New year (2018), new walk to rediscover the "tratturos" (ancient sheep tracks). This time, I didn't wait too long after the previous experience. It's the turn of the tratturo Pescasseroli-Candela. The scarce information available to me says that the path will be a bit more complicated and characterized by many uncertainties. First of all, the IGM maps, even the older ones, allow a good reconstruction of only the final part of the path, while there is no trace of the initial part: every reference has been removed. The usual look at satellite images has allowed me to identify some missing segments, so from Boiano to Candela the path that I have identified is practically certain, while from Pescasseroli to Boiano, it was necessary to make assumptions based on information collected from the internet.
The Abruzzese section has completely disappeared from the maps, as if every trace of its historical memory had been erased. This is undoubtedly due, at least in part, to economic reasons - much of the original path has been reused to build important communication roads, and the owners of the land adjacent to the path have acquired the abandoned stretches in a very short time - but there are undoubtedly also psychological reasons. Shepherd life in Abruzzo allowed families to survive, but it forced them to live a hard life and was a source of backwardness: with the economic reasons for keeping transhumance alive gone, it is as if they wanted to wipe away an unwelcome past. The situation is different in Molise, where transhumance has been seen as a source of commercial exchanges and, therefore, wealth. In all my travels, I have found the best-preserved stretches in Molise, where the historical memory of transhumance is still deeply rooted in the population. In Puglia, the situation is halfway between the ones found in Abruzzo and Molise: the closer you get to the end of the track, the vaguer its traces and its memory become.
From a meteorological point of view, this year the heat was less intense, but, on the other hand, the torrential rains that characterized the whole summer forced me to face long stages with mud and landslides: it seems that it is not really possible to walk the tratturos in favorable weather conditions. At least... not in August! I think of the shepherds who once had to face the same journey in much less favorable conditions, and I realize how tough their life must have been: while I have a shower and a warm bed waiting for me every evening, they had to to sleep in makeshift shelters next to their flock to keep wolves and thieves at bay.
The issue of accommodations has actually been a serious problem for me as well. In some areas, they are almost completely absent, which has forced me, at times, to take significant detours. In other cases, the areas I passed through were affected by mass tourism, making it difficult to find lodging for a single night, and the costs were higher than usual. Obviously, this last problem should not arise for those who undertake the journey during low season.
Regarding the state of the tratturo, the report is the same as in past experiences: there are few areas where it is well preserved, and even where recovery work has been carried out, maintenance has been lacking. In short, a bit of patience and a lot of goodwill are needed to complete the route.
As for documentation, I don't have any sites to add beyond those already indicated on other pages, but I recommend the following book by Gregg and Petriccione:
S. Gregg and B. Petriccione, "Regio Tratturo Pescasseroli - Candela", SER Editrice ricerche, (126 pages).
The book, which is very beautiful and descriptive, tells of a similar journey that the authors undertook a few years ago. While I stuck to the original tratturo route, the book's authors, when they reached the Zittola stream, preferred to continue along the Castel di Sangro - Lucera tratturo, which is certainly in better condition, and then left it close to the Taverna del Cortile to rejoin the Pescasseroli - Candela route via a secondary tratturello that is still passable: an undoubtedly valid alternative choice.
Once again, I can only wish you happy reading.
