Sentiero Francescano della Pace, Assisi - Gubbio,
Jacques alone,
May 2005
I had heard or seen a guidebook about a bike-horse-foot trail from Assisi to Gubbio on the footsteps of St Francis of Assisi. It sounded like a pretty ride and also a physical challenge, so I decided to try it. Since it was decided on short notice I could not find anyone to join me on that adventure.
Betsy dropped me in Assisi and I started from Porta san Giacomo at 09:30.
After 4 kms all downhill I reach Ponte Sta Croce and keep going along the river till the beginning of the Sentiero Francescano della Pace on via Padre Pio.
After 4 kms all downhill I reach Ponte Sta Croce and keep going along the river till the beginning of the Sentiero Francescano della Pace on via Padre Pio.
After a few hundred meters the road becomes a dirt road going up nicely with some passages I had to hoof since it was a newly bulldozed road without any traction and slope of 25-30 percent! At the point shown on the map as elev. 504, I joined the asphalt road we had taken with Jim in November on our trip to San Marino.(time 10:30, 6.8 km)
Riding became a lot easier for about 2 kms and then back on hard and narrow steep downhill track. I could ride it all, but that required all my newly-acquired experience (or lack of!) with the Massa Martana gang and the powerful disk brakes on my new bike. I reached Poppio (time 10:45, 11.7 km); So far a good enjoyable ride!
A good downhill asphalt road brought me to Valfabrica where a beer felt welcome (time 10:50, 14 km)
Departed at 11:30, followed a dirt road to the Valfabbrica dam and continued on dirt nice road until Sambucco (elev 381m)
Followed the asphalt road along the lago di Valfabbrica and reached elev. 388 where the sentiero leaves the asphalt road and becomes a narrow footpath. It starts rather nicely and then becomes quite technical with passages where I had to walk and push the bike, The trip started to feel tiring but I reached the castle of Biscina at 13:30 after 37 km. I realised I had lost my energy food supply, it must have fallen off during one of those hard down-hills.
Agirturismo Tenuta di Biscina (tel 075 922 9730) does not serve lunch, and I had to go for an extra 4 kms to a bar where a nice old lady (aged 93 ) who already served Jim and I a beer in November, prepared me a welcome lunch of bread, beer and mozzarella, bless her for that lunch!!! Started back on the sentiero at 14:40. By then it was quite hot.
Another strong downhill, thanks the disk brakes!, and I found a most welcome water spring along the road near Vallingegno. I was starting to tire out and had to walk on even modest slopes….. I reached the intersection for Vallingegno church at 16:10 (46 km)
The road is monotously up, I passed the "Casa vecchia agriturismo" and continued on a flatish road. Then a long asphalt downhill road, very pleasant and relaxing brought me to the main road to Gubbio (16:34, 51.2 km)
A boring flat road to Gubbio through the suburbs allowed me to avoid the main traficky road. I finally arrived at Gubbio at 17:10 after 58.4kms. Beer felt fantastic, I called Betsy who came to pick me up, had diner in Gubbio and rode back to Torraccia. Had terrible cramps on arrival and could not move for a few painful minutes.
Moral: a very hard ride for me, I could have used more training and more food on the road, may-be doing it in a group would also have made it easier. It was hot with max temp of 40 degrees. But beautiful views and very few people on the trail!
Moral: a very hard ride for me, I could have used more training and more food on the road, may-be doing it in a group would also have made it easier. It was hot with max temp of 40 degrees. But beautiful views and very few people on the trail!
Note;
an excellent map and information brochure is available from the tourist bureau of Gubbio,
IAT Gubbio, Piazza Oderisi 5/9 – 06024 Gubbio,
Tel: (+39) 075 922 0790, email: info@iat.gubbio.pg.it
Statistics:
Total Distance: 55.5 kms
Altitude gain: 1651 m
Average slope up: 9 %
Max slope up: 30 %
Max slope down: 29 %
Ave speed: 11.5 km/h
Max speed: 53.6 km/h
Riding time 5:03 hours
Power output ave 100 W
Max power output: 260 W
Same trip in july 2008 alone
Started by statue of San Francesco. Uphill on dirt road continuously until it reaches asphalt road. Then upish until track leaves asphalt road by monument at elev 586.
OK for a while then a mean track down hill with 30 % slope and ravines along a torrent, needed good brakes and quick decision.
OK for a while then a mean track down hill with 30 % slope and ravines along a torrent, needed good brakes and quick decision.
Reaches asphalt road at il pioppo then asphalt until valfabrica: (12 km; 1:15hr)
Along the valley flatish on gravel, then along field, up and up on poor road until a few meters past chiesa di Coccorano.
Pleasant single track (some hard sections to be walked a few meters up). Join an old asphalt road at elev. 520 m approx, take road down, pass sambucco agroturismo (I got water there) and joined asphalt road along lake, and up hard on asphalt road.
Turn right on a pleasant-at-the-beginning single track, which gets interrupted with nasty uphill sections to be walked. Long ride up on decent dirt road to biscina. You see biscina for a long time and it does not seem to get closer! no facilities (water, food, etc.) at biscina. Bar with limited sandwiches 3 kms away at Bellugello (been there last time, and time before with jim bourke).
Took asphalt road along the lake. Fairly easy but no shade. Arrived in Valfabbrica (16kms) in less than 1 hour.
Took asphalt road to Assisi via Pieve san Niccolo. Walked on arduous uphill until pieve san niccolo (over 300 m uphill over 2 km !). Had a flat that I fixed in 15 minutes. (welcome rest!).
Thereafter all downhill until bus parking below Assisi and statue of san Francesco.
Total 58.5 kms in 6:15 hours (includes time for tire change);
Hard ride got quite tired at the end, problem is food places.
Been there, done that, no need to repeat it!
The “da qui passo Francesco" would provide useful information for longer trip and “hotel” info
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