Track 1 – The Federico II ring
This itinerary which is half tarmac and half gravel doesn’t present any particular technical
difficulties apart from one descent at the beginning and only one climb at the end.
After visiting Castel Del Monte, an amazing mystical monument and a creation of the construction
genius of the Svevi, you will cycle through the same places where Federico II loved to go hunting in
the company of his hawks.
You can You can admire two ancient jazzi one of which has been completely refurbished and you
will pass across a series of trulli immersed in the wild and rocky Murgia.
Track 2 – The Scoparello Forest
An easy itinerary chosen to allow anyone, even the least fittest, to enjoy a day in the open air,
surrounded by nature.
The first part of the track, following an extension of the Reggio Tratturo (244 km of Italy’s logest
ancient road that shepards travelled during the winter migration when they herded sheep from
Abruzzo to Puglia) crosses the pre-murgian Ruvese.
Once inside the Scoparello forest (composed mainly of Roverella trees) you will then have the
possibility of discovering, ancient farms and Jazzi, and of cycling through trees which have seen
the passing by of shepards, knights and ladies, as this forest was for along period property f the
noble families.
Track3 – To Cavone
This itinerary circles around one of the biggest forests in Puglia (1083 hectares).
Although it’s an artificial forest, down the years it’s had a spontaneous growth of specimens of
roverella and typical Mediterranean species such as the torny oak or the holm oak.
The trail doesn’t contain any particular difficulties or climbs; in the first section you pass along the
edge of the forest on a very lively path with up and down parts which are great fun, while on your
right the tomb of Brandanica, is cultivated with wheat. Entering the wood, where it’s not unusual to
come across wolves, weasles and bores, and where for some years during the winter season there
has been sightings of the Apennine wolf, arrived down from Abruzzo.
In the last part of the itinerary you reach Cavone, a deep dolina(a deep depression typical of
“Carsic” regions) whose crater seems almost hidden right in the middle of the forest.
P.S. For those who’ve reached the departure point of the itinerary by car, we advise you to ask at
the “Centro Sperimentale” (check point 1) if it’s possible to park the car inside or on the side of the
road directly in front of the entrance.
Track 4 – The flashing Red
The itinerary is characterised by gravel tracks easily crossed by bicycle, almost all of which is on
the flat crossing three types of landscape.
1) One section is characterised by extensive grain crops which in the Spring colour green the
gentle slopes and in the Summer tint yellow the grain buds that grow under the scorching
sun in await of the harvest.
2) A forested area of conifers where it’s possible to enjoy the fresh shade of the pines, even in
the hottest hours of the sultry summer days.
3) In the last section of the trail you’ll cycle along the highest and most panoramic part of the
Mugian coast. From here on the less hazy days It’s possible to see as far as the Apennines of
Lucano. You’ll then reach the Bauxite mines. The bright red of this fantastic place at sunset
mixes with the glowing red of evening sky. Le Cave (the mines) are the result of the
combined forces of man, which for years has dug to extract this precious mineral, and
nature, which bit by bit has reconquered it’s spaces after man, after terminating the
extraction, had abandoned this area.
P.S. For those who’ve reached the departure point of the itinerary by car, we advise you to ask at
the “Centro Sperimentale” (check point 1) if it’s possible to park the car inside or on the side of the
road directly in front of the entrance.
Track 5 – Between caves, missiles and castles
The route departs from the carpark opposite the Poggiorsini train station, and winds it’s way along
a road almost entirely on the flat, half tarmac and half gravel.
On the first part the itinerary skirts the archaeological zone of Grotteline where we find very
ancient traces of the rocky Murgian system.
Continuing on we come across a more recent historic trail and you’ll pass, in fact, along one of the
10 launching pads of American nuclear warheads (no need to worry, it has all been dismantled in
1963) which NATO had positioned in Upper Murgia during the cold war against the Soviets.
The second half of the route winds all the way along the foot of the Murgian ridge between
cultivated fields of grain and other cereals. Passing close to two marvellous historic farms and
finally reaching the federican castle of Garagnone, the ruins of which seem almost camouflaged
against the limestone of the high ground on which it is built.
Track 6 – Desperate, but not too much
This itinerary is noticeable for its technical characteristics which render it a little demanding; the
roughness of the gravel tracks, the length of the climbs and a short piece of the trail to be tackled
like a scout, proceeding from point to point (following the coordinates of a few reference points)
crossing the Murgian wilderness.
You will cycle as far as Torre disperata, one of the highest points of Upper Murgia and you can
admire the ancient remains of antique farms (such as the farms of Torre Disperata or Povera Vita)
and many architectural remains, signs of a history deeply attached to the farming and herding
cultures of these parts, today deserted.
