SCHIAPPONE TO CAMPAGNANO VIA LA SCARRUPATA
SCHIAPPONE TO CAMPAGNANO VIA LA SCARRUPATA
With its centrepiece of the stunning bay of La Scarrupata, the walk from Schiappone to Campagnano is difficult at times but rewards every ounce of effort with its incredible views.
I think I say this every time I go on a new walk in Ischia but this has to be my favourite so far! This route has a bit of everything including incredible cliff-top panoramas, twisting village lanes, vineyards, churches, a wide variety of natural flowers and vegetation, but above all a seemingly never-ending series of stunning vistas.
Of all of the routes we have published this is possibly the most difficult but still easy enough to anybody of at least an average fitness level. If you walk non-stop from start to finish the route will take between two and a half to three hours but you'll undoubtedly want to stop at various points to admire the views, chat with some fellow hikers or grab something to eat, so let's say around four hours in total.
The beginning of the route can be easily reached by bus, either a "CD" (Circolare Destra or "Circular Right" meaning the bus runs in a clockwise direction) or a "CS" (Circolare Sinistra or "Circular Left" which runs anti-clockwise) will take you to the right place to start the walk. Both bus routes follow the main SS270 road that circles the island and the buses stop just at the beginning of this route. If you're staying in Ischia Porto, Ischia Ponte, Casamicciola or Lacco Ameno then it's best to take the CD, while if you're staying in Forio, Panza, Sant'Angelo or Barano then it's best to take the CS.
If travelling by bus you need to head for the area between Barano and Ischia Ponte, if you're on the CS bus this area comes shortly after the turn off for Maronti Beach while if you're on the CD it's shortly after the Pilastri Aqueduct. Once you're in this area you need to look for a brown sign pointing to "Santuario Maria SS di Montevergine dello Schiappone" (if on the CS bus the sign will be on the right hand side of the road and if on the CD it'll be on the left). On the other side of the road is a shop with a blue frontage called "Petit Tabac". If in any doubt you can always ask the driver to alert you when you reach the correct stop, just tell the driver you'd like to get off at "Schiappone".
Once you're off the bus you need to follow the aforementioned sign towards Schiappone which leads you down a country lane. The road gradually narrows as it twists and turns before turning into a steep climb. This is one of the most difficult parts of the route and you'll be climbing this road for around half an hour. You pass a white church in a tiny hamlet/village and the road begins to thin out into a path.
As you walk long the path you'll notice some very lush, green scenery to the left with some old farmhouses dotted around before you reach one of the most beautiful parts of the whole island. The area known as La Scarrupata is a thin strip of beach that can only be reached by sea and is characterized by its azure blue water. From this point of the walk you can look down on to La Scarrupata and out to sea with some truly breathtaking views.
Once you arrive at the cliff-edge that looks down on to La Scarrupata you start to climb the most difficult part of the walk, made difficult by the rough stones that you need to climb as well as the steep incline. It is imperative that you do not attempt to scale these steps/stones unless you have footwear with high levels of grip and ankle support because they are smooth and slippery in places. These steps twist and turn through some vegetation before you reach a convergence of different paths. At this convergence you'll have the cliff-edge and the sea on your right, straight on will be a very narrow cliff-edge path that will horrify any vertigo sufferers (such as myself!), and on the left a similar path to the one you've just climbed. You need to briefly follow the path to the left but then almost immediately change direction when you see a rusty old gate/fence above and to your right. Follow the path up to the gate and then continue as it turns left. At first view this section also looks a bit scary but it's actually very simple as you'll see when you reach the plain at the top.
From the plain you'll again see some magnificent views as well as lots of colorful wild flowers (depending on the time of year). Continue to follow this path as it heads slightly inland and leads to the right where you will eventually reach a vineyard with some very tall vines. Continue straight on through the vineyard and to the right hand side you will soon see views of the bay of San Pancrazio and the island of Capri in the distance. After another 5 minutes or so you'll reach a path that leads down and to the right, this is the next path that you need to take. Be careful not to take the wrong path to the right, you will first pass another one that also leads down and to the right but you'll see that there are no steps and that there would be a very good chance of slipping and hurting yourself. Instead, take the next path that is nice and gentle with trees on either side.
At the bottom of this path turn left, after a minute or two you'll arrive at another convergence of paths where you can either turn left down a hill or continue straight on. You can either turn left down this hill and continue with this suggested route or carry on slightly ahead to go to the Piano Liguori restaurant which is popular amongst hikers in the area. To reach the restaurant continue straight on at the convergence and then follow the signs that point right down to the restaurant in another tiny hamlet.
Many walkers continue from the restaurant down to the bay of San Pancrazio but this is very much dependent on your energy levels at this point as well as your willingness to walk down some narrow paths with some severe drops at the side (again, vertigo-sufferers beware!). There is a small chapel down near the bay of San Pancrazio which many walkers head for which takes around 20 - 30 minutes to reach from the restaurant.
Whether or not you choose to continue down to the restaurant or San Pancrazio, the route back is from the same point described above, where there is a convergence of two paths with the left hand turn taking you down a hill. So if you've been to the restaurant or to San Pancrazio, make your way back to this point and descend the hill.
The path that leads down this hill is very steep and again has some cobbled/shiny stones which require the utmost care & attention in order not to slip. For most of this descent there is a guard-rail on the right hand side which you can use to steady yourself. This descent lasts around 15 minutes before you reach a T-junction with a house that has some large television aerials. At this point, turn right and continue down the hill for another 5 - 10 minutes or so, passing a small residential area on your left before reaching the village of Campagnano. Directly ahead of you you'll see the Barracuda restaurant and to your right, the small village square. At this point you need to turn left and follow the road as it twists and turns around some sharp bends before again reaching another T-junction.
