Monte Castellare loop

This magnificent loop on the slopes of Monte Castellare offers breathtaking views of the neighbouring valleys, the plain of Bastia, Elba Island and, on a clear day, even the Italian coast.
It alternates between wooded and open sections until you reach the summit at 1,000 metres, where a magnificent oak tree provides welcome shade for a picnic or a siesta.
The descent takes you through the charming hamlet of Costa.

Details

729584
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 5.86 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 55 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 427 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 427 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 999 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 572 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the large square in front of the Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul and the Campile Post Office.

(S/E) Take the large staircase leading south, then turn right onto the street.

(1) The well-marked trail leaves the road at the hairpin bend and enters the shady undergrowth towards the north-west, then turns south-east.

(2) When you reach the spring and its shady bench, the path to the summit leaves the loop and heads right towards the west. It is marked with red signs.
After winding between a few rocky peaks, you will reach the huge holm oak tree, standing alone at an altitude of 1,000 metres, the destination of this hike: Monte Castellare.

(3) The return journey follows the same route until you reach the fork at the spring.

(2) Continue the loop straight ahead towards the east in the direction of the village of Costa.

(4) Cross this village and continue north-east.

(5) On the road after Costa, after a cross on the right and just before a small sheepfold, turn right down an unmarked path that will allow you to cut across all the loops in the road in a straight line to Campile and reach the church square (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 572 m - Church square
  2. 1 : km 0.46 - alt. 604 m - Path in the bend
  3. 2 : km 2.33 - alt. 877 m - Source: Albaretu
  4. 3 : km 3.04 - alt. 999 m - Grand Chêne
  5. 4 : km 4.84 - alt. 710 m - Costa
  6. 5 : km 5.2 - alt. 697 m - Path on the right near a cross
  7. S/E : km 5.86 - alt. 572 m - Church square

Notes

Access by car from the coast is via the T20 to Barchetta, then the D515 which climbs to Campile. The large church square provides easy parking.
There is also a train station in Barchetta for those arriving without a car. A trail allows you to walk from Barchetta to Campile, but this will add a few kilometres and 450 metres of elevation gain to the hike.

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 36 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
Daniel.2b
Daniel.2b

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 13, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very beautiful hike with magical views, but one downside: the return route was poorly marked and downright disastrous in the village of Costa, which was a shame
A very beautiful hike despite everything

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User 6546848

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Easy and enjoyable.
Do it with my dog Azul

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luisipatrick
luisipatrick

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 06, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant loop to do at this time of year. Please note that the oak tree mentioned in point 2 has probably been struck by lightning as it is lying on the ground and the wood is dry.
Don't hesitate to push on to the cross (about ten minutes); in our case, we were greeted by a magnificent herd of Corsican goats.
There is a superb view from the cross, where we had lunch before setting off again.

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User 12244614

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 23, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The trail lacks signage and is poorly maintained.

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Nicorsu
Nicorsu

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 30, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Don't hesitate to climb Monte Castellare for a magnificent view.

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Frederico
Frederico

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 16, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Pleasant walk with no particular difficulty, nice viewpoints

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sarah64000
sarah64000

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 19, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

hike completed on 19/09/24

very nice walk in undergrowth except for the ascent to Monte Castellare which is well exposed to the sun
it is very well signposted, you need to follow the yellow markings to the fountain and then the big red dots for the ascent to the summit. i recommend that you don't stop at the old dead oak but continue to follow the red markings which pass before the oak on the left and which lead to La Croix which marks the summit at 1010m of Monte Castellare. The 360° view is superb. You can even go a little further by continuing to follow the red dots to see the other valley, 100m after La Croix.
Once back at the fountain (which no longer flows and looks nothing like a fountain as it's just a pipe sticking out of the ground), you can leave your phone at home, just follow the yellow line that leads you straight down into the forest to COSTA (don't follow the app's GPS track). Then there are signs written CAMPILE for the return to the village.
no water points on this route
my GPS indicates 7.3 km and 506m of D+.

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LAFAY
LAFAY

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 29, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The path is very well cleaned, but there is a lack of signs in some places (especially on the way back, towards the end), fortunately we had an app!
It's a very pleasant place with a beautiful view.

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laclau sebastien
laclau sebastien

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 12, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very nice hike, but be careful to follow Costa's signs beforehand, as the GPS route will lead you astray in the woods.

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LucASec
LucASec
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 28, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

The fountain no longer flows, even in winter! So there's no water on the path. The solitary oak has fallen.
The town council has taken charge of signposting the paths (including this one) around Campile
Sta strada hè avà assai ben signalata. Ancu troppu bè (m'avete capitu...)

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Tatoo
Tatoo

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 29, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Got lost in the forest at the end

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BAMX
BAMX

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 27, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful walk

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Juliejank
Juliejank
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 25, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Nice walk at the end of September. Not too crowded, not too hot, not too hard. Very warm stop at Béa's house.
Apparently the oak was uprooted by the wind, not by lightning. Its "skeleton" of trunk and branches is quite impressive. A short detour to La Croix, not very long.

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Huerga
Huerga

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 07, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

It's a lovely easy walk, short and not too steep, on very well-maintained paths with very effective signposting, and part of the route is shaded.
There are superb views over the Golo valley, the Cinto and San Petrone....
This is a hike to try out with teenagers, with zero risk, measured effort and maximum discovery effect.
A word of advice: the old oak has fallen, but go as far as the summit cross for a 360° view.

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MV69
MV69

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 18, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very nice, varied walk with no particular problems!

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