PEACE AND HARMONY, MOLISE STYLE

PEACE AND HARMONY, MOLISE STYLE

Tucked away here in the Molise countryside is Casale Kolidur, http://molisediscovery.com/
An old house, once the home of the local bishop.
Now run as a small country hotel it is an absolute joy to behold.

Nestled amongst fields and woodland it boasts comfortable bedrooms, each one with exceptional views, all furnished with a simple elegance.

They have a restaurant open to both guests and the general public, which offers local produce cooked to an exceptionally high standard.

Surrounded by a sheltered garden, where Barack - the proprietor, hosts events throughout the summer including yoga sessions, evenings of Ethic music and art workshops.

It was one of these sessions which took me to see just what the Kolidur has to offer.

 From the minute I stepped into through the large wrought iron gates I was totally enamoured with all it had to offer.


Barack is friendly, accommodating host, with a background in hospitality, who works hard to ensure to provide all his customers with all they need to savour a unique experience here in Molise.
The hotel is homely as well as elegant, and they welcome both children and dogs to join their own.
They certainly seem to get it right.

Also on offer is a range of tours for the discerning traveller, working with local guides and businesses.

You can walk in the mountains with Alessandro who runs Molise Explorer,
http://www.moliseexplorer.com/

Only a few short months ago I went walking with Alessandro in the mountains above Guardiaregia. The forest floor then still carpeted in snow, we were even able to follow the tracks of a lone wolf.


You can ride horses too at La Scuderie dei Peschio in San Giuliano del Sannio
https://www.facebook.com/scuderiedelpeschio/
Another local venue run by Rosario, who is as passionate about her cooking as she is her horses.
They welcome both inexperienced and experienced riders who want ride western style. Something a little different for anyone from Britain.

Just a short walk from the hotel there lies the village of Guardiaregia.If you are feeling energetic you can walk up through the old village to view a magnificent valley and gorge.

A road from the village also leads up into a National Park, which is a WWF site. http://www.wwf.it/oasi/molise/guardiaregia_campochiaro/guardiaregia_campochiaro__english_version_.cfm

Once again Molise has kept it's secrets hidden, but the Kolidur has opened a door, allowing you an opportunity to peep inside to discover just a little of what the region has to offer.

http://molisediscovery.com/

If you live in Molise and are looking for somewhere completely different to eat, give the Kolidur a try, or you can join in their yoga sessions throughout the summer, take part in an art workshops, or listen to music in uniquely tranquil surroundings.

I promise you it really is well worth a visit. I know Barack and his family will welcome you with open arms.

More than prayer

Churches are more than places of prayer and worship, here in Italy as indeed many other countries of the world they are places of pilgrimage where one can come to pray or merely to admire and marvel at the art nestled away inside them.

Here in Molise there are surprises tucked away in everyone, some simplly adorned and others rich in frescos and tapestries but all an absolute delight.

Even you are not religious I  am sure you will find yourself marvelling at the astonishingly, magnificent art which lays within them across the world. 

So where did it all begin?
http://www.garvandwane.com/religion/religion1.html#beginning

Not wanting to plagiarise other people's work I am going to leave you to read this in full, but principally as far as we are aware the origins of RELIGION can be traced back to around 50,000 years ago.

RELIGION is universal, a trait common to the human race traversing time and culture. Sadly, however, it has been the route of the majority of our battles and squabbles over time alongside the fundamental human desire of envy.

Religion developed alongside our art, music and all other aspects of our cultures. There is some suggestion that Religion developed alongside agricultural. Was there perhaps a desire to explain events that impacted on the crops we grew? The weather perhaps, or even disease?

We are not entirely sure, as there is some evidence that the roots of religion can be traced back to Paleothiclic cave art, where there are indications in cave paintings of spirit beings.

Leaving this debate aside the topic of this blog is a brief introduction to some of the beautiful Churhes here in Molise.

My travels around Molise have only just begun, with one hundred and thirty eight villages. There is an abundance of churches, chapels and catherdrals across the region. They range from hugely ornate churches adorned with frescoes and statutes to simple buildings with cavernous wooden roofs.

Most villages have at least three churches, a Mother Church, and chapels which are often on the outskirts, sometimes tucked away in the countryside.

 I began my travels in Cantalupo del Sannio, having read a book of photographs telling the story of the women in the village, published by FRANK MONACO in 1953.

