From Amiata to the Plain and Back (GR8) - 92 km
Castel del Piano - Arcidosso - Monticello Amiata - Cinigiano - Bivio Granaione - Baccinello - Cana - Santa Caterina - Roccalbegna - Triana - Località Aiole - Arcidosso - Castel del Piano

23. From Amiata to the Plain and Back (GR8) - 92 km

Castel del Piano - km 0 - Arcidosso - km 4 - Monticello Amiata - km 14 - Cinigiano - km 24 - Bivio Granaione - km 35.8 - Baccinello - km 46.4 - Cana - km 55.5 - Santa Caterina - km 64 - Roccalbegna - km 67.4 - Triana - km 73.6 - Località Aiole - km 84.2 - Arcidosso - km 87.7 - Castel del Piano - km 92 30,7

Starting point and arrival: Castel del Piano
Distance in kilometres: 92 km
Difference in altitude: 1000 m
Type of road: tarred road
Bicycle: roadster and all-terrain
Difficulty: demanding

NOTES: This itinerary is nearly entirely traced along the route of the GR8 of the Province starting from Castel del Piano. The altitude profile
foresees continual gradient changes and one cycles on sparsely busy roads, overlooking the most beautiful views offered by the Grosseto side
of the Mount Amiata.

One leaves Castel del Piano in the direction of Arcidosso through the San Lorenzo hamlet. One reaches Arcidosso after 4 kilometres and at the large roundabout one cycles downhill following the road signs to Cinigiano. Near the supermarket one keeps to the left cycling on a gentle and smooth uphill slope on the provincial road S.P. 7. After about 2 kilometres the road starts decidedly downhill as far as the bridge over the stream Zancona to then continue uphill as far as the crossroads to Salaiola. One cycles on in the direction of Grosseto for 2.5 kilometres as far as Monticello Amiata (14). From the town, in a panoramic position overlooking the Amiata and the Val d’Orcia, one cycles on following the road signs to Cinigiano and Paganico on the S.P. 7. One reaches Cinigiano (24) cycling nonstop downhill still on the S.P. 7. From the roundabout in Cinigiano leaving the Carabinieri station behind one takes Via Grosseto cycling as far as the S.P. 17 where one turns left in the direction of Grosseto. Cycling on a continuous descent one has the imposing bulk of Mount Amiata in full view on one’s left. One cycles pleasantly downhill for about 10 kilometres as far as a bridge over the torrent Melacce (35.2). Clearing the bridge one cycles for 500 metres to a crossing (35.8) where one leaves the S.P. 17 to continue in the direction of Granaione to take the S.P.92 “Costarelle” in the direction of Baccinello on the left. One is cycling through a very nice wavy landscape with pastures, tilled fields and maquis on a road that seconds the frequent gradient changes of this territory. The S.P. 92 comes to an end near a T-crossing (42.8) where one turns left taking the S.P. 24 in the direction of Baccinello and Roccalbegna. Past the bridge over the torrent Fronzina one cycles across the lowland on a road without any asperity. After 3.5 kilometres one cycles through the Baccinello hamlet (46.4) and shortly afterwards one crosses the bridge over the Torrent Trasubbia (47) and past the bridge one starts uphill towards the mountain. One cycles continuously uphill for 7 kilometres and a little while before reaching Cana one gets a little rest. Past the crossroads to Cana (55.5) one cycles on in the direction of Santa Caterina, Roccalbegna and Vallerona. Past the cemetery at Cana the road starts climbing gently as far as the crossing with the S.P. 55 (59) to Stribugliano. One cycles on in the direction of Vallerona and Roccalbegna negotiating the climb as far as Santa Caterina (64). At the T-crossing one turns left onto the S.P. 160 in the direction of Arcidosso and starts to cycle pleasantly downhill as far as Roccalbegna (67.4). One cycles through the town and clears the bridge over the waters of the Albegna starting to cycle uphill towards Triana. Here the slope gets steeper once more and one cycles on in the direction of Arcidosso, bypassing the slopes of Monte Labbro, along the hairpin bends leading to the pass (900 metres above sea level) before following a road without any asperity as far as the locality Aiole (84.2). Here starts the descent marked by a few technical bends to Arcidosso (87.7) to then continue without difficulties as far as Castel del Piano (92). [1]

Castel del piano

Monticello Amiata

Monticello Amiata is an ancient medieval town located along the road leading to Monte Amiata, at the gates of the Natural Reserve Poggio all'Olmo. Geographically, it is located in a high hill area which marks the final transition from the Valley dell'Ombrone the massif of Monte Amiata.
The Via della Castagna is a thematic itinerary that is articulated around Monticello Amiata, with trails that wind through forests of chestnut trees.
Via delle Fonti is a thematic itinerary which is divided between the two sources that supply the village of Monticello Amiata, which are located in two separate locations outside the country.

Cinigiano

The Cinigiano municipality area covers over 160 square kilometers in the hinterland of the province of Grosseto, between the Valle d’Ombrone, the terminal part of the Val d'Orcia and the western slopes of the volcanic cone of Monte Amiata. Bordered to the north by the town of Montalcino and the province of Siena, where the river Orcia marks the administrative boundaries, on the east by the town of Castel del Piano, southeast with the municipality of Arcidosso, to the southwest with Campagnatico and northwest with the municipality of Civitella Paganico.
The nature reserve Poggio all'Olmo, extends on the homonymous mountain peak at the southeastern end of the township, even partially affecting the municipality of Arcidosso. It can be accessed both from the hamlet of Castiglioncello Bandini than from that of Monticello Amiata.[6]

The castle of Triana

The castle of Triana is situated in the homonymous village east of Roccalbegna, which arose as an ancient rural settlement in the early Middle Ages.

Castello di Triana, Roccalbegna