This strangest of years has seen us considering the health and well-being of ourselves, families, friends and communities like never before. And now as we tentatively emerge from lockdown, we need the mountains and the natural world more then ever to help keep us fit and happy. Here’s an update of recent news and hopefully … Continue reading "Early Summer in the Sulmona Valley"

Today’s the Day! Most of us have been at home sitting out the virus for many weeks but, if you’re like me, your mind will have been constantly wandering to the hills with dreams of a return to the peaks and paths of the Valle Peligna never far away. And today we take a big … Continue reading "Time For a (Little) Walk"

A Workout for Mind & Body in Pettorano Sul Gizio Well, something rather different for a collection of walks but I’m probably not the only one amongst us who loves the feel of rock beneath their fingertips and toes! In Pettorano sul Gizio, at the southern end of the Sulmona Valley, there is a railway … Continue reading "Via Peppina"

I love the ambitious spirit of those who dream big; who believe there are no limits to where and how a person can simply be in the world. A wonderful example has recently returned to my thoughts; a grand project that touches and inspires us right here in the Sulmona Valley. At 6,166km, the Sentiero … Continue reading "Sentiero Italia"

Hello Sulmona Valley Walkers! The end of the year is upon us – a perfect time to bring you up to date with what has been a very busy one for Sulmona Valley Walks. Below is news about the walks catalogue, articles we’ve published, using the valley’s public transport, website developments and, hooray, the new … Continue reading "It’s Been a Busy Year!"

The slopes and high pastures of the beautiful mountains that encircle the Sulmona Valley are not just a haven for wildlife and a place for us to explore, experience and enjoy but they are also, for many, a place of work. In the summer months the Abruzzo highlands are grassy and vast – used predominantly … Continue reading "Encountering Sheep Dogs – Dos and Don’ts"

The first thing you reach for when planning a walking day is the map. And it’s the first thing you put in your rucksack. I’m often asked about those that should be used for walks in the Sulmona valley so here is a summary of what you should know. The chances are that where you … Continue reading "Maps for Walkers in the Sulmona Valley"

There’s a particular satisfaction in spending a day out walking knowing that you didn’t use a private car in the process. And if you live in Sulmona or are based there for a while then it is very achieveable. The Sulmona valley has a well-established public transport network and a walking holiday here for a … Continue reading "Public Transport in the Sulmona Valley – A User Guide"

When you download a walk from our catalogue two files are copied to your device (your smartphone, tablet, laptop etc…):  a document which is a description of the walk, containing formatted text and images, in the portable document format (pdf)  a text file which is a list of the sequential route waypoints, each defined as GPS … Continue reading "GPX Files and What To Do With Them"

It’s often the first thing to consider about an area for a walking trip. When’s a good time in the year to go? I’m asked the question quite a lot about the Sulmona Valley, so here’s an expanded version of what I say! The first thing to know about are the seasons. Assuming you’re not … Continue reading "When to Walk in the Sulmona Valley"