Trails of the Collemeluccio Forest in Upper Molise

There are regions that stay invisible simply because no one thinks to look for them. Upper Molise is one of these: a plateau of woods, pastures and tiny villages hard against the border with Abruzzo, where even in summer it is rare to cross paths with another hiker. At the heart of this silence lies the Collemeluccio-Montedimezzo Reserve, part of UNESCO's MAB network, one of the first protected areas recognised in Italy precisely for the rarity of its woods.

The fir wood

The distinctive feature of Collemeluccio is the silver fir. This is one of the most important natural fir woods of the central Apennines, a dense, cool forest that has survived here for centuries, a relic of an older climate. To walk beneath these canopies is to enter a dark green world, humid, crossed by slanting rays of light, very different from the Mediterranean scrub one would expect at these latitudes.

The itinerary

The classic itinerary starts from the Pescolanciano area and pushes into the Collemeluccio forest following the reserve's marked trails, which wind between firs, Turkey oaks and clearings. It is a loop route that alternates stretches inside the dense forest with openings onto the pastures, where cows and horses still graze semi-wild to this day. The great tradition of this land is the transhumance: Upper Molise is furrowed by the tratturi, the ancient grassy drovers' roads, broad and regal, along which the flocks descended toward the Tavoliere in Apulia. The Pescasseroli-Candela drovers' track crosses these places, and at several points the reserve's trails rest on these very historic corridors, now grown silent again.

It is worth extending the visit toward Montedimezzo, the reserve's other core, near Vastogirardi: here the wood is more mature and majestic, with centuries-old specimens and a visitor centre that helps you understand the history of these forests. Those with time can add a cultural detour to Pietrabbondante, where one of the most important Samnite sanctuaries in Italy survives, with its theatre overlooking the mountains: a perfect counterpoint to the walk through the forest.

How to get there

To reach it you need a car: the reference station is Isernia, but from there the villages of the plateau are reached only on secondary roads. It is precisely this inconvenience that keeps the crowds away. Once up, however, you move on foot without any technical difficulty: the reserve's paths are suitable for anyone with a minimum of fitness, with modest and well-distributed elevation changes, on a soft floor of earth and fir needles. The durations are reasonable, from half a day to a full day if you link several loops. The network of trails is designed for families too, and for anyone who simply wants to stroll in the cool, without the anxiety of high altitudes: here it is not about conquering a summit, but about letting yourself be slowed down by the forest, stopping to watch the woodpeckers working the trunks and the flowers sprouting in the clearings.

When to go

The best time runs from late spring to autumn. May and June offer the vivid green of the undergrowth, the pastures in bloom and an ideal temperature for walking beneath the firs. October is perhaps the most evocative moment: the Turkey oaks and beeches turn coppery around the steady green of the firs, the air is clear and crisp, and the few summer visitors have already gone. Winter here is harsh and snowy, and the height-of-summer months, though beautiful, are still quiet compared to any Alpine destination. The crowd, quite simply, does not exist: if anything, the problem is finding an open bar.

A practical tip: stock up on water and food before heading up, because services in the villages are few and keep unpredictable hours. Bring shoes with soles that grip on the wood's damp floor, and a sweatshirt even in summer, because beneath the fir woods the temperature stays cool. Finally, take the time to stop in one of the villages, from Vastogirardi to Pescolanciano: here the welcome is genuine and undertourism is not a marketing choice, but simply the way life has always flowed.

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