The Apennines: Italy's Abruzzo National Park

Stretching the length of Italy, the Apennine Mountains provide a refuge for much of Italy’s most interesting natural history. Ancient forests and flower-filled meadows are abuzz with insect-life and birds, whilst mammals include healthy populations of both Brown Bear and Wolf. Although typically elusive, our groups have enjoyed wonderful sightings of the critically endangered Marsican Brown Bear and also Apennine Wolf. We hope for similar success in the years to come! This is very much a working rural landscape of rolling hills and traditional sheep farming, made special by its wealth of atmospheric medieval villages, traditional cuisine and aromatic local wines, all of which combine to make this holiday a well-rounded and enjoyable Italian experience.

Set in the heart of the Apennines is the Abruzzo National Park, established by royal decree in 1923 and today protecting an area of 400 square kilometres. This park is the focus of our single-centre holiday, during which we will be based in a comfortable, family-run hotel, set in a quiet location at the edge of the large village of Pescasseroli, in the foothills of the Apennines. Delicious and wholesome Italian cuisine, a garden which is home to Redstarts, Firecrests, Collared Flycatchers and Red Squirrels, and the nearby and interesting medieval quarter add further to the attractions of this village base, from which we will set out each day — sometimes walking straight out from the garden into the surrounding countryside — to enjoy a series of natural history walks amongst the delightful valleys and peaks of this pleasant rural region, exploring the meadows, majestic old Beech forests and high alpine pastures (usually within a 20- kilometre radius of our hotel). Our aim is not to focus too intently on any particular wildlife aspect but rather to enjoy the wealth of local flora, birdlife, butterflies and mammals, including Chamois and, with luck, even a glimpse of an endemic Marsican Brown Bear or Apennine Wolf for which the park is renowned. The area’s geology is calcareous and this feature, together with the wide range of habitats and altitudes (from 700 to 2,200 metres) within the park, are the main reasons for the outstanding flora, which includes a large variety of bellflowers, saxifrages and orchids. We will also provide time to soak in the region’s atmosphere, enjoying the culture and history found in abundance in the Apennine villages, and perhaps sampling and slipping home some of the delicious, locally produced honey, truffles and cheeses for which the area is justly renowned.

At the Camosciara, a dramatic dolomitic amphitheatre, we will search for such plants as Swallow-wort, Glaucous Spurge, Kidney Vetch, Spiny Restharrow, Nice Milkwort and the rare and beautiful Lady’s Slipper Orchid. Nearby, amongst the forests and clearings of this area, we will listen for Firecrests, Coal Tits, Serins and Crossbills. Towards the top of the Camosciara, the views of the surrounding mountains are quite spectacular and, as well as a wealth of flowers here, we will also enjoy the abundance of butterflies that they attract (if the sun is out!). Golden Eagles regularly nest nearby and we will keep an eye out for them and other mountain birds.

On another day we will focus on the Val Fondillo, ascending a trail through pastures and small wetlands where Adenostyles glabra and such orchids as Man, Toothed, Lady, Early Spider and Heath Spotted may be found. Later, as we reach the forest, we may come across Mezereon, Martagon Lily and Stinking Hellebore beneath ancient and stately Beech trees. Birdwatching here is also good, with Redstarts, all of the region’s five species of Woodpecker (Green, White-backed, Lesser, Middle and Great Spotted) and Western Bonelli’s Warbler choosing to breed in these forests.

The Vallone Pesco di Lordo, which rises gently through meadows and Beech woods, will occupy another of our days. A range of butterflies are to be enjoyed here, while plants may include such woodland species as Coralroot (Cardamine bulbifera), Herb Paris (Paris quadrifolia) and the prized endemic Marsican Iris (Iris marsica). Later we will retrace our steps and travel to the ‘landslip’, north of Pescasseroli. Although the landslide occurred several years ago, the soil has not been cleared from the road and remains a feature of the area. Here we will revisit a meadow which we scan for Bears at dawn and dusk, this time focusing on the rich variety of orchid species it holds, including Lady, Burnt, Toothed, Fragrant and a form of Early Purple Orchid.

Amongst the highlights each day will be the selection of a scenic spot at which to break our walk with a leisurely and delicious lunch made from local produce. This will be a time to relax amongst an abundance of Apennine flowers and attendant butterflies, to scan the slopes around us for Red Deer, Chamois, Peregrine, Golden Eagle, Chough and Alpine Chough — perhaps even a Marsican Brown Bear! — and to reflect on the many charms of this attractive region of rural Italy.