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This mountain range forms the backbone of Italy and extends
for 1400 km (870 miles) from the French border to the southern
tip of Italy and across to Sicily. It is largely comprised of
sedimentary sandstone layers, deposited in a long-lost sea
some 250 million years ago.
The mountain range was created between 66 and 2 million
years ago, somewhat later than the Alps, but resulting from
the same collision of the African and European tectonic
plates.
The local regions of Lunigiana and
Garfagnana boast a number of appennine
mountains
around 2000 m. The range is
characterised by gorges and lakes and is similar in feel and
appearance to the eastern Alps, but with considerable
variations in character between individual peaks.
Monte Prado, the highest of the local peaks rises to its
summit (2054m) via gentle slopes clothed in blueberry bushes,
whereas Crinale dei Laghi, at only 1800m, has a sharp knife
edge summit and a variety of vertiginous rocky cliffs. Click
on Photos-Albums-Slideshows
to see a slideshow of photos taken whilst walking in the
Appennines. | 