                                     Crosses on hillsides, and in Piazzas across the region

                                                                 

Doorways of Significance!

                                                         Ceilings reaching the heavens

                                                                 Glided crosses

 Soft gentle hues

 Angels on the ceiling 

 Reach for the stars 

                                                      Beautiful windows, simple and complex

                     Chapels and churches in the rock and on mountain top 

                                                                      
Now three months down the line I have seen over thirty stunning churhes which have lifted my heart and my spirits.

Whether you are interested merely in the art, archaelogy, or architecture, or want to explore the churches here to explore your faith here in Molise once again from there is a chapel and a church waiting here for you.

When I discovered the little chapel of Santa Guista just a few miles from where I live in July last year I wept, moved so profoundly by the peace, quiet and simple solitude

Pietracuppa in this video I took there is too so moving... Let me know how you feel when you see it...


https://vimeo.com/216061263

Rocks and ruins

Sunday today, another early start I set off to explore the Morge Park here in Molise.
The music at the start of this blog is dedicated to Pierluigi Russo - a local guy passionate about the history of Molise and in particular the Morge area. The haunting melodies of Celtic music resonant the intricacies of the area's complex history.

The event was an introduction to the work of a local botanist written two hundred years ago Giosue Scaranno wrote at length about the flora and fauna of the region. presented by enthusiastic botanists from neighbouring Abruzzo they were a fountain of knowledge and an inspiration.

The day was not merely to illustrate the work of an ancient scientist but to bring to the attention of people here in Molise just what they have sitting on their doorstep.

A large rock called a Morge in the Molise region. They are unique to the region and do not exist anywhere else in the world. If you excuse the comparison they are rather like a large pimple that literally erupted from the earth several thousand years ago. Literally spread across Molise they vary in size tremendously from not much more than a few metres high to over 50 metres.

The Morge dei la Briganti, sits beside a popular, and exceptionally good restaurant run by Luigi Cicarella. In Italy country restaurants like this are called agriturismo, so is a farm with a restaurant and must by law produce all their own food. (see food blog Taste of Molise)

The huge rock sits proudly surveying the countryside surrounding it as it has done for centuries, once a garrison which stood with fortitude and strength in many a battle, it then became a refuge for local bandits and a home for local peasant farmers.

There are caves carved into the rock, some of which date back to its origins as a castle and others much later.

At the top there is even a small chapel or temple which can still be reached, although with some difficulty.

You are free to climb around it exploring every nook and cranny, which is quite a novelty for any visitor from the Northern Europe as we are used to barriers and safety announcements telling us that we can't climb or even touch cave or castle.

The rock yields a great deal of interest in other areas too, one of which is the amazing array of fossils easily seen both inside and outside the caves. The geology of the rocks and the impact which both man and the passage of time have had on them too are clearly evident.

Today more than forty people came to see the rock, which was a great achievement for the local organiser Roberto Colleto who works tirelessly to promote the interests of the region.

The flora and fauna of Molise is exceptionally beautiful. There is an incredibly diverse range of flowers and plants, some unique to the area. We were even shown one that smells like goat's cheese!

So much to learn and so much to see, there is something here for everyone.

Search for fossils in the rocks 

You can climb to the top to admire the view

 Walk under the ancient Morge, admist lush green woodland

 You can climb up rocks.....

 Ponder over the precious blooms

Open your eyes

When I opened my eyes at 6 am on Saturday this week to began another day in Molise, I pondered for a moment as the alarm on my phone woke me up that perhaps I would give the walk with Alessandro and Michelle from the Moliser Explorer group a miss.

 But I dragged myself out of bed, deciding resolutely that I would join them to explore the Matese National park.
I  can now hardly find the words to express just how happy I am that I made the effort.
Alessandro asked me to meet them in the village of Guardiaregia.
A small village on the edge of the park.

It's war memorial commands a view over the valley below, and the church sits watching over the village.While I was waiting for my fellow explorers to arrive I wandered around with my camera in hand as usual. The children were on their way to school, and a smattering of people were having their morning coffee at the local bar aptly named " Wish you were here" as I indeed I wish you were too , to be able to enjoy all that Molise has to offer.

 When Alessandro and his team arrived we set off to explore the first leg of our journey. We initially climbed up some steps to a viewing platform above the village which looks out onto a huge canyon below, and mountains beyond. This weekend they were sprinkled liberally with a fresh covering of snow, which from a distance resembled icing sugar scattered on the top a cake.

