Preface

I was 8 years old, when I first climbed a mountain, one of the Lepini mountains of course. Ever since that day I have never stopped going to the mountains. But in my wanderings around most of the larger Italian mountains, I realized that with the passage of time, the sensations and the love I feel for my “home mountains” are unrivalled. For this reason I have decided to write down the itineraries which have left a mark on my heart ever since childhood. In addition, 16 years have passed since the last guide book on the Lepini mountains was written, so I feel the time has come to publish something which is more complete and as up to date as possible. I have also wanted to combine these mountains with Mount Circeo for two main reasons: the first is the attraction I feel for this area, which has enchanted me from the beginning; the second is the parameters used to sub-divide the paths of Lazio on the land register, which groups the Lepini mountains under the same sector as Mount Circeo (sector 7). Since the Circeo National Park includes the island of Zannone with Monte Pellegrino (moreover, it is thought that the island used to be part of the promontory), I have also wanted to include this last one, in spite of the relative difficulties to access it and its very low altitude, it offers some spectacular and everlasting views. My aim is not to write the guide book of the guides, the complete “Bible” on the Lepini mountains and Circeo, but at best something that can describe the majority of the areas (even the wildest and least known), the peaks and the most interesting paths in order to pass on the amazing sensations of peace and “wilderness” which I have always felt whilst walking across these mountains. Therefore with this book, I want people to get to know everything I already know and consider important and learn about this “unknown” pearl of the Lazio Antiapennines, describing the more interesting and satisfying itineraries (including all the CAI ones), the most impressive and secret areas, the hermitages perched on rocks, mountain huts and fresh water springs. In no way do I take the liberty of believing that I know everything about these mountains, on the contrary, I have met many local people (trekkers, shepherds, hunters, horsemen, mule drivers) who know a lot more than I do and alas, have never written down all their knowledge. Well, nevertheless, from these wise people I have learned a lot and I have tried to “steal” their precious information. The most important thing one learns from these people, and above all from the tireless visits to these mountains, is that the Lepini mountains (and partly Circeo), still to this day reserve untouched and wild corners that no “expert on the Lepini mountains” can fully know. I dedicate this book to my great-grandparents Maria Ciotti and Emilio Di Fazio who were hermits in the little church of Sant’Erasmo for 20 years, and looked after the hermitage and cultivated in a pioneering way the harsh and steep land which surrounded it, as well as walking for days on end along the old cattle tracks to go off and sell the produce of the land and livestock in the nearby villages. I also dedicate this book to my friends Daniele Nardi and Marco Musichini, who tragically died in the mountains. Daniele died on the 25th February 2019, together with his climbing partner Tom Ballard, while he was attempting the winter ascent of Nanga Parbat (8126m -Karakorum) along the Mummery spur, and who on his local mountain, Semprevisa, was one of its most tireless visitors, connoisseur and disseminator. Marco, instead, died on the 20th January 2020 in Valle d’Aosta precisely while my friends and I were skiing down Monte Rosso di Vertosan (2943 Pennine Alps) in Valle d’Aosta.