Manuel Chiacchiararelli

Retracing Wandering Italia: towards Castelluccio

After the problems of the morning, when it seemed to me that I could not find a way out, I finally managed to climb towards Forca Canapine.

The fog that swallows and erases the remains of Capodacqua helps me, at least for a few hours, to shake off that cold shiver that I have been carrying with me since I started to cross the areas hit by the 2016 earthquake. I go up in absolute silence and finally concentrate on enjoying only the beauties of Nature.

From Forca Canapine the view is magnificent, both looking out towards the Laga mountains that overlook the Alta Valle del Tronto, and towards the Sibillini mountains, with the Vettore in the foreground, framed between flowery pastures and a deep sky, dotted with wads of clouds.

I could go straight down to the Plains of Castelluccio, but I decide to keep going along the ridge to enjoy breathtaking landscapes and total silence. And I realise that I need it. Indeed.

Unfortunately, the spell is broken when going down towards Pian Grande. I see what remains of Castelluccio, and the arrival in the village is heartbreaking, as well as the chat that I exchange with some locals at Francesco’s shack.

When this too closes, everything falls into the most ghostly silence, and the cold shiver that runs through the back is now lost among the skeletons of this ghost town.

After setting up the tent, however, I enjoy the sunset and decide to toast to life anyway, the most precious asset.

We should never forget that. We should never take it for granted…

In 2018 I embarked on a journey, on foot and alone, from the National Park of Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise towards Trieste, going up the Apennines and facing the Alps. If you want to find out more about this incredible experience, you can find Wandering Italia – A journey to regain your life on Amazon, on Kobo and in PDF.