 After gazing in awe on the view below, we set off with our trusty guides to explore pastures new.

 Driving up into the Matese mountains above the villlage we parked at a Refugio called Santa Maria, then set off to follow a route up to the top of Bear Mountain.

 I had not expected there to be quite so much snow, some of it only having fallen this week.
We were walking at around 6000 feet, 1600 metres..Quite a contrast to my walk along the beach at Termoli the previous afternoon!
This is the magic of Molise, an opportunity to experience such an astoundingly beautiful landscape in less than a hundred miles, literally from the mountains to the sea,

 Sunlight reflecting on the glistening snow, the trees still barely in bud.

 Paths leading through trees and across rocky outcrops. An opportunity too to be surrounded by nature, to enjoy peace and quiet, treading paths carpeted in virgin snow.
Apart that is from the occasional animal footprint.
Having examined these closely we decided they were probably that of a lone Wolf. We were able to follow them for at least a mile, before we changed direction to follow another path. Someone did suggest they were the footprints of a Yeti, but I am sure they were those of a Wolf.
There are some in the area, although not many as the food is sparse. They are now found closer to he farms at lower altitudes obviously because food is more abundant.

 Michelle and Alessandro our guides were both excellent, a great inspiration too for everyone with them. Always ready with a smile of encouragement and a light hearted banter to keep us all going.
The walk was not difficult, but was reasonably strenuous. To walk at this altitude requires a reasonable level of fitness...

 We walked through trees, which towered above us, birches, beeches and oaks. We came across one Holly tree, the only evergreen we saw. Apparently the leaves of the Holly are only prickly on the lower branches of the tree to deter animals from eating them. They say you learn something new every day.

 The ice on a crystal clear frozen pond, which sparkled in the afternoon sun seemed to cast a uniquely alluring spell the forest around it, enchanting everything around it.

 The trees bare branches stretching up to reach the sky, reflected on the gleaming snow.

 We walked onwards and upwards, clambering up to reach the top of Bear Mountain, where we met by this astonishingly beautiful view.
A man made lake, called Lake Matese, it sits nestled amidst the mountains providing a valuable water source to the farms which surround it.
Cows like toys in a children's farm grazed on green meadows below, and a smoke drifted off into the distance from a farmhouse.
We stood above it looking down on what seemed like another world so far below us, with mountains rising on the far shore high into the turquoise sky.

After a brief rest to refuel on  wine, salami and almonds we walked on, clambering up still higher.

Walking in the crisp snow was incredible, covering everything like a thick white carpet. Scattered flowers added splashes of colour, tiny purple Crocuses, and bright blue Gentian.

At this point we were about halfway through our expedition, which although strenuous had not taken its toll on anyone. But tummies were beginning to rumble having expended so many calories so it was clearly time to stop for lunch.
"Pranzo al sacco" is the Italian word for picnic. Which literally means a picnic in a bag. However just like every meal eaten in Italy it is taken seriously so there was plenty to go round.
Broad beans and panini,ffennel, oranges and almonds


A  Tasty and healthy feast.

Once refuelled we resumed the journey to our destination, which was to see the entrance to some pot holes, hidden in the forest.,  called the Pozzo di Neve, which means a "well in the snow" they are tucked away virtually hidden by trees,  and in a few months time cloaked in green they will be virtually impossible to find unless you know where they were are. They form what are apparently one of the largest cave networks in Italy.
Exploring them would require a serious speleologist, or caver, something we were certainly not planning to do, not on this particular adventure anyway.

Following the trails through the forests and national park is fairly straightforward as the paths are well signposted, with signs and marks on the trees clearly define the way.
The paths here are called Sentiere. We were able to follow them for the most part but it is better to have an experienced guide to show you the way, as well as impart local knowledge...

The gallery of photos below are just a few posted here to illustrate to illustrate just a fraction of the beauty of all I encountered on my first expedition into the Matese mountains.
Thank you both Alessandro and Michelle - the Molise Explorer group for letting me tag along.
I cannot wait till the next time.


If you want to know more about walking, mountain biking, Jeep Expeditions and boot camps here in Molise ... let me know. because together we can promise you not just a holiday but an experience
contact me on FACEBOOK, text 0044 7867 419833 or email... madeinmolise@yahoo.com

Riserva Regionale Guardiaregia Campochiaro Oasi WWF