Five routes for climbing in Umbria

One of the best equipped crags in Europe is located in Ferentillo, in the Nera River Park. Immersed in the green of the Valnerina, close to the town centre, not far from the spectacle of the Marmore Falls, the Ferentillo Crag offers a great breadth of routes, with several sectors of varying difficulty (3b/8b+), suitable for both beginners and experienced climbers. After climbing, we recommend a visit to the Museum of the Mummies of Ferentillo, to which a sector of the crag has also been dedicated.

A few kilometres from Foligno is the Pale Crag, which can be reached in ten minutes on foot from the village of the same name. The 90 equipped routes (4c/7c+) are along the path that leads from the village to the hermitage of Santa Maria Giacobbe, a sanctuary erected among the rocks of Mount Pale. The first sector, the Uccellessa, is the easiest to reach and has the greatest number of routes suitable for medium-low difficulty climbing. As one ascends above the scree, one finds the most difficult climbing routes.

A magnificent view of Gualdo Tadino can be admired from the Gola della Rocchetta (4c/V), a limestone cliff just 1 km from the town centre. We recommend the Paretone or Big-Wall Sector (6 A/V), which overlooks the Coda del Diavolo, an impressive slide carved by water into the rock. The 550m altitude and the varied exposure of the sectors allow climbing all year round. Following the signs, from this crag, you can reach the Hermitage of Serrasanta, from where you can admire another breathtaking panorama.

About 3 km from the town of Cesi, in the province of Terni, is the small crag Le due Torri (5b/7c). Of excellent limestone, it has about 50 routes with many shady areas at the base. It is not a single wall but several boulders immersed in the woods, just below the Hermitage of S. Erasmo, a fascinating panoramic place of probable pagan origin at an altitude of 800 metres. The present church has Romanesque features and was erected by Benedictine monks.

5 km from the town of Amelia is the crag (4a/7a) ideal for novice climbers and schools. It takes its name from the pre-Roman Mura Poligonali of Amelia, which can be admired in the historical centre. Here, you can climb in the cool shade of a forest. It offers around 20 routes on limestone walls, some equipped with boulders for bouldering.