Monte Calamita - Minen-Trails
Description
The route begins in the former mining town of Capoliveri, at Piazza del Cavatore, 168 meters above sea level. The route begins with a gentle warm-up: the paved Strada di Calamita winds gently along the western slope of Monte Calamita. It offers unobstructed views of the small coastal resorts and, on a clear day, even as far as the neighboring islands of Pianosa and Montecristo on the horizon. Beyond the Curva d’Asta viewpoint, the route climbs uphill along the Strada di Sardina. Along the way, a shaded picnic area invites you to take your first breather before the reddish-brown spoil heaps of the upper ore mines soon come into view. From the next intersection, the Incrocio Sardina, you ride flat again on the “Anello alto” (upper ring) and finally tackle the steep climb up to the Garitta observation tower. Here, at the fenced-in summit of Monte Calamita, you reach the trailhead at 400 meters above sea level. Enjoy the magnificent panorama of Elba’s south coast and begin the longest trail descent on the “Magnet Mountain.” At the start, the path runs along the fence, then dives into the shady pine forest, and finally the knobby tires roll over the fine, reddish-brown gravel of the abandoned ore mine. Occasionally, a more challenging variant branches off with steep downhill ramps, leading directly to the next mining level. After the former “Polveriera” (explosives depot), the route takes you along new, fun trails that meet the old Via del Ferro in open terrain with a magnificent view of the sea.
Now the trail climbs gently until, at the canyon (rock formation), you take the lower Vallone Trail. Offering spectacular views, the path winds its way down across wide mining terraces with a few switchbacks to Punta Calamita. Amidst the rusted conveyor systems, ruins, old excavators, and glistening black gravel piles, you’ll find ideal photo spots. Before the next climb, we recommend a detour to the secluded Spiaggia Cannello. A dip in the warm sea at the jutting Punta Rossa rock outcrop makes this spot a fantastic experience.
After the beach break, you pedal uphill along the wide mining road for about 110 meters of elevation gain and turn onto Via del Ferro, a flow trail on an old ore railway route with a gentle descent. The flow trail fun finally ends at Calone. On the last few meters, you race down the asphalt past the “Isole Gemini” (Twin Islands) toward the sea. The return route then follows the coastal road through the well-known seaside resorts of Innamorata, Pareti, and Morcone, with an elevation gain of about 200 meters, back to Capoliveri, where this varied mountain bike tour comes to a leisurely end in the historic center with its numerous bars and restaurants.
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Details of the tour
23 km
615 m
615 m
2 above sea level
396 above sea level
1 day
Capoliveri
Capoliveri
2473
well suited
More information
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User comments (2)
Note: This content has been automatically translated from German. Please report any incorrect translations.
The aforementioned "Giro delle Miniere" runs as an XC marathon with a different route, partly uphill on the mine trails!
However, the trails described here start at the top of Monte Calamita and run through the southern mines down to Punta Calamita.
You can of course combine and extend them as you wish.
We rode the tour on 20.09.2023. Absolutely cool tour against a spectacular backdrop. The tour actually corresponds to the "Giro delle Miniere" tour The bike park is huge, the tours are superbly signposted and there are countless variants. From easy to extreme. Definitely worth a visit.