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Technical difficulty: easy
Length of route: 19,1 km
Difference in height above sea level: 316 m
There are no technical areas,the first 3 kilometres are downhill, along a main road, until you get to Straccoligno beach; here you continue along a grit road uphill, but not steep, and easy to cycle along.
You cycle upwards along the North-Eastern part of the promontory, and from sea level you get to the Villaggio delle Ripalte where the view is fantastic and the coast is made up of inlets, bays and very quiet beaches
Once you reach the Villaggio delle Ripalte you follow the wide, busier grit road until you get back to where you started off in Capoliveri.
You must bear in mind that there are no natural springs along the way, so if you are thirsty the only place you can buy something to drink is at the grocer's inside the Villaggio delle Ripalte, but it is open only during the summer.
Minimal physical preparation
Since you will be tackling approximately 20 kilometres with a difference in height above sea level of 316 metres, we would advise you not to try it if you are using your bike specifically for this occasion; on the contrary, if you are fit and often go out on your bike, you should be able to cope with the route.
Route
Departure is from opposite the police station in Capoliveri; follow the signs for Straccoligno that you will get to at km 3,30 than head for Punta Buzzancone (6,12 km).
Go past the junction on your left that leads to Stagnone beach (km 7,88) and keep going util you get to the junction for Villaggio delle Ripalte(km 9,18) then go straight on until you get to a short but steep uphill road.
At the top take the left turning at the junction, and , at the end of the straight road keep going straight on along the gravel road then go under the porticato that leads to the village, and arriving at km 9,64; you will then see the small grocer's.
Keep going straight on until the village is behind you then take the road for Costa dei Gabbiani: don't go off the main road but keep going for another 9 kilometres until you're back where you started in the town of Capoliveri.
We suggest you make some stops along the way to admire thebeauty of the coast, the Vallone mine and the Mineral Museum at km 13,3.
At km 15,8 you will come to another fantastic, panoramic lookout point near Cessa dell'Asta, and from here you can see the southern coast of the Island of Elba in the distance, as well as the Capo di Stella, Capo Fonza and Capo Poro promontories; if you look out across the sea you can see the Islands of Giglio, Montecristo and Pianosa, and, when the weather's good, even the Islands of Corsica and Giannutri.
Keep going until you get back to where you started, having covered a total of approximately 19,1 kilometres with a difference in height above sea level of about 316 metres.
Description thanks to Gian Piero Mocali
Cell. 328 7242289
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