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Half day mountain bike towards the
mountains of the Alpi Apuane. Starting from Braccicorti we use
road and old drovers road tracks and mule track to get us up
into the mountains. All routes use tracks to get us up to a
high level to start, either using old marble quarry routes of
existing tracks used for forestry. From the bike we then take
to trekking the final section to the top of the various peaks.
Choose from the following Mountains to
acompany your ride.
Monte Sumbra
1) Ride To Vianova from
Braccicorti, via
Carreggine on road an chesnut tracks where we continue on
forestry track up the ridge of Monte Sumbra. When the track
finishes, we leave our bikes and take to foot for the ascent
of the peak of Sumbra at 1709m. This is one of the easiest
trekking peaks in the Alpi Apuane. Great views of all
Appennine Chain as well as the lake of Vagli below us, let
alone the Versillia coast line. We return to the bikes for an
easy or technical descent…..back to Vianova and a fast descent
back to Braccicorti.. Moderate ride and trek
Pania Secca or the Pania Della Croce
2) Ride from Braccicorti to Castelnuovo and
then take road upto Monteperpoli and then onto Piglionico,
where we leave our bikes. The road up has great views down
towards Barga and goes through some very quaint villages, on
its way to the Dead Man. From Piglionico we take a route  that
traverses the side of the Pania Secca climbing up towards the
Rifugio Rossi. Here we Choose. The Pania della Croce, the
higher and more spectacular with its coastal views has a great
ascent through a rocky gorge that zig zags its way up to the
peak. The Pania Secca, you walk up on the waymarked route, a
slightly exposed ridge line with inspiring views to one side
towards the coast and the Procinto. At the summit one is
rewarded with great valley views. Both descend back to the
bikes the same way for the ride back to Braccicorti. Moderate
ride and moderte trek.
Monte Tambura
3) Ride from Braccicorti across the valley
to lago Vagli and up to Vagli Sopra to enter the Arnetola
Valley, where we ride up surrounded by the high peaks and the
workings of the marble quarries. At the end of the marble
quarry road, We leave the bikes and head up to the Passo
Tambura and the final ascent onto Monte Tambura, the second
highest of the range of the Alpi Apuane. From the summit one
has a great sense of achievement as one can look back towards
Braccicorti and see from where we have come. From the peak we
return the same way back to the pass to the bikes for an
excellent descent down to the shores of the lake and back via
Poggio and Villetta to Braccicorti.
Moderate to challenging ride to moderate
trek.
Monte Pisanino
4) Ride from Braccicorti north up the
valley to Piazza al Serchio, where we cross the river to
Nicciano, Gramolazzo and then head up into the Orto di Donna,
where we leave our bikes at Rifugio Val Serenaia . Here we
trek up the side ridge of Pisanino , this is exposed in places.
We reach the top, with not too much space to spare we can take
in the sense and achievement of being at the top of the
highest of the Alpi Apuane. We descend the same way as we came
to the bikes or a drink at the refuge before our ride back to
Braccicorti. This is a challenging trek and is only for good
walkers. The ride is longer than most, moderate level with a
challenging trek to finsh on.
Monte Prado—Highest in Tuscany at 2054m
5) Route up from Braccicorti via Corfino
and the visitors centre, and descend in the direction of Villa
Sorragio, here we take an off road track that threads its way
up the mountains of the Appennines towards the Rifugio Prado.
Here we can leave our bikes and take to the waymarked walking
route that takes us up the side of the main Appennine ridge
and up onto Monte Prado. For more experienced Riders one can
take bikes up for an alternative descent from the peak of
Monte Prado. Or rtn back the same way to bikes and trakcs down
to Braccicorti
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