte Cappella on the left; a little further on is Picchio 7, near Colle del Quarto. Here the trail comes out onto the SP 89, follows it for 500 m and re-enters the woods on the left, crosses the Pretare pine forest and descends along the sentiero delle Veticare, passing the Fornace before arriving in Pretare.

Stage 4 technical data: Grande Anello di Arquata

• Start: Pescara del Tronto (historic village)
• Finish: Pretare
• Length: 16.6 km
• Lowest and highest altitude: 730 m and 1,290 m
• Elevation change: +760 m of ascent, −590 m of descent
• Waymarking: present
• Difficulty: the complete Grande Anello di Arquata is classified EE, for expert hikers

Drinking water is available at the fountains and washhouse of Pescara del Tronto, at the la Botte spring, at Fonte Cappella and at the Fonte del Cappatore, near the Fornace.

There are still no beds in Pretare, because reconstruction has not started: for an overnight stay the route continues along the SP 89 past Piedilama to Borgo or Trisungo, where the stage-end accommodation is located. The previous stage is Grande Anello di Arquata stage 3; Grande Anello di Arquata stage 1 starts again from Pretare. The full overview is on the Grande Anello di Arquata page.

Map of Grande Anello di Arquata Stage 4

Arquata Potest publishes the GPS track of stage 4 and a GADA brochure for download; the track helps at the junctions, in particular the one after the Vena dei Corvi, where the route turns left.

Points of interest along Grande Anello di Arquata Stage 4

Fountains of Pescara del Tronto. The six drinking fountains and the washhouse kept running even during the earthquake of August 24, 2016.

Fonte la Botte. At 1,000 m, with a picnic area; it once supplied water to the main village of Arquata, before the Pescara aqueduct was built.

Picchio 7. Near Colle del Quarto, at 1,280 m, it is a natural balcony over the Tronto valley, once used as a fire lookout point, hence the name.

Fornace di Pretare. Today a rest area, with the Fonte del Cappatore beside it.