11127 Would like to live in area, looking to go on nice walks

Hello, I'm thinking of coming to Italy and Abruzzo looks nice. I think I would like to do some walking while I am over. Does anyone know of any self guided walking books or any companies that do guided walks. I think I would need this in English as my Italian isn't very good. Is there anyone who has done any walking I would like to hear your experience or see your photos. I've walked in Spain but I think Italy would make a nice change. Where would be a good place to stay? I need to use buses or trains because I would be afraid to drive on the other side of the road. Ciao

Category
Abruzzo

Welcome to the Forum. Abruzzo, as you probably know, has three national parks and one regional - National parks - The National Park of Abruzzo, The National Park of Gran Sasso-Laga, The National Park of Majella-Morrone. Regional park, Sirente-Velinohere are little towns/villages within with places to stay.

You can get walking maps from the park information centres.

If you want to walk in a group it might be worth looking at a more local forum.

If you based yourself in Lettomanoppello for a week you could walk straight off into the National Park every day and come home each night to a selection of amazingly cheap places to eat and a cheese shop that sells all of the locally made pecorino cheeses.
There are buses from Pescara and ont to Scarfa where you can take a train to places like Sulmona or even Rocarasso .Or even spend a day in Rome.
btw my Italian friend Stefania has a very reasonable appt to let out so pm me if you are interested!

Sunflower do some good walking books - I have used the Amalfi/Sorrento one [v good]

[url=http://www.sunflowerbooks.co.uk/destinations_eng.htm]Destinations available from Sunflower[/url]

If you are travelling by train - the German Railways travel planner is the best one that I know of for ANY rail trip in Europe - including UK to Italy

[url=http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en]TravelService - Query page[/url]

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the club alpino italiano does a lot of information on walks, refuges and events...

here's the link to the abruzzo section

[url=http://www.caiabruzzo.it/pages/default.asp]CAI - Club Alpino Italiano - Gruppo Regionale Abruzzo[/url]

and here's the main website which has English available....

[url=http://www.cai.it/index.php?id=1&L=1]Home[/url]

if you do a google search for walks one that comes up that seems pretty local and run by an English speaker is this one

[url=http://www.abruzzowalks.com/]Home[/url]

seems like a well designed site and obviously someone who has a love of mountain walks runs it... so they might be the best people to contact even if just for general info...

if planning a trip this time of year... i think you are best off in groups and organised...weather changes quickly when you get up high... and in abruzzo that doesnt take long as once inland you are often starting from bases at 800 -1000 m asl anyway... and at those heights temps are often low and snow is often lying deep.....

[quote=mountaingoat;104974]. Does anyone know of any self guided walking books or any companies that do guided walks. I think I would need this in English as my Italian isn't very good. [/quote]

These may give you some ideas:
[url=http://www.play.com/Books/Books/4-/228887/Central-Apennines-of-Italy/Product.html]Play.com (UK) : Central Apennines of Italy: Walks, Scrambles and Climbs : Books - Free Delivery[/url]
[url=http://www.play.com/Books/Books/4-/452325/Trekking-in-the-Apennines/Product.html]Play.com (UK) : Trekking in the Apennines: The Grande Escursione Appenninica : Books - Free Delivery[/url]
[url=http://www.play.com/Books/Books/4-/6565637/Walks-And-Treks-In-The-Sibillini/Product.html]Play.com (UK) : Walks And Treks In The Sibillini : Books - Free Delivery[/url]
The last one covers the Sibillini so Le Marche rather than Abruzzo but still may be of interest (due to be released in Jan 09)

If you are in the Sibillini National Park, ask at any Parks House and they have a list of guides in the area, many of whom speak English.

See their site: [url=http://www.sibillini.net/en/Chiedi_sibilla/sentieri/index.html]Trekking ed escursionismo nel Parco Nazionale dei Monti Sibillini[/url]

For just walking, the maps and guides from the Park are fine. For cycling however, unless you are sticking to the roads, do not rely on maps, the "Pedalling in the Park" book or the information about MTB or cycling in the Park from the website above. They are inaccurate, unreliable and in some instances downright dangerous.

Thank you all for your wonderful advice, I think as I don't have a lot of time I will go for walking with a guide I've found a great site Abruzzo Walks [url=http://www.abruzzowalks.com]Home[/url] which has got alot of interesting information, also the books sound good. I don't know why, but I'm set on Abruzzo and the town of Penne looks a great place to stay. I'll let you know how I get on.