Giro dell'Elba tappa 3: Rio nell'Elba - Portoferraio

Day 3 - Rio nell'Elba-Portoferraio - 47km and 1000m dsl

On the third day we start from Rio nell'#elba and immediately climb on dirt road to almost the top of Monte Fico (former disused quarry) and its descent on panoramic dirt road to the sea first and then on tabbed path "Cimitero Valdese", initially overgrown by vegetation and not maintained, then always better but bumpy until Rio Marina, recent tourist resort, former mining village. We ascend on asphalt along the main toward the northeast tip, being able to admire the bays of Topinetti and Fornacelle, to reach the town of Capo with its harbor and beach, last contact with civilization for several hours.

We continue uphill on asphalt until the end of the houses where we follow the GTE sign, the more or less narrow and uneven paths of the Northern Cape Park, immersed in the Mediterranean scrub, until we reach the Tonietti Mausoleum, a decadent and neglected Art Nouveau monument, beyond which the terrain becomes more difficult, especially on the descents, with very technical sections and rocky steps. You come out on a dirt road that leads downhill to the Amandolo area (with agritourism in a fairy-tale setting) from which you return on asphalt for 4km to a wide hairpin bend with a half-hidden path tabbed on the right that continues downhill among roots and rocks in the woods, first up and down and then in a decided and technical descent that becomes increasingly steep, challenging enduro trail, to the Cala dell'Inferno (or Mangani), difficult to reach, lacking shady areas with dark gravel bottom, very wild.

To continue you climb up a steep dirt and rock path at first without trees and then shaded only at the top and during the first part of the descent, less technical than the previous one but with challenging points, with breathtaking viewpoints. You descend steeply to the beach of Nisportino, a new contact with civilization, from which you ascend on asphalt, a bottom that you do not abandon until near your destination.

All the climbs are steep and breathless and you go from beach to beach climbing 200m at a time, Nisporto, Bagnaia, Magazzini, to climb back up without much effort and descend to the square at derstra signposted Grotte, descend on path and continue through Terme di San Giovanni, with only one return on asphalt and the last km in traffic to arricare to the port of Portoferraio.

Second stage