Solo woman hiking safety in southern Sicily

I don’t know, might be just my sixth sense and age, but women hiking solo anywhere bothers me. It amazes me when people on these forums make statements like “I felt perfectly safe” or “ I had no problem” or just be aware of your surroundings and you should be fine”! No one can always be aware of ones surroundings and it only takes that one slip and fall or a wrong turn, or who knows what else, that might spell disaster.

See if you can hook up with some other women for some added safety, at the least.

I agree with Diane.

Beyond the implications expressed so far and depending on where and what kind of hiking you are talking about, my advice would be to never hike alone anywhere.

Why? Because the potential for injury is significant. If you are alone and your cell phone doesn't work where you are and you fall and you're not on a popular trail, how are you going to get help?

In southern AZ we have people getting rescued all the time. Just in the past couple of days one hiker had to be rescued after hiking only about a mile. He was totally unprepared for the heat and rough terrain and had to be helped to return.

There was also a large group of hikers (40+) who somehow got stuck and couldn't get out of where they were. Two had to be helicoptered out.

If you hike with others, even if no one's cell phone is working, at least you can support each other and someone can go for help if needed.

Man or woman, I would only hike alone in busy places - and I expect Sicily not to be busy when it comes to hiking.

A young French man recently died in the Naples area after falling in a ravine and breaking both legs. It took 9 days to find him even though he made an emergency call when he first fell. One person, commenting on the article I read, said she and her family had hiked in the same area, found the trail markings to be confusing and the trail steeper and more slippery than they expected. They ended up spending the night on the trail and in the morning found out they were perched just a few feet from a steep drop off. So I would be worried about the language barrier if there were an emergency, and would also be concerned that in another country trails might not be described, marked, or maintained the same way as we are used to if we hike in the U.S.

When I was researching hiking in Spain a few years ago, there were free guided hikes through their park system. Hope you can find a local hiking club or a park service group to join.

I have no knowledge about hiking in Silicy specifically but I have done extensive solo hiking in Spain, Portugal (including Azores), Austria and Italy most recently Sweden , Denmark and the mountains above the valley of Oaxaca Mexico. Have been doing this for for some time (now 68 years old).
I do extensive research and not reluctant to turn around if the trail is too slippery so I don't walk in the rain unless the trail is flat. I always have a cell phone with the Sim card of whatever country I'm currently in.
I'm not willing to give up my freedom to engage in my favorite way to be in the world. There are places where I wouldn't walk alone of course. And alone or with someone there are no guarantees. For example on the Applachian trail in Virginia a man and woman were attacked on the trail. The woman escaped with severe injuries and the man died on the trail from his injuries.

Sicily is spectacular for many reasons, culture, food, sea, landscapes. We also love hiking but Sicily is not our favourite place for hiking, just a general sensation really, stray dogs can be an issue in some areas, too. Apart from all the above issues that hiking alone is never a really good idea I would feel safer in Sardinia, and in spring the landscapes are really beautiful and clean.....

Sardinia is on my list but I'm back to Oaxaca in October and back to Italy in May. Will be solo hiking in the mountains around Torino and then using Brescia as a base trails around Lake Iseo using the train connections from Brescia. Then several days in Bologna with day trips to Potetta Terme for a taste of walking in the Apennines.

Good friend who "used" to go out frequently on her home turf. Fell a mile or so in on an easy hike. Bashed in her face, got a concussion, double vision and didn't drive for two months.

Since we've been to Sicily, I'm not sure I see a lot of hiking opportunities in south eastern Sicily. I'd spend my time enjoying the food and wine. Better hiking elsewhere.

Regarding Lake Iseo, since we live in the area, have a look at the train timetable Brescia Edolo for trains along the east of the lake. You'd be better off basing in Iseo than Brescia or you will have to waste 30/40 minutes each way. Also, train is fine if you want to do easier trails like Valeriana or Toline - Vello but if you want to go higher up in the mountains like Monte Guglielmo or other hikes in Adamello Park or Valcamonica you need a car to get to your starting point or they will be very long hikes...

