Alberese

Parco Naturale delle Maremma

Walking in the Parco Naturale della Maremma

Arezzo


Capalbio

chianti

        Walking in chianti


Colline Metallifere


la costa Toscana

         Walking along the Tuscan coast

Crete Senesi

         
Abbazia di Monte Oliveto Maggiore

         Walking in the Crete Senesi

Grosseto


Manciano


Montagnola Senese

         Walking in the Montagnola senese


Montalcino

Monte Amiata

         WALKING ON MONTE AMIAta

Montepulciano

Prato

Scansano

Siena

          URBAN TREKKING IN SIENA

FONTI DI SIENA

Sorano

Sovana

Val d'Elsa

          San Gimignano

Val d'orcia

          Montalcino

          Pienza

          Sant'Antimo

          San Quirico d'Orcia

          Radicofani

          Walking in the Val d'Orcia


Val di Chiana

         Montepulciano

         Montefollonico


Valle d'Ombrone

 

 

 

 

 

 

 





 
Walking in Tuscany

Deep woods and dense vegetation, with chestnuts trees in Riserva Naturale Poggio all'Olmo

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Deep woods and dense vegetation, with chestnuts trees in Nature Riserve Poggio dell'Olmo [1]


Toscana | Galleria di immagini  
     
   

Trekking in southern Tuscany | Itinerary exploring the Poggio all'Olmo Nature Reserve, between Castiglioncello Bandini and Monticello Amiata

   
   

This itinerary starts at the gate of the castle in Castiglioncello Bandini. It explores the deep woods and dense vegetation in the Riserva Naturale Poggio dell'Olmo. The roads and the paths going through this wild area are lined with century-old chestnut trees that bloom in June and give the visitor the opportunity to see sceneries of unexpected beauty.
The tour is not difficult except for some overgrown parts. 


Lenghth: 9.31 km, 2 hours

Lunghezza sentiero km - ↑ Total climb m ↓ Total descent m

Download gpx tracks | gpx


Map and gpx


 

The property of Podere Santa Pia lies on a hill overlooking the Valle d’Ombrone, a beautiful and miraculously intact valley. This part of southern Tuscany, known as the Maremma, is a wonderfully peaceful and very beautiful unspoiled area, ideal for a quiet holiday. Castiglioncello Bandini is a small borgo on the edge of the Poggio all'Olmo Nature Reserve. Several itineraries in the area make this former cloister a good starting point to explore hills and valleys between Monte Amiata and the Valle d'Ombrone. The horizons are open and the look is lost in rural Tuscany, through beautiful vineyards, olive groves, and the wild and untamed macchia mediterranea, completely natural vegetation, wonderful for walking and exploring.

This itinerary is not difficult except for some overgrown parts. 

La Rosa dei Venti is a small bar and osteria to have lunch.

 

The impressive scenery of the Poggio all'Olmo Nature Reserve, with dense vegetation and chestnut trees Suggestivo percorso nella riserva naturale di Poggio all'Olmo, Castigliocello Bandini, Tuscany Fonte nella riserva naturale Poggio all'Olmo The centuries-old chestnut tree of the Poggio all'Olmo nature reserve, Castigliocello Bandini, Tuscany The wonderful chestnut trees in the Poggio all'Olmo nature reserve, Castigliocello Bandini, Tuscany
 

Starting point Castle of Castiglioncello Bandini

 

Castiglioncello Bandini, the castle Castiglion del Torto

Castiglioncello Bandini, the castle Castiglion del Torto [1]

 

   
   

