TOUR 1:> Orecchiella Natural Park & Pania di Corfino 1609M –

Walk to Campaiana, Fonte dell’Amore and Pruno amidst the Natural Beauty of the Pania Corfino in the Orecchiella National Park. This is certainly an area of outstanding natural beauty, what with the wildlife and the flora in the park it is surely one of the jewels of the area. The view one gets from the top of the Pania di Corfino is one of the best views to be had of the Garfagnana. We will be on the look out for the park mouflon and red dear as they are to be found on large numbers, or even the elusive Wolf !   Bus to Corfino –

 Moderate walk, nothing technical, some rocky terrain – 6hr

TOUR 2 :>HIGH APENNINES & REFUGE BATTISTI

From the Ski Station of Casone 1314m-walk along main Apennine ridge to Monte Prado 2054m-desceding to Lago Bargetana-Rif Battisti and back to Casone. Here we hit the open ridge line of the Apennines, walking the border line of Tuscany & Emilia Romagna. On both sides there are great views, on a clear day one can see Corsica from the top along with other mediteranean islands. Beautiful walking and open views, a rocky descent, but nothing technical.

Level of the walk is Moderate –up to 7 hours with some stops !!!  Bus up to Casone—for circular walk

TOUR 3 “Lakes, Mountains and Canyons”

Walk from Orrido di Botri, and up onto Monte Rondinaio, and to Lago Baccio. Great Panorama high in Apennines & down to Serchio Valley and Barga. This walk takes you onto a high section of the Apennines in the middle valley, here one is in the middle of big mountains and great mountain lakes. Along with a spectacular view down into the Garfagnana 

Moderate to challenging walk, long, up to 7hrs, bus to near Orrido / Passo Giovo

TOUR 4 :Traditional Valley Life in Garfagnana.

Valley walking via old drovers’ paths and tracks, through Medieval walled village Castiglione, and other hamlets. Taking in the local traditions and flavours of the real day to day life in the valley of the Garfagnana. This is a walk that takes all aspects of valley life, walking through ancient chestnut woodlands to open fields cultivated with corn and Farro grain. Then the old villages full of history, dating back to the 700’s and the Byzantine era. A great way to see the area and see how people live in the valley.  

  Easy level of walking, 6hrs, Inc bar stops, circular from the lodge at Braccicorti !!

TOUR 5 : Grotta del Vento & Monte Forato

Walk up Monte Forato, via Foce Petrosciana, some scrambling involved. Spectacular Rock Arch on Summit. Walk down via Costa Pulita, to Grotta del Vento for Optional tour in caves as extra. A walk that has views as impressive that one can get in the Alpi Apuane, with the sea and high peak of Pania della Croce, along with the spectacular rock arch on the top of the mountain, it is a great walk.

It is Moderate to Challenging – 5hrs –there is a steepish up , with some hand scambling, nothing too difficult. To a winding descent after the arch. The caves tour €5 extra for 1hr can be in most languages, and is a good tour and worthwhile the expense.

TOUR 6 >“The Dead Man of the Garfagnana”

Walk up Pania Della Croce 1858m, from Piglionico, via Rif Rossi, one of the best views to be had of the coast from the summit from the dead man’s stomach. Also the choice of Pania Secca. If you are wondering what the Dead Man is, then….at a certain angle in the Garfagnana, when you lookat the Mountain, you have a head which is very pronounced, with fore head, nose and chin, the stomach is the Pania della Croce, then there are Knees and the Feet at Pizza di Saette. Looks like a person lying on its back. The Dead Man of the Garfagnana.

 Best views of the coast, and real high mountain feel without the difficulty. Moderate level– some scrambling on way up and down– 6hrs

TOUR 7 > Marble Quarries & Monte Tambura

From Campocatino to Passo Foccolaccia and an amazing marble quarry on the main ridge. Up ridge to Tambura, 2^nd Highest in Apuane. Down via Arnetola Valley back to start! This is a walk that takes in the main feature of the Alpi Apuane, MARBLE !!! The quarry’s that you see and pass through have the pure white marble of Carrara, leaving scares on the landscape, hard to cover up, but impressive in their own right. Tambura, one walks on a ridge line up to the peak and down with great views all around the mountain.

