The Excursion to Pietra Cappa
A looped-trail excursion in eastern Aspromonte, to discover one of the largest monoliths in Europe, in the Valley of the Great Stones, one of the most important and famous sites in the Aspromonte National Park.
The route starts from Natile Vecchio di Careri, a small village in the Ionian hinterland.
“The most interesting ascent itinerary to Pietra Cappa begins from Natile, queen of Aspromonte, which with its enigmatic bulk and full of legends dominates the Valley of the Great Stones. In medieval documents we read about Pietra Cauca which indicates hollow, excavated stone and in fact you will notice how it is individually eroded by atmospheric agents. “
After these words taken from the book The Aspromonte di Bevilacqua and Picone Chiodo National Park, let’s talk about our route, which, before reaching the salient point of Pietra Cappa, passes through the Rocks of San Pietro, caves carved into the rock by monks Basilians.
The monks, who arrived in our territories in the early Middle Ages, sought solitary places far from human temptations, tranquility and silence.
They lived by dedicating themselves to contemplation, praying and working; their diet consisted of berries and raw vegetables, they plunged into the cold waters of rivers and streams, they dedicated themselves to the study of sacred texts. The elements that characterize their daily life (contemplation, prayer, solitude, work) are the cornerstones of the Rule of Saint Basil.
After the stop for lunch (to be prepared by the participants), we will continue towards Pietra Cappa, this monolith that occupies about four hectares of land and with its 140 meters high is the largest in Europe, it is one of the best rarity perfectly preserved and present on our territory.
The etymology relating to the stone refers to the internal “cavity”, deriving the name from “inverted cup“.
As usual, the legend cannot be missing. It is said that, while preaching the good news, Christ and his disciples also reached the foot of the Aspromonte and here they did penance by picking up some heavy boulders that the Lord transformed into steaming loaves, leaving only Peter with a small bite as punishment for having collected a miserable pebble. Recognizing his mistake, it was Peter himself who wanted that stone to remain there as a reminder of his malice and, by touching it with a finger, he made it become so large that it covered the ground all around.
Finally, having completed the tour of Pietra Cappa, which will allow us to see it from all angles, we will return to the starting point, where our excursion will be concluded.
Duration: about 6 hours
Length: 12 km
Cumulative ascent: 600 m
Difficulty: medium
