STAGE 1
From Varzi (PV) to Capanne di Cosola (AL)
WAYMARKS:
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From Varzi to Monte Chiappo
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From Monte Chiappo to Capanne di Cosola
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From the Piazza del Mercato of Varzi (m 416 sl), you go over the bridge of the Staffora stream and turn left on to the dirt road, continue southwards along the river bank for about 800m, at the cossroads turn left. The trail is well marked with arrows coloured red-white-red. The dirt road turns into a path that starts with a steep up-hill of rocks and stone steps then goes back to a dirt road that takes you to the small village of Monteforte (m 697 sl). At the fresh water trough you turn left onto a tarred road slightly down hill, before taking a dirt stone road to the left going up (Sentiero Del Grillo N°036 Monteforte – Bosmenso) and after 10mins you will reach a crossroads.
You leave the road going to Bosmenso village still going up-hill you turn right into a lovely Chestnut woods and after about 20mins you will arrive at S.P. n°91 Varzi-Castellaro di Cella. You turn left on to the tarred road and after roughly 2,5km you arrive at Castellaro (m 760 sl). At the crossroads to Casanova Staffora you turn right still on the tarred road after 50m you go to your left for another 50m. Now it becomes a dirt and stone trail. You walk to the first crossroads where you turn right and immediately you have the second crossroads where you turn left. You go up-hill through the woods until you come to a tank of the aqueduct, after a few turns of the trail you will find a narrow and steep path that goes up through the woods of Beech trees.
After about 15mins you will come to a crossroads where you turn right on the dirt road for 200m, you will see on your right a small basin of water. Continue on the path, straight up the hill till you reach a dirt flat road.
You leave the road going to Bosmenso village still going up-hill you turn right into a lovely Chestnut woods and after about 20mins you will arrive at S.P. n°91 Varzi-Castellaro di Cella. You turn left on to the tarred road and after roughly 2,5km you arrive at Castellaro (m 760 sl). At the crossroads to Casanova Staffora you turn right still on the tarred road after 50m you go to your left for another 50m. Now it becomes a dirt and stone trail. You walk to the first crossroads where you turn right and immediately you have the second crossroads where you turn left. You go up-hill through the woods until you come to a tank of the aqueduct, after a few turns of the trail you will find a narrow and steep path that goes up through the woods of Beech trees.
After about 15mins you will come to a crossroads where you turn right on the dirt road for 200m, you will see on your right a small basin of water. Continue on the path, straight up the hill till you reach a dirt flat road.
Going to the right for about 400m you will come to a curve where you turn left and go up, still with the Beech trees. The way is steep and takes you to an open field in the middle of beeches and firs trees. You meet up with a wide dirt road that turning to your right it will take you in about 30mins to Pian della Mora (m1380 sl). Here you find a camp with a picnic area, there is a crossroads that to the left takes you to the village of Cegni (trail n°004). Keeping straight southward you reach a grass summit and immediatly you find La Via del Mare (n°105) which is an alternative trail from the town of Tortona that takes you to Portofino, for a very long way it is the same as the Old Way of Salt.
You have now arrived at the ridge between the valleys of Curone and Staffora, and continuing through green fields, beech and larch trees. Passing by Monte Boglelio (m1492 sl) you reach Monte Bagnolo (m1550 sl) where there is another small camp. You continue along the ridge for about 15mins until you arrive at Colle della Seppa (m 1485 sl), where there is an important crossroads. The Salt trail goes along the ridge heading southwards, going to Monte Garave (m1547 sl) outflanking Monte Rotondo (m1568 sl), with a steep up-hill the trail arrives at Monte Chiappo (m 1701 sl): it is the highest point on the route. On the top there is a statue of St. Joseph the Carpenter; in addition it is an excellent panoramic point giving you a 360° view of The Po Valley, The Alps and The Ligurian sea, it is also the meeting point of the three regions: Piedmont, Lombardia and Emilia. On the summit there is a care-taken refuge with a chair-lift connected with Pian del Poggio (m 1320 sl). Continueing on the ridge the route goes down quickly and in 30mins you arrive at the villages of Capanne di Cosola (m 1496 sl) or Capannette di Pej (m 1463 sl).
You have now arrived at the ridge between the valleys of Curone and Staffora, and continuing through green fields, beech and larch trees. Passing by Monte Boglelio (m1492 sl) you reach Monte Bagnolo (m1550 sl) where there is another small camp. You continue along the ridge for about 15mins until you arrive at Colle della Seppa (m 1485 sl), where there is an important crossroads. The Salt trail goes along the ridge heading southwards, going to Monte Garave (m1547 sl) outflanking Monte Rotondo (m1568 sl), with a steep up-hill the trail arrives at Monte Chiappo (m 1701 sl): it is the highest point on the route. On the top there is a statue of St. Joseph the Carpenter; in addition it is an excellent panoramic point giving you a 360° view of The Po Valley, The Alps and The Ligurian sea, it is also the meeting point of the three regions: Piedmont, Lombardia and Emilia. On the summit there is a care-taken refuge with a chair-lift connected with Pian del Poggio (m 1320 sl). Continueing on the ridge the route goes down quickly and in 30mins you arrive at the villages of Capanne di Cosola (m 1496 sl) or Capannette di Pej (m 1463 sl).
