Gran Sasso

It’s a long and winding road that leads to the Gran Sasso National Park in Abruzzo. In fact as we rounded yet another bend on the climb to this huge massif in the Central Apennine mountains, I wondered whether I should have dropped not one but two anti-nausea tabs before we left home.

Then, just in time, we crested a small rise and there unfolded before us a truly spectacular view. We’d reached the alpine plateau, Campo Imperatore.

27-kilometres long and 8-kilometres wide, this grassy plain is flanked by the massif Gran Sasso (Big Rock) which includes Italy’s highest mountain. Impressive on any day, a brewing storm during our visit made the whole scene even more dramatic.

Our first look at Campo Imperatore; so impressive (and welcome) after the narrow, winding drive up

Also known as 'Europe's little Tibet', Campo Imperatore sits at an altitude of around 1700m

At the other end of the plateau, looking back towards Gran Sasso in the distance

Twin peaks, Corno Grande on the left (Italy's highest mountain at 2912m) and beside it, Corno Piccolo

In the warmer months, farmers from surrounding hill towns run their sheep, cows and horses on these grassy pastures

Right in the middle of Campo Imperatore there's a tiny cheese-maker's hut

It doesn't look much up-close either (we stepped around the chooks in the doorway) 🙂

But this turned out to be some of the best cheese we've eaten

As well as peccorino, 'caciocavello' ('cheese on horseback') is produced here; it's named for the way the cheese is tied together to hang

Caciocavello starts off almost white and yellows as it ages

All the cheese is sold by weight - just say how much you want and the cheesemaker cuts and weighs it

The other end of this two-roomed hut is where the cheese is produced

The production processes employed here are very traditional

Cutting the curds

Nothing happens quickly; every sale is accompanied by a lot of discussion, advice, explanation and general chitchat (our friend Franco in the foreground here, just finalising our purchase)

Just outside the national park, in Bominaco, is the Abbey of Santa Maria Assunta

It's said to have been founded in 1001

And beside the Abbey, this tiny chapel is one of the most important in the entire region

The Oratory of San Pellegrino was founded by Charlemagne and built by Benedictine monks in the 8th century

The chapel was on the main stock route from summer to winter pastures, and twice a year shepherds stopped here to pray for safe travels

One of the chapel's most important frescoes is the ancient monastic calendar

For each month the calendar depicts the work carried out in that month, the phase of the moon, the relevant sign of the zodiac and a list of the important liturgical days