Capoliveri Bike Park - Calamita

Departure / Arrival: Capoliveri
Length: 18,9 km
Technical difficulty: medium-easy. This is the least challenging of the five routes that make up the Capoliveri Bike Park that more or less goes right round Monte Calamita. There are no natural springs along the entire route but if you are thirsty you can buy some water at the grocer's that is part of the Tenuta delle Ripalte Village but the village is open only during the summer season.
Total height difference: 800 m
Max slope: 25,5%
Average slope: 6,5%

This route takes its name from the promontory of Monte Calamita where the  Bike Park is. It starts in Piazza del Cavatore in Capoliveri and then goes towards the old road that leads to the mines.

Approximately 1 km further along a grit road takes the place of the main road and here the panorama suddenly opens up to the blue western coast of the promontory, and you are surrounded by the colours and scents of the Mediterranean bush. Continue pedalling and you cant help but notice the beaches of Morcone, Pareti and Innamorataat the foot of the valley, with the tiny Gemini islands facing them. There are several scenic spots where you can easily look out to the southern coast of Elba with the promontories of Capo di Stella, Capo Fonza, Capo Poro; if you look out to the sea you can also admire some of the Tuscan islands: Giglio, Montecristo and Pianosa and on a clear day you can also see Corsica on the horizon.

5 km further along, once you get to Calone valley the roads tends to go slightly uphill until you get to the Old Workshop Museumbeaches of Cannello, Vetrangoli and Remaiolo. Continue uphill until you get to the Tenuta delle Ripalte.

Turn right once near the riding school and you will get to Ginevro mine: here the road starts to go downhill and you will be looking out to the eastern part of Elba with the coastline of Tuscany in the background. The scenery before you is truly breathtaking, rich in inlets, bays and beaches that are practically deserted: Stagnone, Capo Calvo, the tiny Sassi Neri lake.

The route continues at times uphill, at times downhill towards Straccoligno, along the tiny beaches of Buzzancone, Istia, Calanova, Malpasso, Ferrato and Straccoligno all easy to reach.

At this point you are back to the main road that goes uphill to Capoliveri, and the only challenging part is towards the end of Castagni (10%) by which time you have reached the end of your route.