montemonaco
 
A short way south of Montefortino, MONTEMONACO , a walled medieval village of cobbled streets and yellow stone houses, is close to some of the Sibillini's most legendary sights. One, the cave of the sibyl , whose occupant gave her name to the mountain group , is a two-hour walk west from the village, though periodic rockfalls can make this a less-than-rewarding excursion. The other, through the Gola dell'Infernaccio (Gorge of hell), southwest of the village, is a spectacular and fairly easy hike; buses run by the Infernaccio fork, from where it's a three-hour walk to the gorge. Even the approach to the gorge, down a narrow valley, is evocative: silent, except for the distant roar of the River Tenna seething through the Gola. Although a straightforward walk in summer, it can be hazardous in winter, as the memorial plaques on the cliffs at the entrance testify. Climbing up beyond the bridge, the path follows the river, squeezing its way under jagged overhanging rocks, accompanied by the deafening sound of raging water. After a second bridge the path forks, the lower leading to the tranquil source of the Tenna and the upper, more interestingly, in about half an hour, to the Hermitage of San Leonardo , occupied by a solitary monk.

The Rifugio Monte Sibilla (June-Sept Sat & Sun; mid-July to mid-Sept daily; tel 0736.856.422; for information from the comune at Montemonaco, call 0736.856.141), close to the cave, is the best base for climbing Monte Sibilla; without your own transport you'll have to walk. It lies about 6km east of Montemonaco along the path which eventually leads to the cave. As the path is only barely visible you'd be advised to take the Kompass Monti Sibillini map.

To do the best of the Sibillini treks, you need to travel 8km east from Montemonaco (though you'll either need to take a taxi or have your own transport) to FOCE , where you can stay in the Taverna della Montagna (tel 0736.856.327; L60,000-90,000/¬30.99-46.48). The hike, through the Valle del Lago di Pilato and up to the Lago di Pilato and Pizzo di Diavolo (Devil's Peak), is fairly tough; you'll need the Kompass map, and you shouldn't attempt it at all outside the high summer months and only in good conditions, as the snows don't melt until June. Here, guarding the entrance to Umbria, stands Monte Vettore (2477m) the highest of the Sibillini peaks.

According to the legend of the lake, Pilate's body was dispatched from Rome on a cart pulled by two wild oxen, who climbed up into the Sibillini and ditched the corpse in the water here. In the Middle Ages it became a favourite haunt for necromancers seeking dialogues with the devil - stones inscribed with occult symbols have been found on its shores. Deciding they wanted to be rid of the magicians, the local lords one night put soldiers on guard around its shores. Nothing happened until the morning, when the soldiers discovered that the lake had turned red; assuming it was with the devil's blood, they fled. What in fact turned the water red was a mass of minuscule red Chircephalus marchesonii , a species of fish indigenous to Asia; a shoal was stranded here millions of years ago when the sea receded, and its descendants still thrive.