Updated August 2021
Explore the pristine Orfento River whilst admiring sweeping views of the Orfento Valley and dramatic limestone cliffs.
STARTING POINT: Visitor Centre – Parco Majella, Caramanico (you must go to the visitor centre to fill in a registration form before doing walks in this area)
END POINT: Ponte di Caramanico (Caramanico Bridge) – to walk back into Caramanico centre is another 15 minutes
TRAVEL TIME: 3hrs (total)
LENGTH: 8km
DIFFICULTY Italian Alpine Club rating: E – Escursionistico (Hiker – Intermediate)
RECOMMENDED TIME OF YEAR: All year-round. Not recommended after heavy rains or in the hot midday summer sun.
WATER FOUNTAIN: At the start of the walk. There is also a bar near the Visitor Centre.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF WALK
Before the walk, you need to go to the Visitor Centre (in the hamlet of Santa Croce – a 10min walk from the centre of Caramanico and a lovely hamlet to explore) to fill out a registration form. It’s a short and painless process. You can also buy some excellent maps, books and souvenirs at the Centre. There is also a museum here that has great artefacts and the history of the local area. This walk also intersects with the longer 73km, 4 day Path of the Spirit (Sentiero dello Spirito) walk.
The walk starts next to the Visitor Centre. Follow the B2 signs.
About 5 minutes into the walk you can get a fantastic view of the Valley of Orfento with its limestone cliffs.
Walk down to Ponte Vallone and the Orfento River. Do not swim in the river as this is a pristine environment. You can also go on to do more difficult walks to Eremo San Onofrio or Ponte della Pietra (add another 3hrs).
Ponte Vallone Orfento River Panoramic View – Orfento Valley
Along the walk, you will come across an info board describing parts of a diary written during WWII, by POW escapee New Zealand soldier John E. Broad, where he took refuge in the Grotta Sant’Angelo which can be seen in the distance. John Broad’s diaries were collated into the book ‘Poor People, Poor Us’. Part of this walk also makes up the larger Il Sentiero della Libertà (Freedom Trail Path) that runs from Sulmona to Palena. The Freedom Trail retraces the steps of Allied soldiers along the Gustav Line, who escaped as POWs after Italian armistice on 8 September 1943, aided by local people to make their way to Allied occupied territory.
Once you reach Ponte Vallone you can return to the Visitor Centre or continue onto Ponte di Caramanico – S (Bridge of Caramanico) climbing about 100 stairs. From the bridge you can walk another 15 minutes into the town centre.
Ponte di Caramanico (Caramanico Bridge)
Add a tour of the old town of Caramanico (one of the most beautiful towns in Italy (I borghi piu belli) or a tour of the Natural and Archaeological Museum at the Park Office. Majambiente also offer tours in the local area. The night otter tour is recommended.
More info on the Walk: Percorsi più belli | Majambiente (valledellorfento.info)