501 - dal Fiume Torto a Scillato (SI)
501 - dal Fiume Torto a Scillato (SI)
The provincial road n. 7, that links Montemaggiore Belsito to Alia, crosses just outside the village the road leading to Portella Granza. Here, once left the car, you start walking along a road that leads to the Case Granza, home to the Reserve visitor centre.
Along the trail, the landscape gradually changes from croplands and olive groves to pastures and the natural woods, mainly made up of cork trees.
The trail then proceeds toward South-East, past Portella di Granza and then backs up along the eastern slope of Cozzo Viscardo, giving generous views on different sides before reaching the visitor centre.
The deep green of the evergreen oaks strikes the observer from afar, impressing for the density of the woods, and only a careful and expert eye can discern from the different types of oaks, from the durmast to the cork trees.
During the winter the durmast is bare, while the cork tree reiterates the color of its small and shiny leaves.
The contrasts of different shades of green and white mistletoe berries, diffused on many plants of cork oak and downy oak, stand out. As soon as you get closer, you begin to distinguish many other species like the manna ash, hawthorn, holly, brooms, cistus, rosehips, wild pear that enrich every season with new colours.