CLEOPATRA Queen Of The Morrone

Reportage of an excursion to the "hill of the cows", to Pratola, in this beautiful angle of the National Park of the Maiella Morrone escorted by a stupendous sample of Abruzzese Shepherd dog.
Sunday 23 March we have decided to effect this excursion. The departure has happened from Pratola. 
To climb we have chosen to follow the poles that bring to the shelter of the hill of the cows , a road some heavy for the one that is not trained but that can be replaced by the easiest path set to the right and that salt crossing the wood set under the hill of the cows. During the excursion there was no anybody, then after a few minutes we have met the friend Tiberio great expert of these mountains.
In the photo aloft Cleopatra on the Morrone Mountain. In the background  the Hill of the cows and the snowy tops of the Morrone.
While we were climbing and we observed the tallest tops the thought it went to the friend Adelio Di Giannantonio companion of so many excursions and victim of a serious accident on those peaks. In the photo to the right Cleopatra and on the background the Peligna valley  (it is seen the fraction Bagnaturo).
an instant of relax before continuing the ascent.
To calm the thirst is better a glass of snow and Cleopatra has immediately taken advantage of it.


A curiosity: during the excursion we have arrived to the wood in a point in which an avalanche was fallen (well visible in the photo to the right) that had shorn a vast portion of wood. Cleopatra, that had always been attached up to that moment to a meter from me, has jammed and there has been no verse to make to continue her. After being brings me on the place of the avalanche and done some photos I am due to return back since Cleopatra didn't want to pass in that point and we has had to vary the run. The day later I have known that in that point it was fallen other snow.  
The ascent is ended and Pratola appears dwarfish.
Cleopatra observes fair the Peligna valley.
A stupendous photo realized near the shelter of the Hill of the cows. Cleopatra observes her Abruzzo. 
the  Peligna valley is surrounded by the parks: on the left we see the National park of Abruzzo before the Velino Sirente and on the right the Mountainous chain of the Gran Sasso.


Hoping that you are liked the page I give you appointment to the next service.

 

cordially Marco Petrella

Excursion to the Hill of the Cows. 
The itinerary: Departure from Pratola Peligna. 
The base of departure has fixed from the beginning of the road excavated that it brings to the hill of the cows set near the fraction Bagnaturo to around 500m slms. The place of departure is set near an old it extracts. 
You can be climbed following the poles that bring the telephone to the shelter along a gully or passing for the most comfortable path set to the right of the poles on the other side of the gully. The path of the poles is enough steep and to arrive it need around 1h and 30'. If We passes for the path that crosses the wood under the hill of the cows the slope it is very easier and after an easy walk of about 2 hours we reaches the shelter. Currently the shelter is closed unfortunately for restructuring but a room with a fireplace has always opened and it is usable from the excursionists. There are also some tables to eat but it almost always misses the firewood that however can be recovered in the near woods. It is however always better leaving the shelter with some firewood useful in case of necessity.
Pratola is found in the center of the Abruzzo, it belongs to the National park of the MAIELLA and it is set among the principal parks of Abruzzo. 
To reach Pratola from Rome is necessary to take the highway A25 Pescara-Roma and to go out to the motorway release of Pratola Peligna.