I'm not a hiker. Cell phone signals are not always the best in trees and such.

Just curious to the experienced --

Would carrying a flare be of use if you are fallen ill or trapped? I guess if there were too many trees around then it could be more dangerous if caught on fire.

There are hand carried small (safety) devices that are either battery operated or hand wound operated. I have them from years ago put out by the Red Cross. They have an LED light and a siren that can be heard pretty far (not for miles though.)

The one with the "siren" I have is about the size of a P&S camera. It also has other features on it too -- radio, light. Not sure if the Red Cross still sells them or has similar. The hand wound operated ones are convenient to keep in your car - obviously no need to worry about batteries.

If you are still wanting to solo hike, I am sure you will be prepared as much as you can. Look into some kind of "warning" device that passersby can hear if you need help.

Take plenty of water. If needed, perhaps take a travel packet of electrolyte (slim and sold in Walmart or other grocers). Carry granola bars. Rope. Rain poncho. Ace bandage. Mini roll of duct tape can prove to be very useful too. **

I think if you are asking about "solo" hiking, then you must already be aware or know of these simple things to help you along.

Having traveled solo to Rome a couple of times, I carried my ID essentials -- PP, medical information on index cards (inserted into my PP.) If a solo traveler is rendered unable to speak, having that vital medical and personal information would be extremely beneficial for quick and efficient treatments by the doctors or paramedics.

** added suggestion

Doing a little browsing through our OP's previous posts, it's very clear that she is definitely not a novice hiker nor new to Italy/Sicily or travel abroad in general. It's also not always possible or desirable for avid trekkers to find companions so both men and women hike solo all the time. Angelina, I'm sure you don't need to be reminded just to tell someone where you'll be going and approx. when you expect to be back. Take your contact's phone# so if you get held up because of, say, a transport delay, you can let them know you're OK (I'm a hiker myself). Pretty sure you already do that so....

A post from our OP on the joys of traveling solo and her personal safety tips:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/france/solo-women-travelers-2b08d670-f126-4fde-93ad-ca82a89e393f

Angelina, I think your safety concerns might be around wildlife to be wary of, potential of running into roving humans with malice on their minds, etc.? Can you clarify? I see you did Path of the Gods solo last year? Well done!

Being prepared and aware is justified and prudent being paranoid and afraid is not productive. My only falls have been in situations where I allowed myself to be distracted in places like the museum in Spoleto where I missed a step, minor ankle twist and another misstep when exiting a Lisbon metro both not serious but just got lucky.
As far as being alone on a trail I especially in the US, I prefer that rather than encounters with armed angry white males.
The Camino de Santiago probably the most traveled and crowded trail in Spain/Portugal has robberies in the albergues and muggings and worse on the path.
Preparation, planning, local knowledge, not being reluctant to back out of any situation (this applies to all my solo travel not just walking) is important.

Thanks Tinac for the info regarding Lake Iseo. I value local knowledge highly. However a train ride of 30 minutes for me is the opposite of a waste but instead is an opportunity to relax and see the area without the worries,hassel,and expense of car rental.
Lots of walking from Brescia with a short train journey.
Brescia to Iseo 23 minutes. Brescia to Sale Marasino to access the Strada Valerian 35 minutes. Brescia to Sulzano 32 minutes with a short traghetto to Monte Isola.
And Brescia to Provaligo Iseo R3 line 27 minutes to access the trail for the area of the Franciatorta Vineyards.
Apologies to the Op for moving away from Silicy but perhaps the info will be useful for others.

Hi. I have a solo trip planned for Sicily in the near future that will involve some light hiking, but probably in more well-traveled areas in the Aeolian islands and near Cefalu. I have been getting helpful information in general from the Trip Advisor Sicily forums. They have several Sicily experts and locals who post. I would suggest you post this question there, giving the general timeframe of your travels and specifically what area's you will be visiting. You will probably get responses from the experts as well as others who have hiked Sicily. Good Luck and Happy Travels.

