ETNA SUD 6: Belvedere valle del Bove - Sabbioni - Grotta Pitagora

Very challenging loop tour of about 20 km and requires some driving confidence on the steep sands. Start at Piano Vetore (1750 meters) and ascend to Rifugio Sapienza on SP92 for about 3 km, pass the bar next to the entrance to the cable car and climb the cart track leading to the base of the summits. The terrain is sandy and challenging and the gradients become significant in places. After 5 km you reach cable car arrival (2500 meters) and continue in the direction of the summits. The view is incredible and after about 2 km at an altitude of 2700 meters we reach the Belvedere over the Bove Valley with next to our left the Southeast Crater.

After admiring and contemplating it all the descent begins with a medium slope with usually compact sand at high speed, we leave on the right a crater (Cisternazza) and then head towards the East side of the Montagnola passing on a small path that cuts the slope with on the left the sands that sink towards the Bove Valley.

Passing the traverse we plunge headlong into the sands with slopes up to 40 percent. Continuing on we follow the trail and arrive at Pythagoras Cave and then connect with the Donkey Back Trail with the possibility of a trail through the woods that takes us to the road. We ascend for a km to Sapienza and then descend with a sandy off-road variant and loose stones through a tunnel under the road to arrive at Piano Vetore.

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