In the hills and lower mountains, all walking routes are equally suitable for mountain bikes and horses. The most old-fashioned means of transport, are now very much back in vogue, in response to the need for quiet and contact with the environment which has led those most aware of the relationship between man and nature to make an apparent return to the past - although there is really a large dose of re-invention involved. Today, the rediscovery of a slower means of transport is linked to a new mentality, which appreciates slowness because it allows us to observe the landscape and environmental features which speed forces us to ignore. Traditionally the status symbol of the wealthy, horses are now accessible to more and more people, and there has been a corresponding boom in tourism on horseback, aided by the growth in the number of farmhouses offering accommodation for riders and their steeds. The last few years has seen a rapid rise in the trend towards farmhouses offering hospitality, as farmers in remote areas have turned their out of the way locations to their advantage by providing walkers, riders or cyclists food and bed and breakfast. This benefits both sides; for the wayfarers the farms provide the same service as mountain refuges, and the farmers themselves protect and maintain the environment. On the other hand, farmers struggling for economic survival in marginal areas can supplement their incomes by selling tourists food, accommodation and local produce. There are riding centres right across the Apennines (at Serramazzoni, Iddiano, Pavullo, Polinago, Sassostorno, Piandelagotti, Sant'Anna Pelago, Fiumalbo, Pievepelago, Sestola and Fanano) where beginners can obtain instruction and tourists on horseback can find accommodation for their mounts. All these villages lie on routes way-marked by the A.N.T.E. (Italian Horseback Tourism Association) which lead across the Modena Apennines, passing by refuges and farms where hospitality is available. Mountain biking is also extremely popular.

Bikes can be hired in most resorts of any size, and many visitors also bring their own two wheels with them. There are a wide range of possible itineraries, running along riverbanks and watercourses, through national parks (such as the Percorso Belvedere, which crosses the Parco dei Sassi di Roccamalatina), or along the paths way-marked by the C.A.I. (using red and white stripes with numbers in black) or the G.E.A. (the triangle identifying the main long-distance walks). A careful look at the C.A.I. walkers' maps and guides will soon reveal the routes which are not too risky or strenuous - some paths, particularly along the main mountain ridge, are best enjoyed on foot.

The increasing interest in hang-gliding and para-gliding has led to the establishment of a para-gliding school, based at Pian del Falco (Sestola), with Monte Calvanella as its main launch site.