Santa Maria dei Monti
Long but easy excursion, which leads to the plateaus around one thousand altitude, which separate Agerola from Scala and Ravello; two historical-artistic jewels of the Amalfi Coast. On the road, sweeping views of the Gulf of Salerno, crystal clear springs, cool woods and grassy clearings that are filled with flowers in spring.
• Length: 10 Km
• Travel time: 5 h
• Start point: locality Traforo, Campora
Information on values and points of interest
Before taking the path, you can go to the nearby entrance to the nineteenth-century tunnel (the one to the right of the new one) to observe the ancient construction techniques. Then taking the path and passing the last houses, you walk on the best example of how wide and refined the main mule tracks of the area were, when - between the centuries of the Maritime Republic and the opening of modern rolling stock - they represented the only connection between the various centers. The arrival on the ridge takes place near the few ruins of the church of S. Angelo a Jugo, which also served as a lookout to collect and send back to the Amalfi coast any alarm signals that may be launched from the castle of Pino. Following the ridge you can admire the view towards Naples, the Piana del Sarno and Vesuvius (but if the air is clear, even on the most distant mountains of northern Campania). In the stretch that passes under the summit of Monte Cervigliano there are some springs that are due to the presence of a tectonic overlap of limestones on impermeable rocks. Afterwards, you will walk through a landscape with low slopes and in parts flat, which was shaped by erosion and karst before the Lattari Mountains were raised to their current altitudes. The vegetation alternates chestnut, alder and mixed woods in which we find the Hornbeam and the Beech. In the grassy clearings there are explosions of bracken and, in spring, splendid blooms of colchici and narcissus.
In the sky it is possible to see hawks and buzzards pass, while the red woodpecker can reveal itself with its typical patter and the cuckoo with its unmistakable sound. Passing through the ruins of S. Maria dei Monti, our thoughts turn to S. Alfonso de' Liguori, who came here to meditate and who also from these landscapes, traveled by shepherds, had to draw inspiration for his famous Tu scendi dalle stelle.
While descending from the eastern edge of the plateau towards Scala, you walk on layers of marine limestone from the upper Cretaceous period (at times fossiliferous), while admiring the beautiful view of the Monti del Demanio (last peaks of the Lattari Mountains before the rear saddle of Cava dei Tirreni), which end at the sea with the jagged Capo d'Orso. Nearer, almost at our feet, the houses and churches of Scala and Ravello, with in the middle the furrow dug by the Reginola-Dragone.
Route information
Near the entrance to the tunnel to Gragnano (Gemini locality), take the roadway on the left (via Traforo) and, after about 30 m, turn left onto a steep uphill road which shortly after becomes a paved mule track with steps in stone. Following it all, you climb about 250 m and you reach the main watershed of the mountain ridge, near the ruins of S. Angelo a Jugo. Here the Alta via dei Monti Lattari intersects (CAI Path 300). Continue to the right, level, along a large dirt road. At the crossroads that appears after about 800 m, continue to the right, on an uphill track that crosses a chestnut grove and which, further on, has cemented sections. About 1 km further on, at a crossroads, keep left, continuing on the large dirt road that runs alongside the fence of the Valle delle Ferriere Reserve. After the bulk of Monte Cervigliano, at a second crossroads, keep to the right, following the mule track that crosses the Piano del Ceraso, until you reach the plateau of Santa Maria dei Monti and, therefore, a small altar; from here the stairs descend to S. Caterina di Scala, from where you continue until you reach the Scala-Ravello junction.
To return to Agerola you can use the SITA buses, with change in Amalfi.