The Monte Miletto Loop in the Matese

The Matese is one of those mountains that live between two regions and end up not quite belonging to either. It straddles Molise and Campania, far from the great tourist routes, and precisely for this reason it has preserved a surprisingly intact environment. Monte Miletto, its highest peak, is the perfect vantage point over a world made of karst lakes, vast pastures and wildlife, where roe deer have been back in the woods since 2008, when they were reintroduced after vanishing from these mountains.

Lake Matese

The heart of the massif is Lake Matese, a karst mirror of water set among the peaks at around a thousand metres of altitude, the highest karst lake in Italy. Around it stretch grasslands and sinkholes, and in the gullies seasonal pools and small ponds appear, while a little further on, at Gallo Matese, the waters are collected in an artificial reservoir. From this natural amphitheatre the climb toward Monte Miletto sets off, best tackled as a loop to enjoy the landscape to the full: you climb through the pastures and beech woods, gain the summit ridge and return closing the circle on a different slope.

At the summit

From the top of Miletto the panorama is immense: your gaze sweeps over the pastures of the Matese, descends toward the plains of Campania and Molise and, on the clearest days, reaches the sea on one side and the mountains of Abruzzo on the other. Coming down through the pastures and beech woods it is not unusual to spot a roe deer, a symbol of the return of wildlife to these peaks, as well as birds of prey wheeling over the cliffs. It is a living mountain, where the effort of the climb is repaid by the feeling of standing in a truly remote place.

Difficulty and access

The Monte Miletto loop is a demanding hike: the overall elevation gain and the length require good fitness, and the high-altitude environment must be approached with respect. The trails cross stretches of open pasture where finding your way can be less immediate, and the summit section is exposed to the wind. There are no technical difficulties, but you need a sure step and the right management of your energy, because it is a full-day route. Those who prefer a quieter outing can limit themselves to the circuit around Lake Matese, far gentler and just as evocative.

Getting there requires a car: the massif is reached from the villages that surround it, from Campitello Matese on the Molise side to the villages of the Campania side such as San Gregorio Matese and Castello del Matese. The area around Lake Matese and Campitello is the most convenient base for parking and for starting the itineraries. Signposting exists but on the high pastures it can thin out: better to bring a map and a GPS track, especially if the weather threatens to turn.

When to go

The best time runs from early summer to autumn: June, when the pastures are lush and in bloom and the lakes are still full, and September and October, with the clear air, the beech woods turning to copper and the chamois easier to spot in the cool hours. These are the months when the Matese shows its most beautiful face and when it stays pleasantly solitary: this borderland mountain does not feature in mass itineraries, and even in high season you often walk without meeting anyone. Winter transforms it into the realm of snow, reserved for those who are properly equipped.

A practical tip: set off at dawn and keep an eye on the sky. On the Matese the afternoon mists and thunderstorms can rise quickly from the slopes and shroud the summit of Miletto, making it hard to find your way across the open pastures. Bring enough water, warm and windproof layers, and binoculars: spotting the roe deer that have been repopulating these woods since 2008 is one of the greatest thrills this forgotten mountain has to offer.