The Gargano is the spur on the heel of Italy's boot, a block of limestone pushed out into the Adriatic, and in its heart lies the Foresta Umbra, the shady forest. The forest holds ancient beech, along with oak, hornbeam, maple and yew, and parts of it are protected as primeval beech forest in the UNESCO listing that links the beechwoods of the Carpathians and Europe. The canopy is so dense that even in July the air under the trees is cool, and the ground is carpeted with ferns and cyclamen.
There is wildlife here. Roe deer slip between the trunks at dawn, and there are wild boar, wildcats and a lot of birds, including woodpeckers and, if you are lucky, the rare white-backed woodpecker. In spring, orchids bloom in the clearings, dozens of species of them. Beyond the forest the Gargano plunges to a coast of white cliffs, sea caves and pine-backed beaches, but the interior is a quieter, older world.
The roads over the Gargano are some of the most enjoyable in southern Italy. They wind through the beechwoods in long, shaded curves, with a surface that is good in places and patched in others, and a few steep sections where you will be in second gear. Traffic is light outside August, when the coast crowds up. In summer the forest is a refuge from the heat of the plain. Mist can sit in the trees in autumn, and winter brings occasional snow, which can close the higher roads.
Vico del Gargano, about ten kilometres away, has seven thousand people and fuel, with a beautiful old quarter of whitewashed alleys and a famous narrow street, Via Mancini, nicknamed the Kiss Street, while Carpino is smaller. Carpino is known for its folk music festival. Stock up on fuel before you climb, since the forest has few stations, and bring a picnic. Local specialities include caciocavallo cheese, orecchiette with turnip tops, and the bitter oranges and lemons that grow on the coastal slopes.