August 16th, 2018 - No GPS tracks for today! The weather forecast is even worse than yesterday, with violent thunderstorms expected in the afternoon. The planned stage is also quite long and full of uncertainties. In my opinion, when hiking, especially alone, one should avoid risks and therefore, I decided to ask the kind managers of the B&B where I lodged to accompany me to S. Agata di Puglia. I am sorry to miss a stage, but safety comes first. The next day, I had confirm that I made the right choice.

Arriving at the farmhouse near to S. Agata di Puglia, I am greeted with long faces: the thunderstorm of the previous day caused damages, and the entire staff is occupied with putting things back in order.

Since I have the whole day at my disposal, I take the opportunity to visit the town, which is very close to the farmhouse, as the crow flies. But since I am not a bird, I expect a long uphill walk: once again, I managed to move my legs!

Fortunately, the visit to the town makes up for the effort: the photos I am attaching say it all!

In 2020, I returned to Ariano Irpino to verify that the last stages were actually passable. I am attaching below the GPS tracks I acquired. As you can see, I preferred to split the stage into two parts due to its excessive length.

The path from Ariano Irpino to Zungoli is very peaceful. The situation is a bit more complex on the stretch from Zungoli to Sant'Agata di Puglia. At one point (marked on the track), the tratturo is obstructed by vegetation, so it is necessary to find the right points to pass. At the height of Anzano di Puglia, a small landslide must be crossed: the path is unused, so it is barely distinguishable. However, I managed to pass without too much difficulty. If you want to avoid the landslide, it is better to enter the town and resume the tratturo shortly after. There is a spring (the only one) just before the turnoff to Sant'Agata di Puglia. It is worth noting that Sant'Agata di Puglia is not exactly located along the tratturo, so those who are not interested in visiting can continue on to the next stage.