Woods and waterfalls

Starting from Pagliaroli, where you can admire the 14th century Church of S. Salvatore built on a temple dating back to the 3rd-2nd century BC, we head towards Cortino where it is possible to visit the Deer Wildlife Area, located on the edge of the Abetina of Cortino, a site of very high naturalistic value, with a massive presence of centuries-old silver firs.

From Pagliaroli, going around the northern slope of Monte Bilanciere, you arrive at Padula, an ideal destination for excursions on foot, on horseback or by mountain bike, also departing from nearby Macchiatornella, immersed in the magnificent beech forest, with the possibility of reaching Monte Bilanciere, Cortino and Altovia or the numerous and spectacular Laga waterfalls, which become a playground for ice mountaineering during the winter. The exciting journey among the waterfalls and woods of the Monti della Laga continues towards Ceppo, passing through Set, the municipal seat of Rocca S. Maria. The Ceppo, and more precisely the Bosco della Martese, was the scene of a dramatic episode of the partisan resistance in 1943. There is a vast network of paths, also accessible on horseback and by mountain bike, which connect the Ceppo to other hamlets and to the spectacular Morricana waterfall (1560 m), located in the suggestive scenery of the Martese forest, rich in silver firs. Going back down, you can continue towards the historic center of Valle Castellana, where a detour leads to Morrice, with a magnificent chestnut grove populated by centuries-old plants such as the "Piantone di Nardò", over 500 years old, and to Pietralta, the starting point for numerous excursions towards Monte La Morra (1377 m), the Rio Castellano Valley, the Bosco della Martese or Pizzo di Sevo (2419 m). Finally, returning towards Teramo, you arrive at Torricella Sicura, a pleasant center with a very rich territory from a naturalistic point of view, which has yielded important testimonies of past eras.