Trail 230, Montefortino: Santuario Madonna dell'Ambro – Balzo Rosso, junction with trail N226

The route of trail 230

At the sanctuary there is a drinking water point twenty meters from the start and a parking lot about 150 meters away.

The trail climbs from start to finish, with an average gradient of 17-18 percent and just one short easier stretch around km 0.5. At km 0.9, at about 840 m, there is a spring right on the route. From there to the junction with trail 226 remain 700 meters and 130 m of elevation gain.

Almost all of trail 230 coincides with stage 13 of the Cammino dei Cappuccini.

Trail 230 technical details

There are no downhill sections: on the way back there are 280 m to descend, at the same gradient.

Trail 230 map

At the end, trail 226 links this climb to the Amandola trail network: on one side toward trail 228 and the Rifugio Città di Amandola hut, on the other, uphill, toward the Fonte del Faggio. This second section was badly damaged by the 2016 earthquake; the Park includes it in the E6 route without reporting closures, but before setting out it is advisable to check its status. From the same sanctuary, on the opposite side, trail 225 leaves for the Fonte Cupa.

Points of interest along trail 230

The Balzo Rosso gives its name to the end point. The Park describes it as a vertical spur of red scaglia limestone more than 300 meters high, where cliff-nesting birds breed, and notes that the Valle dell'Ambro is overlooked by the bulk of Monte Priora.