A good part of the immense body of Mount Etna, especially below a certain altitude, is occupied by woods and small forests. These are places protected by the action of the Regional Park of Mount Etna and therefore not yet disfigured by the hand of man … although every year a portion of them risks fire. Fortunately, however, the green mantle of our volcano is very extensive and still offers shaded and scented paths, suitable for those who love to relax for a few hours away from polluted and noisy cities. The word “wood” is often associated with the word “trekking”, or hiking. But a wood is not just for this. And certainly on Etna there are dozens of ways to take advantage of these wonderful green “tunnels”.
The most beautiful woods
The most beautiful woods in the Etna area are certainly those on the northern flank, and specifically the so-called “Pineta di Linguaglossa”, or Ragabo pine forest. These wonderful ancient pines, some over 15 meters high, offer cool and easy paths to walk, even if they are often interrupted by old lava flows that create short deserts of black rock. Pine and beech forests cover the volcano up to the western side.
To the east, oaks dominate. These trees alternate with holm oaks, some of which are monumental, and cover the areas just above the towns of Zafferana and Milo. The Cerrita wood is one of the most beautiful in which to get lost (with your mind only, because the path is clear and easy!) among the greenery. To the south, one of the most beautiful forests to follow is that of the Filiciusa-Milìa. This also gets to the western side, reaching up to the delightful Galvarina refuge. To the west, a truly original forest is that of Piano dei Grilli, where the broom plants reach significant heights.
Walking in the woods
Many people from Catania love going to the woods of Etna simply to walk. While tourists seek the thrill of craters and lavas, locals prefer to follow easy, cool trails, even without a view. Hiking in the woods is the best way to spend Saturdays and Sundays, all year round, and full half-days in the summer. It is not excluded that hiking ends with a good picnic! The favourite trails for trekking in the woods are, in fact, those of Ragabo, Cerrita, Filiciusa-Milìa. An interesting and not too challenging route is also the one that leads to the monumental Ilice di Carrinu tree.
Cycling in the woods
It is not uncommon to meet, while walking in the woods, mountain bike enthusiasts who follow the tracks left by seasonal streams, or by fault movements. Some of these tracks have become real official tracks for mountain biking. For example, along the Quarant’Ore-Sciambro stream or along the Monte Baracca track you can continuously find signs left by biker races. The asphalt roads that cross the Etna woods are also used by world cycling champions as training routes.
Playing … and reading in the woods!
In Etna woods you can also play! There are at least three adventure parks for children (two on the Milo side and one on the Ragalna side). And, along the Filiciusa path that leads to the San Giovanni Gualberto barracks, there is also an interesting “botanical garden” where you can admire not only examples of typical plants but also some art installations.
Along the Ragabo path, every now and then some delightful wooden boxes appear: they do contain books. Because those who love tranquility can simply take a novel, a thriller or an essay, read it comfortably in the shade of the pine trees and then put it back down. Or they can take it home with them… as long as in its place, in the box, they leave another book for the next “mountain” reader.
Theater in the woods
In some corners of the Etna woods, alternative theater and music shows are also organized. A very interesting experience is that of the “Rifugio del Poeta (Poet’s Refuge)” which takes place among the centuries-old trees of “a slope of the volcano”… . It almost always remains secret until the last moment. Not out of fear, but out of emotion. Because discovering art in a forest is also a journey of awareness, which you do a little “blindly”, if necessary, in order to better enjoy the final show. (PHOTOS BY G. MUSUMECI)