Abruzzo Coastal Bike Path
- Mike
- 20 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Abruzzo Cycling, Part 6
Lido Riccio - Spiaggia Le Morge - Lido Riccio 41 miles / 1,500 feet / 2.5 hours
This was really a great idea by the region of Abruzzo and the implementation is going well though there is work still to be done. The idea of a bike path probably came about because the coastal railway line was built too close to the sea and frequent landslides in the Ripari di Giobbe area just north of Ortona caused the regional government to eventually stop fighting nature and abandon the railway. Coastal erosion is always an impossible foe and the old railway line was right next to the water for much of its route.
Other regions in Italy were also probably an influence on Abruzzo because 11 years ago I cycled a section of the fledgling Ligurian bike path from San Remo almost all the way to France and progress on completing that bike path continues. The Ligurian path is another one that came about when the regional coastal railway line from Genoa to Ventimiglia was decommissioned in 2001.
There is also work underway to finish a bike path that will eventually circumnavigate all of Lago di Garda and the most spectacular cantilevered section near Limone del Garda has now been operational for several years. However recent rockfalls between Campione and Limone have now thrown the whole project into doubt.
The Abruzzo coastal bike path remains a work-in-progress with some abrupt stops that can take you by surprise as I found out below the center of Ortona (left photo above) when faced with a choice of going back to the port and navigating through the heavily trafficked roads of the town center or climb over 200 steps (right photo above) up to the castle carrying the bike on my shoulder. I chose the latter in the interests of time but I would have preferred a warning sign earlier.
The Renaissance era Ortona castle and the coffee shop next door, appropriately called Frontemare, at the top of the steps down to the unfinished section of the bike path
The other problem for those like me who prefer to ride a road bike is that just south of the old Torino di Sangro railway station the path suddenly changes from a lovely smooth surface to gravel and stones which require fat tires.
As I wanted to continue to the beach at Le Morge there was no other choice than to travel the remaining few miles on the main road (SS16) which I have to say was a bit of a nightmare even for an experienced cyclist like me accustomed to busy roads. Too many trucks driving too quickly and not enough road width, so take note.
Fat tires only for the gravel section of the bike path
Anyhow, these were the only two real problems I encountered with the remainder of my ride - the 14 miles south of Ortona to Torino di Sangro - being a real pleasure and a joy to ride. As you would expect given its location, this part of the bike path provides a completely flat ride with no hills so it's suitable for anyone including children.
There are 4 tunnels to negotiate on this section but they are all very short, the longest being no more than 300 yards and no-one is racing. However they are pitch black inside so caution is warranted. I should also add that the path caters also for people walking and it is wide enough to accommodate both without fear of collision.
Stopping for a swim or to just lie in the sun for a while is easily done as there are dozens of places that are largely inaccessible by car which means that you can avoid the crowded beaches. A separate article describes in more detail our favorite Trabocchi Coast beaches but on a bike no advance planning is required.
