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Island of Elba in Tuscany - Mount Capanne

From medieval Marciana, the highest village on the Island of Elba situated on the northern ridge of the granite Mount Capanne, through narrow alleys you will reach the fortress built around the year 1200. From here starts the smooth track that crosses the green valley of Pedalta and reaches the Hermitage of San Cerbone (531 m.). It was built by the Benedictines in 1421 near the cave in which the hermit withdrew during the last period of his life. The climb to the top of Mount Capanne, the highest peak of the island, begins along a track winding its way under the oaks. Among these, if you are lucky, you may see deer. The track continues along a steep granite slate landslides among ilexes where it can be easy to lose the way. After walking for about 40 minutes from the hermitage the track arrives at a stone shelter and pen once used by shepherds. The last part of the track opens onto beautiful views over the luxuriant Nivera valley and reaches the peak of Mount Capanne: from the top you will be able to dominate the whole Island of Elba, the other islands of the archipelago, Corsica and part of the Tuscan coastline. This should repay for all your efforts.

After a rest, the walk continues quickly downhill to Filicaie (870 m.), a small plateau between Mount Capanne and Mount Calanche; then on through the bare ridge of the Cenno, where the moufflons live undisturbed with buzzards and peregrine falcons, towards the shelters under the rocks at the Grottaccia hill (647 m.) all the way to the ancient stone village of Le Mure (631m), the greatest high-ground fortification on the island. The village was once inhabited by Villanovan population, destroyed in 453 BC by the Syracusans and never rebuilt. From the original structure today you may see most of the surrounding walls and many sculptured stones that were reused by shepherds in other periods to make shelters and pens for their animals.

The descent continues across the Poio valley through which runs a torrent rich of water even during the summer creating a number of small cascades and pools.
During the centuries, this large valley overlooking Pomonte was completely terraced from the sea to 640 meters in height to cultivate vineyards; most of these have now been abandoned but are still the evidence of the incredible work of the farmers of Elba. Our itinerary ends at Pomonte, near the small white houses in front of an amazing sea.

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