Description

Capo D' Uomo is an iconic crag near Porto S. Stefano, south of Grosseto.
About 40 min drive from Grosseto and about 2 hours from Rome. It comprises two areas the first one closer to the approach trail is the "SPORT ROUTE" area. Moving downward towards the sea there is the multi-pitch area.
the sport routes area was initially developed by the alpine guide Eraldo Meraldi (who also developed the multi-pitch area) and more recently re-bolted and expanded with more new routes by a team of bolters from the Grosseto area.

History

The Torre di Capo d'Uomo is a coastal tower located in the municipality of Monte Argentario, about 350 meters above sea level, on the summit of the hill of the same name, which rises in the western part of the Argentario promontory, in a dominant position towards the sea, almost halfway between Porto Santo Stefano and Porto Ercole.
The tower was built in medieval times, most likely by the Aldobrandeschi, before a large part of their territories became part of the Republic of Siena, where the Argentario promontory was entirely incorporated. In the second half of the sixteenth century the tower became a fundamental reference for the defense system of the State of the Garrisons, being able to send light signals between the Torre di Cala Piccola and the Torre della Maddalena, which were unable to communicate visually with each other.

The tower continued to perform the original sighting functions for which it was used for centuries, only being definitively abandoned in the nineteenth century. Its position in an impervious and difficult to access place meant that there was no interest in purchasing it from private individuals, and so the ancient defensive structure underwent rapid deterioration, also favored by the place particularly exposed to action of the winds.

Routes on Capo d'uomo
30 sport 6 Likes
Photos
Premium topo by Falesie dimenticate
Gianfranco Bigazzi
from Discovery Bay, Lantau, Hong Kong
Vanessa Vee
from Hong Kong
Lorenzo Masala
from Grosseto
Capo d'uomo

The area is access sensitive!

From Porto S. STEFANO drive to the parking indicated by these co-ordinates (42.40102579598612, 11.11294566340444 ) (Monte Argentario GR, Italy ). Cross the road and walk from the parking area to the crag on the dirt road. The crag is right below the medieval watch tower you can easily locate it with these coordinates: 42.39618973553373, 11.104020981572123.
approach is about 15 minutes. It is a pleasant walk. Cars are not allowed on the dirt road.
Note: on the dirt road about 300 m from the parking you will find a barrier Sometimes it is closed, and sometimes it is open. Anyway, it's to prevent car access not walk access. Bypass it and keep walking on the main road till an opening. On your left side, you see a field with olive trees protected by a fence. Follow the fence till its end when the road makes a right turn and starts to go uphill.
You will see a trail that climbs sharply up for a few meters in the bush. Follow it and you are on the shortest trail to the Medieval Watch Tower (Or what remains of it).
You will not miss the impressive wall below the tower where the sport crag is located.