The Cammino dei Briganti between Lazio and Abruzzo in the Cicolano

There are corners of the central Apennines that almost nobody knows, and the Cicolano is one of them. Squeezed between the provinces of Rieti and L'Aquila, it is a land of rounded mountains, narrow valleys and villages that emptied out over the course of the twentieth century. It was precisely out of this marginality that the Cammino dei Briganti was born: a loop designed to bring someone back through villages where nowadays you meet more wild boar than people. You won't find queues, ticket offices or coaches full of tourists. You'll find footpaths, spring-fed troughs, shuttered churches and the sound of the wind in the beech trees.

The brigands

The common thread is the brigands, the bands who after the unification of Italy took refuge in these mountains, along the old border between the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and the Papal States. The trail is a loop, so you set off and return to the same point, which makes it convenient: you leave the car and walk without worrying about getting back. The most classic base is Sante Marie, in Abruzzo, from which the route unfolds, touching hamlets and localities such as Val de' Varri with its cave, Nesce, Spedino, the Lago della Duchessa which lies higher up as a possible detour, and a string of small settlements overlooking the Salto Valley.

You cross oak and beech woods, high-altitude meadows, the ruins of old houses and paved mule tracks. Along the way you come across the remains of castles and watchtowers, country chapels and washhouses. It is a slow journey by definition: each stage is planned around distances and elevation gains manageable by a moderately fit walker, with the chance to spend the night in small guesthouses, farm stays and village homes, where you often eat whatever the host family is cooking. This direct contact with those who have stayed on to live up here is an important part of the experience.

Getting there

To get there it's best to head for Sante Marie or the other starting villages by car: you leave the A24 Rome-L'Aquila motorway at the nearest exits and then climb along the provincial roads. There is also a railway station on the Rome-Pescara line nearby, useful for those who want to arrive without a car, but for moving between the villages and reaching some of the stage points the car remains more convenient. Once you've parked, you move exclusively on foot, following the trail's waymarking, which over the years has been looked after and maintained by the local groups that manage the route.

When to go

The best time is late spring and early autumn. May and June bring flowering meadows, streams still full of water and long days; September offers woods beginning to turn, crisp air and ideal walking temperatures. High summer can be hot in the middle of the day and dry, while winter brings snow and cold at altitude, with many places closed. Choosing these months also lets you avoid the crowds entirely, because there is never a real crowd here: at most you cross paths with other walkers on the same loop, and part of the charm is greeting them and swapping a few words on the trail.

It's worth remembering that this is a land of water and stone. Lake Salto, formed by damming the river of the same name, traces arms and inlets among the mountains and accompanies the trail here and there with its reflection. All around remain the traces of a rural and pastoral world that has almost died out: sheepfolds, pens, old threshing floors, votive shrines at the crossroads. Walking, you pass through hamlets where only a few families now live, and you understand, better than from any account, what the depopulation of the inland areas really means. This is also why the Cammino dei Briganti has a meaning that goes beyond the effort: every wayfarer who passes leaves something behind, from a night in a farm stay to a meal in an inn, and helps keep a light burning in villages that would otherwise turn off their windows completely.

Practical tips

A practical tip: plan your overnight stays in advance, because beds in the small villages are limited and often need to be booked a few days ahead, especially at weekends. Carry enough water between one fountain and the next, trekking shoes that are already broken in, and some cash, because you won't always find an ATM or be able to pay by card. And leave room in your backpack for slowness: the Cicolano is best savoured by stopping to talk with the people you meet, not by rushing to finish the stage.