CENTRAL APENNINES OF ITALY - WALKS, ING: Walks, Scrambles and Climbs (Walking Overseas) - Softcover

Over 1000km long and rarely exceeding 100km in width, the Apennines constitute the mountainous 'spine' of the Italian peninsula crossing thirteen of Italy's twenty regions. The central Apennines covers three of these regions - Abruzzo, Marche and Umbria. Here walkers can find secluded valleys and waterfalls, mystical gorges and beautiful woodland, easy mountain excursions and vast plains. Rock climbers head for the Gran Sasso d'Italia which boasts giant pyramidal rock walls and buttresses towering above plains and farmland only a stone's throw from the Adriatic coast. Corno Piccolo (2655m) alone has more than a hundred excellent routes from grade II to VIII on compact limestone. In winter, the central Apennines assume the character of the Alps, offering a number of challenging snow gullies and some mixed ground, especially in the Gran Sasso/Laga and Monti Sibillini National Parks. Fernetillo and Grotti are two of Italy's finest sport climbing venues and the mild climate hereabouts makes it possible to climb throughout the year.

A couple of muddy mountain biking weekends in Wales with the evenings spent reading Robin Neilland's Walking through France whilst wet gear dried in front of a crackling fire, followed by daily doses of Channel 4's coverage of the Tour de France in July 1989 inspired Stephen Fox to attempt his first bicycle tour a month later, a 600 mile coast to coast charity ride across France from Caen to Montpellier. Smitten ever since, he has cycled extensively in France and also central Italy, where he lived for several years. In 2001 he completed a challenging and exhilarating cycle tour of Norway's spectacular Lofoten Islands situated 150 miles north of the Arctic Circle. He now lives in southern England with his wife and daughter, and works in the photographic industry as well as being a freelance writer and photographer.