Diamante - Altomonte 10.5.2010

Diamante - Belvedere - Altomonte 63 km 1,200 m ascent

On the SS 18, there are still 10 km to go before Belvedere. There, with the best weather, we finally want to turn into the mountains and cross the Pollino National Park. After Marina di Belvedere, you can turn left onto the small, little-traveled SS 263 to escape the traffic. The climb begins immediately, with changing views of the attractively situated Belvedere and the sea. You repeatedly pass small groups of houses with aggressive dogs. At 500 m ascent, it flattens out and you ride for kilometers through shaded mixed forest. A final short climb to Passo di Scalone at 740 m and the equally shaded descent to S. Agata di Esaro begins, which we reach just in time for lunch. Up to that point, it was a actually nice, not too strenuous climb with a max of 6%, but we already notice that the Pollino National Park holds large forests that one would rather expect in Central Europe.

Then it goes downhill for several kilometers with small counter climbs, still very wooded here. Before San Sosti, we therefore turn right onto the SP120, which leads away from the mountains but positions some hill ridges between us and our destination Altomonte. We take the second climb to Mottafollone, which brings us a bit more gently up the ridge. Straight at the cemetery, down again. You reach a small reservoir, up again. Thus, over 15 km, we cross a total of 3 hill chains, until another relentless 300 m await us before the already visible Altomonte from afar.