I always insist that my husband hire a guide or join a group when hiking. Better safe than sorry. There have been too many situations where solo hikes have not ended well, and women face additional dangers.

Consider satellite technology as an electronic hiking buddy:

https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/personal-locator-beacons.html
Abbreviated attribute quote:

Personal locator beacons (PLBs): This satellite-synced device sends an
SOS signal to rescue agencies, along with your location. Key
attributes include:

• Works in remote areas worldwide*

• Stronger signal than a satellite messenger (unobstructed view of sky works best)

Satellite messenger: This device can also send an SOS signal;
additionally, it offers communication options and a wide range of
other functions. Key attributes include:

-Works worldwide, though coverage varies by brand*

• Unobstructed view of sky is needed for a good signal

*PLB and satellite messenger brands don’t all use the same satellite networks for SOS signals; all networks work fine in the U.S., but
global reach varies. If you’re going to a remote area, check the
coverage map for the device(s) you are considering.

Hi, yes all the lake Iseo hikes you mentioned are doable by train but Iseo itself (Iseo is a town, not only the name of the lake) is on the train line so your travel times from Iseo would be down to 10 minutes...... however it is a small town on the lake and Brescia has all the facilities of a large city....

Cat's suggestion to post on TripAdvisor is a good one as, while I'm not a member, their Sicily forum is very active. As she said, they also have some solid local-intelligence posters on that one. Less active but where you might be more likely to receive advice from kindred intrepid types is Lonely Planet's Thorn Tree forum.

In both cases I'd add a little background to your question, such as your age and experience, and more specifically the type of safety issues you're concerned about, if possible.

As mentioned, solo hiking can be problematic anywhere if what you are considering is off heavily used tracks. Now, there are some very experienced well prepared hikers. If this is you, then take personal GPS system.

The other thing, check Sicily for whether there are feral boar problems....in which case....well, I don't need to go there. They are nasty b*+gers.

Looking through the Lonely Planet guide 'Hiking in Italy' hiking near Etna and SE Sicily looks to be a fantastic adventure but not one to be taken lightly. They list emergency numbers prominently and reference dedicated emergency response groups. They also list hiking guides who specialize in the area. The book may be hard to locate. If you have specific questions, send me a PM.

I’m not a hiker but a quick search using the key words TREKKING+SICILIA gave me several hits of Italian organizations on the subject. I had no idea Sicily had so many trails of all levels of difficulty.

I share the opinion that hiking alone in secluded trails is not a good idea because of the possibility of getting injured and needing help. I wouldn’t worry too much about human sexual predators (a possibility but uncommon) or animal predators, even less likely as Italy doesn’t have many, especially Sicily where the wolf the only dangerous animal in the island in the past) is now totally extinct thanks to the Sicilian Lupara (wolf shotgun) which nowadays can be used only for mafia killings.

Roberto, there are wild boar in Sicily and responsible for some deaths almost annually....if you can believe Google searches. However, down the food chain from wolves....of whatever version you wish. Boars are agressive and tusks will do major damage. Also prolific breeders, so numbers tend to k crease unless there are open hunting seasons for them. Not an animal I would want to face and not out of the realms of possibility.

Left alone, cinghiali do not attack humans. Yes, a cinghiale that's cornered will do what it takes to escape. Yes, there are some incidents each year, but they almost always involve hunters and people out with their dogs. Cinghiali hunts use beaters to corner the animal(s) for the kill which becomes inherently dangerous. People walking dogs off-leash get hurt when the dogs go after the cinghiali and the owner goes after the dogs.

The Casentino National Forest where I go often is full of wild boars. I’ve had several encounters with them (also in Kauai). They run away when they see humans. They are not like mountain lions or Grizzlies in North America. They are more likely to attack hunting dogs chasing them not hikers.