Favignana it is characterized by a carbonate territory, on one side almost entirely tufaceous with large blocks of sandstone, something that characterized the economy of the island for centuries given that it was one of the areas where the famous tuff was extracted which was used to create beautiful churches and buildings throughout Sicily. Economy then converted to fishing and tuna processing.
E’ an island literally divided from his, albeit small but incredibly interesting, “mountain range” which starts in the north with Punta Faraglione and ends at Scindo Passo, a cliff on Monte Santa Caterina directly on the crystal clear waters in front of the islet of Preveto, to the south.
The object of my walk is precisely this entire mountain ridge that rises from Chiano Sterna, reaches no more than 200 mt tue Portella Cervo, to 312 about of Monte Santa Caterina, passing through Punta Grosso, 250 above sea level and Punta Campana, 294 slm.
The hiking itinerary starts from the square in front of the Tonnara Florio. However, it is better to purchase a packed lunch first, maybe a nice tuna sandwich bought in the square and a little’ of seasonal fruit, beyond water and the minimum indications summarized here:
for all itineraries in the Egadi Islands and in any case in the Islands, a minimum amount of physical preparation is required, especially to fatigue (continuous ups and downs). On beautiful sunny days you might even want to swim in crystal clear waters, fresh and regenerating. NEVER go alone and in any case provide information to someone about the route you will take.
PROTECTION: all the islands are protected areas, marine and terrestrial, as a SPA, code ITA010027, special protection areas included in the European Nature list 2000 for their immensely important naturalistic and environmental characteristics. Therefore NOTHING MUST BE REMOVED, the animals must not be disturbed by any means and nature must be respected in its wild aspect.
What to always put in your backpack: KWAY or SIMILAR – LIGHT SWEATSHIRT – FIRST AID BAG – MULTI-PURPOSE KNIFE – CAP – GARDENER GLOVES – SUNGLASSES – SUN PROTECTION SPRAY – SPARE T-SHIRT – COSTUME – ROCK SHOES – ENOUGH WATER – PACKED BREAKFAST – A SMALL JAR OF HONEY (IMMEDIATE ENERGY RECHARGE).
How to dress: SHORT SLEEVED T-SHIRT – ALWAYS LONG PANTS – TREKKING SHOES (BETTER IF HIGH)
If you have it: camera with at least 20x zoom – Binoculars (just one 8 x 21) – Trekking poles – Cell phone with GPS app for the trails.
I leave at 11:30 of the day of arrival… I walk the road behind the factory which points straight towards the mountain. Continuing on the asphalt road that climbs with two hairpin bends towards the mountain, at the height of the stairs to the Castle the dirt road begins and continues further on 400 meters meters, dove, after a bend to the left, we are presented with a crossroads that leads to the valley and we notice that the vegetation is thicker and more curved, after a 100 meters, right in the center of the valley, on a bridge, there is the fork on the left, indicated with a panel, for the ancient and evocative nature trail of Chiano Sterna. Before the construction of the stone staircase, people went up to the Castle from here.
The undergrowth indicates that we are entering a naturalistically interesting environment, the garrigue stony ground gives way to Mediterranean vegetation, lentisco, euforbia, heather to name a few, and the autumn cyclamen in October thrives in the carob and wild olive grove.
The climb is very pleasant, it takes place almost entirely in the shade and there are unexpected encounters like the one’donkey Ignazio who even upon seeing me wanted to give me priority by changing direction… I moved, I'm the intruder, certainly not him !
In Chianu Sterna I meet some forestry workers and we stop to have a chat. I ask if they had tried to reintroduce the holm oak, present on the island until a few decades ago (in the locality “Alencia” there was a grove whose name indicates the holm oak).
They answer me that they tried but the seedlings were unable to grow because the bite of the cattle grazing freely did not allow the seedlings to take root. Sin. A little would be enough’ of good will and unity of purpose to improve and give back to this beautiful island a little’ of Mediterranean renaturalisation which it fully deserves. Let's settle for carob and olive trees and continue the ascent towards the crossroads for Punta Campana.
