How to Hike the Valley of the Oxen, Sicily Italy. Episode 148

We hike the Valley of the Oxen (Valle dell Bove) east of Etna Volcano to reach the Arco di tufo. This was a difficult CAI (Catania Alpine Club) day excursion. Our objective was the Arco di Tufo, a keyhole in a strange rock formation high up the lava slopes of Etna volcano.

From the car park we ascend through the forest to the ridge of the Valle dell Bove lava field, where we descend to the Serragiannicola Grande Canal, then along the Serra (the remaining remnant of old collapsed sections) to the Arco di tufo, also called the Stove of the Valley of Oxen. I call it the keyhole. We then descended via the lava sand slopes and cross the old lava canals of 1991-93 on our return.