At this T-junction you can choose to turn left to reach the main SS270 road by the Pilastri Aqueduct if you want to catch a bus back to your desired destination, or turn right to walk to Ischia Ponte which is around 20 - 30 minutes away from this point.
Happy hiking!
Of all of the routes we have published this is possibly the most difficult but still easy enough to anybody of at least an average fitness level. If you walk non-stop from start to finish the route will take between two and a half to three hours but you'll undoubtedly want to stop at various points to admire the views, chat with some fellow hikers or grab something to eat, so let's say around four hours in total.
The beginning of the route can be easily reached by bus, either a "CD" (Circolare Destra or "Circular Right" meaning the bus runs in a clockwise direction) or a "CS" (Circolare Sinistra or "Circular Left" which runs anti-clockwise) will take you to the right place to start the walk. Both bus routes follow the main SS270 road that circles the island and the buses stop just at the beginning of this route. If you're staying in Ischia Porto, Ischia Ponte, Casamicciola or Lacco Ameno then it's best to take the CD, while if you're staying in Forio, Panza, Sant'Angelo or Barano then it's best to take the CS.
If travelling by bus you need to head for the area between Barano and Ischia Ponte, if you're on the CS bus this area comes shortly after the turn off for Maronti Beach while if you're on the CD it's shortly after the Pilastri Aqueduct. Once you're in this area you need to look for a brown sign pointing to "Santuario Maria SS di Montevergine dello Schiappone" (if on the CS bus the sign will be on the right hand side of the road and if on the CD it'll be on the left). On the other side of the road is a shop with a blue frontage called "Petit Tabac". If in any doubt you can always ask the driver to alert you when you reach the correct stop, just tell the driver you'd like to get off at "Schiappone".
Once you're off the bus you need to follow the aforementioned sign towards Schiappone which leads you down a country lane. The road gradually narrows as it twists and turns before turning into a steep climb. This is one of the most difficult parts of the route and you'll be climbing this road for around half an hour. You pass a white church in a tiny hamlet/village and the road begins to thin out into a path.
As you walk long the path you'll notice some very lush, green scenery to the left with some old farmhouses dotted around before you reach one of the most beautiful parts of the whole island. The area known as La Scarrupata is a thin strip of beach that can only be reached by sea and is characterized by its azure blue water. From this point of the walk you can look down on to La Scarrupata and out to sea with some truly breathtaking views.
Once you arrive at the cliff-edge that looks down on to La Scarrupata you start to climb the most difficult part of the walk, made difficult by the rough stones that you need to climb as well as the steep incline. It is imperative that you do not attempt to scale these steps/stones unless you have footwear with high levels of grip and ankle support because they are smooth and slippery in places. These steps twist and turn through some vegetation before you reach a convergence of different paths. At this convergence you'll have the cliff-edge and the sea on your right, straight on will be a very narrow cliff-edge path that will horrify any vertigo sufferers (such as myself!), and on the left a similar path to the one you've just climbed. You need to briefly follow the path to the left but then almost immediately change direction when you see a rusty old gate/fence above and to your right. Follow the path up to the gate and then continue as it turns left. At first view this section also looks a bit scary but it's actually very simple as you'll see when you reach the plain at the top.
From the plain you'll again see some magnificent views as well as lots of colorful wild flowers (depending on the time of year). Continue to follow this path as it heads slightly inland and leads to the right where you will eventually reach a vineyard with some very tall vines. Continue straight on through the vineyard and to the right hand side you will soon see views of the bay of San Pancrazio and the island of Capri in the distance. After another 5 minutes or so you'll reach a path that leads down and to the right, this is the next path that you need to take. Be careful not to take the wrong path to the right, you will first pass another one that also leads down and to the right but you'll see that there are no steps and that there would be a very good chance of slipping and hurting yourself. Instead, take the next path that is nice and gentle with trees on either side.
At the bottom of this path turn left, after a minute or two you'll arrive at another convergence of paths where you can either turn left down a hill or continue straight on. You can either turn left down this hill and continue with this suggested route or carry on slightly ahead to go to the Piano Liguori restaurant which is popular amongst hikers in the area. To reach the restaurant continue straight on at the convergence and then follow the signs that point right down to the restaurant in another tiny hamlet.
Many walkers continue from the restaurant down to the bay of San Pancrazio but this is very much dependent on your energy levels at this point as well as your willingness to walk down some narrow paths with some severe drops at the side (again, vertigo-sufferers beware!). There is a small chapel down near the bay of San Pancrazio which many walkers head for which takes around 20 - 30 minutes to reach from the restaurant.
Whether or not you choose to continue down to the restaurant or San Pancrazio, the route back is from the same point described above, where there is a convergence of two paths with the left hand turn taking you down a hill. So if you've been to the restaurant or to San Pancrazio, make your way back to this point and descend the hill.
The path that leads down this hill is very steep and again has some cobbled/shiny stones which require the utmost care & attention in order not to slip. For most of this descent there is a guard-rail on the right hand side which you can use to steady yourself. This descent lasts around 15 minutes before you reach a T-junction with a house that has some large television aerials. At this point, turn right and continue down the hill for another 5 - 10 minutes or so, passing a small residential area on your left before reaching the village of Campagnano. Directly ahead of you you'll see the Barracuda restaurant and to your right, the small village square. At this point you need to turn left and follow the road as it twists and turns around some sharp bends before again reaching another T-junction.
At this T-junction you can choose to turn left to reach the main SS270 road by the Pilastri Aqueduct if you want to catch a bus back to your desired destination, or turn right to walk to Ischia Ponte which is around 20 - 30 minutes away from this point.
Happy hiking!
|
|