403 – Sentiero Castellaccio – San Calogero basso

403 - Sentiero Castellaccio - San Calogero basso

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403 - Sentiero Castellaccio - San Calogero basso

This area of the lower San Calogero, is crossed by numerous trails connected together, in an area full of views where the Natural Oriented Reserve woods thin out.
They are perfect to be ejoyed with a mountain bike, with fun circular tracks not particularly technical nor difficult. Only one of those trails can't be traveled by bike: it's the trail that connects this area to the Caracoli-Funtaneddi one.

Monte San Calogero
"Monte San Calogero" is an enormous Massif which dominates the Termini Imerese area. It is named from San Calogero hermitage whose ruins are close to the top. On the northern slopes there are olive and carob trees and then, moving up to the side, after the anthropic crop, the ampelodesmos mauritanicus prairie starts and stabilises the slopes used for grazing. A part of the massif is composed by "Monte Rotondo" woodland area. It begins to the east of Caccamo municipality which internally hosts the paths leading to Saint Calogero top. Walking inside these woodland areas, you can enjoy landscapes which open up, from time to time, on Rosamarina lake and "Cane" Mount reserve to the West, Musambra Rock, Sicani Mounts to the South and the sea to the North. The visit will be welcomed by the presence of a multitude of butterflies, making the walk colourful and full of movement.
On the top, you can see a 360° view, from the sea to internal Sicily, from Cefalù and Solunto rocks to Pellegrino Mount, "Capo Gallo", Alicudi and Filicudi islands, until the hills crops on the South and to the magnificent Busambra massif.

Flora
Besides the already quoted olive-groves, cultivations of citrus fruit and vegetables, that gradually leave the place to the grazing, higher you can see the holm-oak dark green. This plant lives near the mountaintop and under its cliffs. The northern slope is better conserved regarding its flora, where the holm oak dominates on the slopes. There are numerous reef rocks here.

Fauna
There are many animal species living in "Monte San Calogero" Natural Oriented Reserve. Among the resident birds you can find the peregrine falcon together with other common raptors birds in Siciliy, like buzzards and kestrels. In addition, there are the ravens sitting, lonely sparrow, cirl bunting and golden eagle. Though the rocks in agricultural areas is reported the nincompoop nesting. Among the migratory birds which come in San Calogero area during spring and fall there are several African birds like the golden oriole and hoopoe, besides flycatchers and quails. On the ground, in proximity of cavities and tunnels, there are hedgehog spines, which signal these animals passage towards their dens, where they rest during the day. Skin mutes indicate the presence of snakes and several other reptiles. Also the insect fauna is rich: during spring you can come across a large number of beetles, grasshoppers, wasps, moths, hemiptera and odonata attracted by the blossoming of many plant species.

Geology
Monte San Calogero is composed of carbonate sedimentary rocks that have accumulated during Mesozoic era when it was a relatively deep marine basin. These rocks are partially covered by more recent deposits, of Oligocene era, consisting of Numidian Flysch sandstones and siliceous clays. Very curious are the fluorite and barite crystals reported in Poggio Balate, formed as result of hydrothermal fluids rising.

Nature
Flora and fauna
Horse
MTB
Naturalistic
Sports and Adventure
Trekking
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Trail lenght: 6 Km and 848 meters
Return Journey time: 3 Hours
Trailhead elevation: 424 m/slm
End of the trail elevation: 433 m/slm
Recommended seasons: Autumn | Spring | Summer
Difficulty: T

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  • Unione Europea
  • Repubblica Italiana
  • Regione Sicilia
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