If you listen to the forest, stopping every now and then, you witness its life: chirps and screeches fill the silence interrupted only by the crackling of the soles of our trekking boots.
A rat snake escapes from my sight very quickly among the rocks and vegetation. Endemic lizards like that of Wagler (Podarcis waglerianus), at great risk of extinction, curious, they peek out over the rocks in the sun, but this time I immortalize it. E’ stupendous, between the clear contrast of the carbonate rock, the coppery lichen and her, “beautifully” greenish at the front and brown at the back, very lucid and attentive but curious about those who invade her territory!
Butterflies of the most varied colors come into view, like this one the beautiful Pontia was eaten, tireless pollinator in this case in a Lobularia maritima.
Once I reach the crossroads I have two options, or left towards the Castle and therefore the summit of Monte Santa Caterina or right towards Punta Campana.
If you choose to go to the Castle then you would have to return by the same path to continue, I'm 3 km more, if you have little time and are already tired it is better to go to the Castle of Santa Caterina and go back down the easy stone staircase to the town.
So I go to the right and the path climbs up easy rocks and stretches of natural terrain but the path is always quite visible and so we continue calmly. Now the garrigue has reappeared, taller and thicker bushes, they warn us that we are at a different altitude, in fact here come on 240 above sea level at the crossroads we continue up to 280 of Punta Campana…
A screech makes me immediately look up, perpendicular to me who was almost falling backwards… a bird of prey taunts me from above almost as if it wants to shout at me… Who are you ? What do you want ? I hold my Lumix FZ82 incredibly well, zoom and focus… I shoot and as it comes it comes…it's a’ Harrier (Circus cyaneus), never photographed before… It gave me a nice gift by attracting attention…
Arrived at the plateau between Punta Campana and Punta Grosso, on the right you go up briefly towards a view overlooking the eastern coast, so Sicily side to understand, the view of the east wing of the island is exciting, seeing Sicily from here to the Trapani mountains is a geography refresher… as I walk, the smells of aromatic plants that I tread rise up, I recognize the rosemary and overlooking also an immense expanse of thyme and wild oregano… intoxicating.
Back on the trail, the same continues downwards, losing altitude, towards the third peak, Punta Grosso.
Here comes a little one again, sparse Aleppo pine grove, typical of reforestation, which is a bit out of place’ compared to the typical endemic garrigue here, it is even drier and thornier. It lasts very little and upon arrival at the saddle the thick Mediterranean garrigue returns.
Moving on, the path ends at the confluence of the forest track that crosses the pass in the locality “Canalazzo”. Here you have two possibilities, go up to Punta Grosso, which I recommend, where a symbolic cross has been erected at the top and you can enjoy an astonishing panorama, or go down and walk along the path that runs along the western ridge of the same peak. I choose this second option because I have already done the first.
E’ time to put the sandwich in your belly… I stop inside a natural inlet of marine origin where the waves once dug the rock up here, on the north ridge of Punta Campana and I enjoy the view… twenty minutes of extreme relaxation.
From the cave you can see the entire mass of Punta Grosso. Going back down the path, the route on the ridge descends a bit’ then it rises again and reaches an altitude of approximately 160 slm, then we go back down to altitude 100 and then you climb steeply back up to the Canalazzo saddle at altitude 200.
From there you return from the forest track which takes you back to the start on a simple path even if it is particularly stony and you need to be careful not to slip.
We will have other exciting meetings along the way… to return to Favignana in time to perhaps enjoy the Turtle center of the AMP and the splendid Tonnara…
If you want to know more about the other paths, visit my website on the page dedicated to the Egadi islands: https://www.sicilyhiking.it/category/escursioni/trapanese-e-isole-egadi/
Giorgio De Simone
GAE Lagap
