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Sibillini Nature Trail N4 (Percorso Natura N4), Amandola

S Start: Garulla Superiore · 868 m

Map and track: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).

Trail facts

Start
Garulla Superiore · 868 m
Route
loop
Trail marker
N4
Municipality
Amandola

The Percorso Natura N4 (Sibillini nature trail N4), called "Fragili equilibri" ("Fragile balances"), is a loop trail in the municipality of Amandola, in the Sibillini National Park (Monti Sibillini). It starts and ends at Garulla Superiore, is about 6.2 km long and takes 3 hours on average. The difficulty is T (tourist). The route passes some hamlets of Amandola, the abbadia (abbey) with its Romanesque church and the small village of Casalicchio.

The route is part of the Park's Sentieri Natura. It crosses different environments, from secondary meadow to woodland, from river to village. Many of these environments were shaped by farming and grazing. For anyone with only half a day available, it is a way to get to know the area without tackling a long high-altitude hike.

Distance
5.84 km
Elevation gain
+229 m
Elevation loss
−229 m
Lowest point
780 m
Highest point
978 m
Difficulty
T, easy walking
Time
2 h 5 min (estimate)

From the OpenStreetMap track and the Copernicus DEM profile; time is an estimate.

Before you go

Forecast at the start

  1. Today11° / 7°0.3 mmPartly cloudy

Forecast by MET Norway, updated automatically · license CC BY 4.0

Rules and orders: Park website. Snow and avalanches: Meteomont bulletin.

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Elevation profile
70080090010000 km1 km2 km3 km4 km5 km70080090010000 km1 km2 km3 km4 km5 km
Ascent
229 m
Descent
229 m
Lowest point
780 m
Highest point
978 m

Elevations: Copernicus DEM GLO-30 © DLR e.V. 2010-2014 and © Airbus Defence and Space GmbH 2014-2018.

Download GPXKML for Google Earth

Indicative OpenStreetMap track: check the markers and trail conditions on site.

The Sibillini nature trail N4 route

The loop is walked counterclockwise. It starts from Garulla, a few steps from the mountain hut, on the slopes of Monte Amandola. It reaches the abbadia, where an imposing Romanesque church stands, then continues toward Casalicchio and finally returns to Garulla.

The uphill stretch offers panoramic views. Further on the walk continues along grassy tracks until it meets the paved road again, which is crossed to return to the starting point. The theme of the trail is the relationship between the people of the Sibillini and natural resources. It shows in the hamlets scattered over the hills and in the coppice woods, in a landscape shaped by farming and herding.

Sibillini nature trail N4: technical data

  • Start and finish: Garulla Superiore (loop route).
  • Length: about 6.2 km.
  • Duration: about 3 hours.
  • Difficulty: T (tourist) on the CAI scale. The trail has no particular difficulties.
  • Elevation gain: about 230 m in total.
  • Elevation: from about 780 m to about 978 m.
  • Managed by: Parco Nazionale dei Monti Sibillini (Sibillini National Park).

Before setting off it is worth checking the weather and any Park notices on the condition of the trail.

Sibillini nature trail N4 map

All along the loop the signs show the code N4, the number of the nature trail on the Park map. The codes SN (sentiero natura) and G (Grande Anello dei Sibillini) also appear. An information board stands near the Garulla mountain hut.

The hut is the end or starting point of two stages of the Grande Anello dei Sibillini. For other outings of this kind, see the page on loop hikes in the Sibillini. For easy itineraries, there are alternatives among the easy Sibillini Mountains walks.

Points of interest along the Sibillini nature trail N4

  • The abbadia: the imposing Romanesque church is the main historic building on the route.
  • Casalicchio: a hamlet of Amandola crossed before returning to Garulla.
  • Drinking water: a drinking water point is marked along the route.
  • Mountain hut: the Garulla hut, near the start, is also a reference point for other trails. Some of them lead to the Campolungo plain or to the Rifugio Città di Amandola.
  • Natural environments: secondary meadow, woodland, river and a small village alternate along the loop.

To discover other itineraries in the area, a good starting point is the page on Sibillini Mountains hiking.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the Percorso Natura N4 and how much time does it take?

The Percorso Natura N4 is about 6.2 km long and takes about 3 hours of walking on average. The elevation gain is about 230 m, an approximate figure, and the difficulty is T (tourist). Allow a little extra time for stops to see the abbadia and the views.

Is the Percorso Natura N4 suitable for people who are not experienced hikers?

Yes, the trail is graded T (tourist) and has no particular difficulties. It is still more of a hike than a simple stroll, because of the initial climb and the length of about 6.2 km. It is also suitable for those with only half a day who do not want to tackle a long mountain hike.

Where does the Percorso Natura N4 start and in which direction is it walked?

The trail starts from Garulla, a hamlet of Amandola, a few steps from the mountain hut, and returns there after the loop. It is walked counterclockwise: it reaches the abbadia, continues to Casalicchio and returns to Garulla, partly on grassy tracks and partly on a paved road.

How is the trail marked along the route?

The route is marked with the code N4, the number of the nature trail on the Park map. Along the loop the signs SN, for sentiero natura, and G, for the Grande Anello dei Sibillini, also appear. An information board stands near the Garulla mountain hut, the starting point of the loop.

Nearby

What to see nearby

Where to stay

Straight-line distances.