Scoppaturo Canyon – Castel del Monte (Abruzzo) loop from Castel del Monte
Scoppaturo Canyon – Castel del Monte (Abruzzo) loop from Castel del Monte
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Scoppaturo Canyon – Castel del Monte (Abruzzo) loop from Castel del Monte
04:30
44.4km
1,170m
Mountain biking
Hard mountain bike ride. Very good fitness required. Advanced riding skills necessary. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.
Last updated: June 10, 2026
Tips
Includes a very steep uphill segment
You may need to push your bike.
After 31.6 km for 101 m
Waypoints
Start point
Parking
Get Directions
2.74 km
Foot of Monte Bolza
Highlight • Viewpoint
Translated by Google •
Tip by
5.88 km
Hilltop View in Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park
Highlight • Viewpoint
Translated by Google •
Tip by
7.20 km
Mountain Spring Fountain
Highlight • Structure
Translated by Google •
Tip by
11.8 km
Scoppaturo Canyon
Highlight • Canyon
Translated by Google •
Tip by
12.5 km
Shepherd and Family Statue
Highlight • Monument
This place commemorates one of the most tragic events in the history of the transumanza, the age-old migration where shepherds drove their sheep every summer to the green pastures of Campo Imperatore and returned in the autumn to the warmer plains of Puglia.
In the autumn of 1919, the 41-year-old shepherd Nunzio Pupi, better known as Pupo Nunzio, postponed the descent for a few days. The autumn was exceptionally mild, and he wanted to let his flock of no less than 5,000 sheep graze for as long as possible. But the weather unexpectedly turned. A fierce snowstorm caught him by surprise in the middle of the high plain. Together with his two young sons, Idolo (12) and Alfredo (11), and their loyal sheepdog, he became disoriented in the snow.
None of them survived the icy storm. The entire flock also perished. According to local legend, his wife Ersilia Caruso could not cope with the loss of her husband, her children, and their sole source of livelihood. She died a short time later, consumed by grief.
This moving story recalls the hard life of the shepherds, who were completely dependent on nature and often paid a high price for their existence.
About the monument:
Monument of Fonte Vetica
In Fonte Vetica, on the southeastern plateau of Campo Imperatore, stands an impressive monument commemorating the tragedy of 1919. The Abruzzese sculptor Vicentino Michetti immortalised the shepherd, his two sons, and their dog as they desperately fought against the icy snowstorm. A little further away stands the statue of the mother, with outstretched arms directed towards the mountains, hoping to see her family return alive.
Although the monument tells one poignant story, it has become a tribute to all the shepherds of Abruzzo who, over the centuries, risked their lives during the arduous transumanza. Anyone who stops at Fonte Vetica today immediately feels the impressive combination of overwhelming beauty and the unforgiving power of this mountain landscape.
Showing Translation
Tip by
14.4 km
View of Gran Sasso Mountains
Highlight • Viewpoint
16.8 km
Ricotta Mountain Hut
Highlight • Mountain Hut
Translated by Google •
Tip by
44.0 km
Castel del Monte (Abruzzo)
Highlight • Settlement
Translated by Google •
Tip by
44.4 km
End point
Parking
Way Types & Surfaces
Way Types
23.3 km
13.7 km
3.56 km
3.20 km
527 m
< 100 m
Surfaces
25.5 km
8.10 km
6.98 km
3.46 km
337 m
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Elevation
Highest point (1,660 m)
Lowest point (1,230 m)
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Weather
Powered by Foreca
Saturday 11 July
24°C
14°C
52 %
Additional weather tips
Max wind speed: 6.0 km/h
to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route
Our route recommendations are based on thousands of hikes, rides, and runs completed by other people on komoot.
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