This excursion is an homage to nature and woods, its soothing sounds and earthy aromas surprisingly close to Perugia and its suburbs.
The walk takes you through, and sometimes deep into, an oasis of thick Mediterranean shrub dotted with stands of holm oak, sessile oak and chestnut trees. In the enormity of this ‘jungle’ sunny fields and lovely glimpses of the valleys below and the mountains nearby are rare, and therefore all the more precious and luminous when you do come across them. It is an ideal escape from a hot summer day! The first part of the walk begins on the same white road you parked on, which then soon takes you to the highest point of the walk (620 mt asl, Sent.m 401). The walk takes you through a stand of holm oak trees, along a cultivated field, a stand of chestnut trees, an oak grove and interspersed between these now and again you will see a lovely view of the numerous wooded areas that cover Monte Malbe.
After 1.6 km you will reach the Le Trosce farm with its lovely old traditional farm house and barnyards. 100 mt further along, near a sign, you will leave the main road behind and turn right onto a country path that goes around the farm’s courtyard. From here you descend into the holm-oak woods, stay to the left at the fork (well signposted as are the next deviations) and, once at the watershed, the path starts to ascend and then joins a country road that descends to the right.
Here the woods reign supreme, there are no signs of man’s presence, other than the path on which we are walking, Continue along the main path straight ahead through the next crossroads and then 3 km onwards take a sharp right into a stand of holm-oaks trees. 350 meters further on turn right onto a gravel road which comes from Corciano for a short distance and left onto a sing-posted small road. Here we are not far from the Hermitage (Romotorio), whose walls suddenly appear to your right between the trees. The Hermitage, with its elegant courtyard, is well worth a closer look.
Unfortunately, the interior of the building cannot be visited. Just past the Hermitage there is another crossroads (3.65 km from the beginning of the walk) which you take steeply down to your left to then, after another 800 meters, take a sharp right (sent 411). Here you will be at 396 mt asl, one of the lowest points of the walk. Another 55 or so meters later the path straightens out. In this part of the walk, on the right, you will see two “trosce” or rain/river water troughs, one of which, the cement one, is in need of repair. The path goes up rather steeply here to reach 506 mt asl (at 6.15 km from the start of the walk) where you then take a lovely trail on the left. Ignore the first deviation you come across, and turn left at the next fork onto a narrower path that goes downwards. Stay on this path.
Here and there, in between the trees on your left, you will see lovely views of Monte Acuto and Monte Tezio. At a four road crossroads turn right onto a slightly ascending path and after 50 mts continue right even more steeply to then take a sharp left at a sign-post. Stay on this path for about a km, ignoring smaller side paths and deviations and don’t forget to stop now and again to admire the views of Monte Acuto and Monte Tezio. Once you reach another fork dominated by a large oak tree turn right onto the wide gravel road in the direction of Campore di Sopra.
200 meters after the large oak tree turn left onto a path that returns into the woods, keeping to your left and ignoring the other little paths and deviations along the way until you will reach a lovely open area with three wooden benches surrounded by yellow Spanish broom and oak trees from which to enjoy a picture postcard panorama of all of Monte Tezio. Here you will be at 409 mt asl and 9.3 km from the start of the walk. After your rest stop get back on the path keeping to your left at the next fork in the road and ascend into a mixed wood. You will soon come across the road that comes from Cenerente.
Turn right and find the large characteristic ‘troscia’ known as “del melo” (of the apple tree). The trough is surrounded by a wooden fence and close by (briefly following a very narrow trail to its left) is a cute little miniature village. Back in the main path take the road, which to the right goes down to the Podere Campore di Sopra (sent. 411d). Leaving the woods one is struck by the brightness of the large open space, unusual for Monte Malbe, on which there is an old farm house, several warehouses and cultivated fields cut into by a sinuous gravel road that comes from Capocavallo. Take it to the left. At the next fork, where there is a large oak tree, turn left again and then, after 150 mt return into the woods turning right and then left again, leaving the fields behind you. The turns are well sign-posted.
Stay on the path as it ascends among the chestnut trees and within a short while you will be back onto the main road which, turning left on to it, will return you to Villa Galletti, 11.9 km from your starting point. Although this walk goes up and down often, the total amount of the climb is not more than 480 mt