The Reserve is located in the upper course of the Ribusieri stream, a tributary of the Orcia river, and extends around the peaks of Poggio all'Olmo (1,018 m), Poggio Materaio (939 m) and Poggio la Torretta (854 m), c. The area is characterized by the presence of fruit chestnut groves in an excellent state of conservation, within which there are numerous secular trees. The state of conservation of the local forest heritage is also testified by the presence of a specimen of pear tree of monumental importance, which is even linked to an ancient legend and an Amiata nursery rhyme. The territory of the Reserve also includes pastures, cultivated fields and numerous ditches. The herbaceous flora has important endemisms such as Viola etrusca, Echinops siculus, Crocus etruscus, Santolina etrusca, and two important floristic stations of Marrubium incanum, which here reaches its western distribution limit, and of Samaritan Tragopogon; the area also hosts a rich flowering of orchids. The small fauna includes interesting amphibians such as the howling Bombina pachypus and the spectacled salamander Salamandrina terdigitata. There are numerous and interesting species of reptiles, including cervone Elaphe quatuorlineata, saettone or Aesculapius elphe longissima and smooth còlubro Coronella austriaca. In the Reserve there is also the important presence of the wild cat Felis silvestris.
Among the birds, the diurnal raptors are worth mentioning, among which the lesser harrier, the biancone, the honey buzzard, the peregrine falcon and the sparrow hawk. Other presence in the area are the black buntings and the shrike, which tend to nest near the shrubs and bushes scattered in the meadows.

 

The cypresses of Podere Santa Pia

You can also start the hiking in Podere Santa Pia. The walk through the woods to the village is beautiful and varied.

 

The gate and cypress trees at Podere Santa Pia (3,8 km) [1]

 

 
   


Through the woods to Castiglioncello Bandini
| gpx

Starting Point, the cypresses of Podere Santa Pia
Lenghth: 6 km, 1 hour 55 minutes

Easy | 227 m upwards


 

From Podere Santa Pia through the woods to Castiglioncello Bandini

 

 

Itinerary exploring the Poggio all'Olmo Nature Reserve, between Castiglioncello Bandini and Monticello Amiata

 

Mappa Castiglioncello Bandini - Poggio all'Olmo Nature Reserve - Monticello Amiata. Extended map here

 

Kaart Castiglioncello Bandini - Poggio all'Olmo Nature Reserve - Monticello Amiata

 

Album Sovana, Sovana Photo Gallery

Castiglioncello Bandini album

 

 

   
Castiglioncello Bandini, Castiglion del Torto  
Celebrare il dolce far niente
 

Castiglioncello Bandini, Castiglion del Torto

 

 

Casa Vacanze Podere Santa Pia

 

Cinigiano, view from Castiglioncello Bandini

    Castiglioncello Bandini, Calanchi in the valleybeween Podere Santa Pia, Federano and the torrent Rancida

Castiglioncello Bandini album

 

 

Castiglioncello Bandini

 

Castiglioncello Bandini, Calanchi in the valleybeween Podere Santa Pia, Federano and the torrent Rancida

Calanchi

 

       
   

 

 

   

Tuscany | Calanchi e biancane | Un tesoro della natura


Walking in southern Tuscany | Itineraries exploring Castiglioncello Bandini and the Mediterranean macchia in the valleys around the village

Brief itinerary exploring the Mediterranean macchia and calanchi in the valley between Podere Santa Pia and Cinigiano

Circular Trail | Starting Point, the cypresses of Podere Santa Pia

Lenghth: 3,85 km, 1 hour 20 minutes

Easy, except for the track halfway

Through the woods to Castiglioncello Bandini

Starting Point, the cypresses of Podere Santa Pia or the Castle of Castiglioncello Bandini

Lenghth: 6 km, 1 hour 55 minutes

Easy | 227 m upwards, 227 m downwards

From Podere Santa Pia (Castiglioncello Bandini) to Cinigiano

Lenghth: 8,34 km

Easy

Hiking along the Rancioa riverbed, in the hidden valleys below Castiglioncello Bandini

Circular Trail | Starting Point, the cypresses of Podere Santa Pia

Lenghth: 4,42 km, 1 hour 31 minutes

Easy, except for the essential part of the track beyond Podere Federano, where you reach and follow the Rancioa riverbed


 


[1] Photo by Rein Ergo