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This stage starts in the Fonte dell'Acqua area, where the Sirente Velino Park locates the Sirente Chalet and access to several high-altitude trails, in a setting that immediately introduces the more open dimension of the massif. Here, the Sirente plains stretch out like a large karst basin at the foot of the mountains, among pastures, beech forests and small seasonal ponds, in a setting that invites you to walk calmly and attentively. From your very first steps, this stage owes its identity to one of the most evocative places in the entire area. The Sirente Crater, set into the plain at an altitude of about 1,100 metres, is a small, almost elliptical lake. Its origin is shrouded in mystery: the Park suggests the scientific theory of meteoritic origin, while the surrounding landscape retains the simple majesty of the Abruzzo plateaus, with grazing livestock and the profile of the Sirente dominating the skyline. Along this part of the route, the path becomes wide, luminous and straightforward, leaving room for that feeling of freedom that is often sought when climbing in the mountains. Continuing towards the Rocche Plateau, the route encounters the Anatella Spring, a well-recognised waypoint in the Park. It can also be reached along path 16 from Vado della Forcella. It is a discreet but very effective presence when telling the story of this stage. The spring restores a sense of proportion, orientation and refreshment, marking the transition from a broad karst plain to a more guided landscape, where the trail begins to lead you towards the final village. This is one of the reasons why the last stage successfully achieves a fine balance, starting with the wide, bleak and wild spaces of the Sirente but ending with a more secluded, historic and inhabited spot. Arriving in Rovere gives you precisely this feeling of having reached a destination. The village, at the foot of the Sirente chain and about three kilometres from Rocca di Mezzo, is described as the last bastion of the Marsica and the first of the Aquila area. The ruins of the castle, the walls and fortified structure still tell the story of a place of passage, defence and meeting place for travellers. After the vastness of the meadows and the crater, Rovere welcomes you with a more compact and protective shape.