Small scramble sections involved, but other wise a good cricular walk    Moderate to Challenging - some scrambling – long – 7hrs

TOUR 8> Lago di Vagli & Campocatino

Start beside lake and take old path up to village of Vagli Sopra and then to old shepherd’s village of Campocatino. After time here, walk to old hermitage of San Viviano and descend to Vagli Sotto. This is a valley walk with a mountain feel, passing through the Villages of Vagli and up to the quaint and probably one of the most picturesque sights in the Garfagnana, Campocatino, with the soaring heights of the peaks behind, one gets a bit of everything. The hermitage of San Viviano is a small chapel clinging to the rock face, built from a old cave where the saint is said to have lived. Great views of the lake of Vagli and flowers and orchids that in season are wonderful.

Easy to Moderate with one section with some exposure in ascent to hermitage – 5.5hrs

TOUR 9> Orto di Donna & M Grondilice

Foce Siggioni & Giovo crossing into Lucido Valley, and Foce Di Navola and over main ridge of the Apuane and Grondilce to new Rif Grondlice and descend back into the Orto di Donna!, “the ladies back Yard !” This walk gets one away from village life and into the mountain scenary where not many people tend to go, off to the right hand end of the range, with the highest peak of Pisanino bearing down and marble quarries hidden in the valleys. It makes for great walking and this walking, passing as it does between 2 valley’s, has time to take in all the sights and sounds of the spectacular end of the Alpi Apuane.

 Moderate - 6.5 hrs

TOUR 10 > Orto di Donna & Monte Pisanino

From the Valley of the Orto di Donna we follow the ridge line up onto the highest in the Alpi Apuane, Monte Pisanino 1947m. Steep and exposed in places. Rewarding and spectacular views on the summit. Only for the experienced this is a walk that is rewarding in its own right by being the peak of the highest in the range. The walk is via a ridge line to the top , exposed in places, with a peak that has little room to spare, but affords all the time to be able to sit there and take in the views from the top.

It is Challenging / and expert level walking, though not technical it needs a good head for heights ! – 6 hrs

TOUR 11 >Monte Sumbra

One of the easiest trekking peaks, we start from Vianova, and take a trail that leads us up through beach forests out onto the main ridge up to the Summit of Monte Sumbra 1709m extensive views over the Garfagnana and coast, rtn via drovers path. Walking through mature beech forest most of the way along the ridge of Sumbra it is always a surprise to pop out into the open. When you do , you are rewarded with the spectacualr view of a near sheer rock wall of Monte Sumbra and a perfect view to the coast, along with one of the best all round panoramas that you get from any peak in the Alpi Apuane. 

 Easy to Moderate, small exposure, 6hrs

TOUR 12> Marmite del Gigante

A day spent exploring the huge carved out water channels and holes on the side of M. Sumbra and M. Fiocca. Great fun climbing around on the rocks. This walk or climbing day is more of a scramble and is really for people who are resonably fit, There is a lot of scrambling from rock to rock and by following the rivers washed out course makes for a lot of fun as you go from one level to the next. Moderate – 5hrs

TOUR 13 > Cinque Terre Walk / Culture Day

Here, we drive out from the valley of the Garfagnana and head for the coastline near La Spezia. There we find the 5 Terre coast and the town of Portovenere.The 5 terre are called "the 5 Lands", because at one time they were inaccessible apart from sea access by boat and the small walking trail that connects them. Now there is the road and rail link. Howevere it is this old path used for harvest time crop gathering and trading that we walk on.

Our day takes us first from Rio Maggiore and a short section of walk on the Via Del Amore, the trail of Love !, where lovers go and gaze at each other and the sun set ! Here we walk to Manarola via the path cut into the rock face of the cliff with great views. Then from Manarolo a small harbour town also we take a 45min section of walk to Corniglia. Built high in the tock of a rock outcrop. Then from here we hot the main part of the trail through the olive groves and lush vegetation as we walk to Vernazza on a narrow trail that wonds it way through for over an hour to Vernazza. One of the quaintest towns along the walk. Here we have a break for Lunch before we continue on the Last section to Monte Rosso. An inspiring section of trail through the olive groves and lemon trees less trodden that the section before. To bring us to the end of our walk and the old and new towns of Monterosso.

One can  walk as much or as little as you want to, there is the use of the train from town to town, as well as, on good days the boat that goes from town to town ( not corniglia !). Portovenere at ones wish can be added into a days itinerary if ones wishes.