The Matese Gravel Loop, Between Molise and Campania

The Matese is one of those mountains almost no one knows, squeezed out as it is while attention goes elsewhere. And yet it's an imposing limestone massif, shared by Molise and Campania, studded with karst features: sinkholes, swallow holes, high plains and lakes that appear where you least expect them. For anyone who rides on gravel lanes it's a small paradise still intact, made of pastures, free-roaming cattle and horses, and very little traffic.

The route

The natural landmark is Lake Matese, the highest karst basin in Italy, set in a hollow between the peaks of Miletto and Gallinola. The loop unfolds around this sheet of water: pastoral roads and gravel tracks running along the highlands, among dry-stone walls and sheepfolds. On the Campania side the support towns are San Gregorio Matese and Castello del Matese, from which you climb up to the plains; on the Molise side the reference points are Campitello Matese, Bojano and the villages of the Isernia Matese such as Roccamandolfi, with its rocca perched above deep gorges.

The other two basins, Lake Gallo and Lake Letino on the Campania side, complete the watery picture and offer unexpected views for such a rugged mountain. Between one shore and the next you cross grassy plains like Campo Rotondo and stretches of pasture where transhumance has left its mark. It's a landscape almost Nordic in its colours and breadth, and yet you're in the heart of the southern Apennines.

The terrain

The terrain is demanding, and it must be said honestly: this is a real massif, with long climbs to gain the highlands and a surface that alternates secondary asphalt, packed gravel and the rougher, stonier stretches typical of limestone. It's a route for a sturdy gravel bike or mountain bike, with legs in good training: the elevation gains are considerable and the altitude makes itself felt. This is no Sunday tourist's ride, but those with experience are rewarded with almost total solitude.

To get here it's best to drive to one of the foothill towns, such as Bojano or Piedimonte Matese, and start climbing from there. Public transport is scarce and the mountain is poorly served, so self-sufficiency is essential. Up high, services all but disappear: the villages where you can resupply with water and food are on the fringes of the massif, while on the highlands you'll find nothing. Set off well stocked, study in advance where the fountains and few shelters are, and bear in mind that mountain weather changes fast even in summer.

When to go

The best period runs from late spring to early autumn. In May and June the plains are green and in bloom, the lake water is high and the herds return to pasture; September gives crisp light and ideal temperatures for riding at altitude. In summer the Matese remains one of the few cool areas in the South, but it's also when a few more hikers turn up near the lake: just move a little onto the gravel tracks to find the emptiness again. Winter shuts everything under snow and Campitello becomes a small ski resort.

Practical tips

A practical tip: bring plenty of water and a way to filter or refill it, because on the highlands the distances between one support point and the next are greater than the map suggests, and the effort of the karst surface makes you drink a lot. And leave slack in your schedule: here you don't ride for average speed, you ride to stop on the shore of a mountain lake with not a soul around.