Day 1 - Saturday
Riding: No riding.
You are expected to arrive after 5 pm on Saturday evening. In case you travel by train you can get a transfer from Isernia railway station (there will only be one transfer per day). It takes about twenty minutes by car to reach the farmhouse.
You will soon recover from your journey when you get back to the farmhouse. With the wonderful view and a drink in your hand, you will soon get to know your hosts and other guests. You can be assured of a fantastic three-course dinner accompanied by tasty local wines.
Day 2 - Sunday
Riding: 3 hours
The morning is yours if you wish to sleep late and take your time over breakfast. During this time you will unwind and take a look around or perhaps just sit in the sunshine admiring the view.
After breakfast, there is a brief demonstration in western riding. Following this, you will do a test-ride (around three hours long) to enable you to get acquainted with the horse you are going to ride on the trail. This evening you will visit the new riding centre Bistro owned by Carmine and is close by and here you will have a drink and a three course dinner.
Day 3 - Monday
Riding: 6 hours
At around 10 am you will leave the house and ride through Alto Molise with its hills, meadows and woods. You will stop for a delicious picnic in the shade of mighty oaks near the ruins of a Samnitic temple. The Samnites were the original population. It took the Romans three centuries of warfare before they finally conquered this region which then became part of the Roman Empire (79 BC).
After this welcome break, you will continue riding through the endless hills and unspoilt countryside. At the end of the day, you arrive at an agriturismo where dinner awaits, another regional speciality. You will spend the night here.
Day 4 - Tuesday
Riding: 6 hours
After breakfast you continue the trail, following the old Tratturo Castel di Sangro-Lucera. The Tratturo is a centuries-old track that is still used to move cattle from the far south where grass is scarce in summer. After the Tratturo you reach Pescolanciano with its old castle. Here you stop for lunch. After this break you ride towards the Colle dell’Orso.
The trail gets steeper, climbing 1,800 feet to a height of 3,600 feet. The route leads you over narrow paths, through beech-woods with carpets of leaves. In the evening you reach a simple mountain lodge where you dine and spend the night. First of all the horses need to be taken care of after their long day. You sleep in dormitories.
Day 5 - Wednesday
Riding: 7 hours
Today is dedicated to the magnificent scenery of the plateau of Colle dell’Orso and the cowboys. During this ride you will enjoy the most splendid views of the Abruzzi and Matese Mountain ranges, with peaks of appr. 6,500 feet. The most impressive scene of all is, however, the herds of cattle and wild horses in the plains. After this, you return to “cowboy-land”, over the hills and through the valleys, you ride as far as the so-called Magic Forest. Today you enjoy a picnic.
This piece of woodland is completely sheltered by rocks and there are but two possible ways of access, which makes the visit quite adventurous. Leaving the Magic Forest you go back to our mountain lodge, which is equipped with a shower. In the evening there will be a campfire or the fire will be lit in the fireplace.
Day 6 - Thursday
Riding: 6 hours
In the morning you will once again enjoy the beauty of the Colle dell’Orso, called Magic Mountain by some. Your picnic lunch will be in the garden of a little church. In the afternoon the route descends, leading you back to civilisation. In the evening you leave the horses in a small riding stables before dining and spending the night at a cosy hotel. The journey takes about 20 minutes. Tonight, pizza is on the menu.
Day 7 - Friday
Riding: 6 hours
Today you are able to take it easy. First, you ride through Civitanova. Then you pass a valley where the river Trigno has been dammed. You follow the Trigno to Pescolanciano, climbing the hills that border on the forest Collemeluccio. This is one of the forests protected by UNESCO. The project is called Man and Biosphere (MAB). Worldwide UNESCO protects 254 forests. Four of them are located in Italy; two of which are in Molise.
The last few miles on horseback take you over open heathland and dense oakwood. At c. 5 pm you will arrive at Carmine’s farmhouse. Tonight you can enjoy more excellent wines and another delicious meal which will be your farewell dinner.
Day 8 - Saturday
Riding: No riding.
Departure after breakfast.
N.B. Due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances, the programme may have to be adapted.
Note: All programmes and itineraries are weather dependent; in the face of adverse, or unexpected, weather conditions reasonable attempts will be made to provide equivalent riding. All programmes are accurate at the time of writing. However, the team may adapt or modify details, whilst aiming to provide a similar experience.