However you’ll be able to sample some of the local specialities on sale in one of the local farms
close to the track.
Track 7– To Pulicchio
All of this itinerary proves to be extremely technical, which is why we advise less expert cyclists or
beginners to choose the shorter, less demanding version which allows you nonetheless to enjoy the
natural and architectural beauty of the landscape.
The trail is mostly gravel with numerous, though short, climbs; you’ll cycle through woods, and in
the mouth of a canyon you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the sight of two ancient jazzi, one of which
still in excellent condition.
The most interesting point of this route is surely il Pulicchio, an enormous oval shaped dolina
(1600m perimeter) 530m long and 380m wide characterised by rocky vertical slopes, in places over
ten metres in height.
With a depth, in the lowest point, of 87 metres il Pulicchio in the 1950’s underwent forestation
which dramatically changed the environment from that of an arid and rocky one to an intensely
green one.
Track 8 – In the wild Murgia
This itinerary doesn’t present any particular difficulties, apart from a short segment of rough gravel,
an obstacle which, if one chooses, can easily be avoided opting for the shorter version that we
propose.
You’ll be able to cycle in the wildest part of the Murgia and least anthropological, passing across
the Bitonto forest with its 110 hectares, composed of Aleppo pines, common cypresses and Arizona
cypresses. You can admire the architecture of typical constructions, fruit of the farming-herding
culture (trulli, farms and jazzi) and you can sample the local products of food and wine, purchasing
them directly from the local producers.
Track 9 – On the prehistoric trail
One of the longest itineraries that we have chosen, immersed in the grassy Murgia, there are no
particular difficulties involved, apart from the length, which however, one can get around dividing
the route into the short version and covering it in two stages.
Almost entirely gravelled surface, the itinerary is centred around three points of fundamental
interest:
1) The Pulo, a carsic hollow of an elliptical form, with the widest part roughly 550m and the
deepest 92m. This is probably a collapsed dolina, formed that is, by the collapse due to
natural causes of the enormous roof. On the north facing walls we have numerous caves,
surely prehistoric settlements of ominidi; to confirm this theory there are not only the
discovery of archaeological findings, but also the discovery not far from here, of the
skeleton of the famous “man of Altamura” (the so-called pre-neanderthal man, which lived
during the Pleistocene, in a period between 50,000 and 30,000 years ago.)
2) Lamalunga is the place where, inside a cave, the skeleton of which we have just mentioned
above, had been discovered, and which the locals affectionately refer to as “Ciccillo”
On the Ragone farm, the property where the cave is located, a visitor centre is opened to the
public from 9.00 to 13.00 and from 15.30 to 19.30, closed on Monday. For further
information and for reservations telephone at 339 614 41 64.
3) Concluding the route you’ll arrive at the Dinosaur quarry, known as Pontrelli quarry (an
area of 15,000m/s), now in disuse, but inside of which in 1999 about 30,000 dinosaur
footprints had been found dating back to 80 million years ago. Until now research has been
able to identify traces of medium and small sized dinosaurs belonging to the four footed
herbivorous species, but seeing as the excavations haven’t yet been finished, other
discoveries are not excluded.
The site which is located on a private property is appropriately called the enchanted valley, and
can be visited by booking a visit, sending an e-mail at the address info@lavalleincantata.it
Track 10 – The Mercadante forest
The itinerary which has the city of Santeramo in Colle as point of departure, runs through la
Murgia Santermana as far as the forest of Mercandante, situated in the territory of Cassano
Murge.
The route half of which is gravel, and half tarmac doesn’t contain any particular difficulties or
steep climbs and is therefore suitable for all.
The steppe landscape which you’ll cross will marvel you with its colours, the naked rock
sculpted by water and the wind stands out with its bright whiteness against the contrasting green
of the grass.
Arriving at the half way point you’ll be welcomed by the luxuriant Mercandante forest, the
green lung of the province of Bari, which contains within a source of the freshest water the
whole year round, a miracle for a parched land such as the Murgia.
Track 11 – Cycling “with ease”
This is the only road route chosen by us.
It runs alongside, lengthways, the territory of the national park of Upper Murgia, skirting the
town of Pioggiorsini (you don’t enter it), Grovina di Puglia, Altamura and Santeramo.
Naturally the road you will travel will have extrememly little traffic.
You’ll pass along the Basentello dam on a route between grain fields which in Spring are tainted
with an amazing lively green, and in Summer with a glowing yellow gold; you’ll pass by
wonderful farms and you’ll be able to sample the typical products of the wine and culinary the
Murgian gastronomy.
In the towns you’ll have the chance to give you road bike a rest (if you’re travelling with road
bikes..naturally) renting a mountain bike which will allow you to cycle on the other gravel
tracks we’ve chose, encountering up close the wild Murgia.