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Maja, the Eagle of Majella

THE FIRST JOURNEY OF MAJA: THE HERMITAGE OF SAN BARTOLOMEO

A hearty welcome to all readers of our Blog! In the previous articles, I explained why the blog is called the Eagle of the Majella and where the name Maja comes from. What I did not tell you is that our eagle is now just an eaglet, dealing with its first flight lessons. In this article I will tell you about its first flight on the Vallone dello Spirito (the Spirit deep narrow Valley), where it is hidden one of the wonders of the Majella Park: the Hermitage of San Bartolomeo in Legio.



Our eagle Maja that is able now to master the art of flying, decides to explore the area surrounding the farm stay. Starting from the Borgo San Martino, it flies past the hamlet of

Roccamorice, and after having contemplated the view and breathed the special atmosphere, sitting for a while on the roofs, it continues its exploration of more mystic and silent places, immersed in the nature.


During its flight, our eagle Maja sights people going along a narrow path. Filled with curiosity, it decides to follow them and explore unknown places.
The first part of this path unfolds under the trees’ shadow. After a junction the vegetation becomes rich in ferns. A colourful pathway, thanks to the multitude of butterflies that populate this area. Filled with joy for the scent of flowers and of the wild oregano, and accompanied by the melodious sound of birds and cicadas, and cheered up from the fresh breeze swinging genistas covering the fields, our Maja cannot refrain from basking in the peace and in the silence that wraps up this place. Visiting these places, we can better understand how the tales’ authors took inspiration from the fairylands and other sylvestrian creatures.
Just re-emerged from the thick “ferns’ wood”, its glance crosses one more spectacular view: on one side the Rapina and Pesco Falcone mounts, with a small wood overhanging the Guado di Sant’Antonio, even known as the Eye of the Indian due to its shape, that observes and sees that nobody disturbs Nature, and on the other, there is the Vallone dello Spirito, behind which it flows the torrent Capo La Vena. Our eagle can just hang on this breathtaking view, in order to enjoy the fine spectacle.


Further going along the path, the fascinating places are not yet over. The pathway goes down a small tunnel bored into the rock and reaching a clearing behind which stands a wall, the façade of the Hermitage of San Bartolomeo. It is amazing to think that almost a millennium ago, but probably since the Stone Age, men had inhabited these places. And if one thinks that they even built a hermitage, that leaves us really stunned. Even because, those who lived in this place were men who remained long time isolated and absorbed in meditation and prayer.


Maja was used to see the villages inhabitants, with their comforts, and it could not imagine there could men able to live for long periods far from the civilization, but thanks to the wonder, the peace and the silence of these places, we are not surprised that some decided to remain here, in order to breath an atmosphere far from noises and distractions.
After exploring the inside of the hermitage and after having quenched its thirst with the fresh waters of the Spring of Catenaccio, our eagle decides to return peaceful to the Borgo San Martino, satisfied with its discoveries and more and more spellbound by this territory called Majella Park.

I hope you have appreciated the description of this area surrounding the beautiful hermitage. As our Maja is a bird, it preferred to mainly observe the landscape and the nature that surrounds this place. If you wish more information about the hermitage and its history, visit this website page: Hermitage of San Bartolomeo in Legio.
Thank you for your attention, reading this article and I hope you will join the journey of Maja, ‘the Eagle of the Majella’, discovering these wonderful places and its environment. I remind you that on next article, as you’ll discover soon, we will not only treat the territory, but also well-being and other topics.

Graziano,
staff collaborator of the farm stay Il Portone, Borgo San Martino

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