For walking between Rifugio Cervati and Tempa del Fico there are two alternatives:

via Ruscio di Vallevona and Valle della Mezzana

The first one I traveled in May 2016. It crosses the the top plateau of the highest mountain of cilento with spectacular views, coming by the sanctuary Maria della Neve and the place La Nevera. All this is documented well elsewhere and the guys from the refugio can give good advice. From La Nevera a path marked as „SI – Sentiero Italia“ leads down the north side of the mountain. It is a bit difficult to find but it’s nothing wrong with just going down through the forest. At the ground of the vally there is a dirt lane to be followed to the left until on the mountain pass between Monte Cervati and Cima di Mercori the road from the sanctuary is met. This is to be followed until the place „Ruscio di Vallevona“ with a water fountain, picnic area and some wooden houses.

Here you leave the road to the right onto a little slighty ascending path. The path ends on the mountain pass between Cima di Mercori and Monte Faiatella and you go down on the other side without a way but very easy through forest, turning right on a dirt lane further down the valley until almost to the eastern end of the Campolongo meadow. Here you turn half left on the road to Sorgente Maglianesi. Passing the spring and water fountain a well visible way starts leading horizontally along the slope giving some nice views into Valle di Pruno. A few metres after another spring with plenty of water you descend through woods into Valle della Mezzana until you meet the dirt lane from Croce della Mezzana to Tempa del Fico. It soon changes to a well visible path leading down the valley always staying on the right side of the ground. Near the end of the Mezzana valley you have to keep somewhat right until coming to the lower end of the Colurzo valley having some private property on the left side. Several gates have to be passed which easily open by hooks in the middle. The B&B Tempa del Fico is then straight ahead. There simple accomodation and great food is offered to the traveller.

via Vallone Colurzo and Valle Mercori

The other alternative I have walked on April 7, 2018 using a gpx trail on wikiloc created by Elea Outdoor Trekking. Its maximum altitude is 250 m lower than the first route. Because it was early in spring I hoped to have somewhat less trouble with snow or ice. Through the lower part of Vallone Colurzo they did not walk on the ground of the valley but on it’s western i.e. right slope. The dirt land from the road to the B&B Tempa del Fico is to be followed straight on. It changes to a path and after a cattle gate it turnes right into the valley. Because of many animal traces the way is difficult to find. The section through the scrub goes horizontally and not upward. When the scrub changes to light forest the path is better visible and continues horizontally along some cliffs for about 50 m even quasi inside.

The path reaches the ground of the valley a few metres below Scanno del fuoco and before a waterfall of about 20 metres in height. The gpx trace changes to the other side of the valley. But becuase I wasn’t able to see a path oder traces there I decided to not cross the stream and climb up to a path I had found on the IGM map. The gradient was very steep but the path was really there, for the first part going horizontally, later going down to the ground again at the confluence of two streams. Crossing the left one und easily climbing up between the two streams the road from Sorgente Maglianesi und Campolongo was reached and followed to the left.

At the beginning of Campolongo the route goes uphill, first between trees, later on the quasi unvegetated slope calles Raia dei Gigantini. Keeping a bit left a little mountain pass is reached. About 200 m behind this you come to a dirt road at a hairpin curve. Follow this down the Mercori valley for 2 km and then turn right onto another dirt lane. After 1 km of slight ascending valley a little pass is reached where the view opens towards Monte Motola, Serre dei Cuponi and the Cervati. To the right side down the slope a well visible path leads to the road from Piaggine to the Rifugio Cervati in the area of Sorgente del Calore. The spring is not accessible but at the road there is a water fountain.