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Channel for hiking around Genova ( mirror of liguriah.wordpress.com )
Sori (Sunday, April 21) – Given the favourable weather, is anyone up for one last hike-without-swim? The plan for Sunday is to have one more walk away from the sea (but not too far, actually!) and conquer the scenic peak of Mt Possuolo, in the Sori inland.The route is well described on at https://www.appenninista.it/teriasca-possuolo/ and features the picturesque hamlets of Teriasca and Canepa, narcissi in bloom and the ruins of a medieval shelter near the peak, as the path used to be well trodden because of the salt trade. if we’re lucky, we might be able to spot some of the wild horses that roam between Mt Possuolo and Bocchin di Levà.Hike is rated as E (medium), has 750 mt of vertical gain and should take around 4 hours.Return will be around 5pm, from Sori train station.——————-How to get to Sori, and how to come back alive:On Sunday, 21st April, let’s meet at 10:33am at the entrance of Sori station.Suggested trains are:for those travelling eastwardsREG – 10:05 Genova Brignole – Sori 10:33for those travelling westwardsREG – Sestri Levante 9:27 – Sori 10:07for those travelling southwardsREG – 07:32 Milano Lambrate – Sori 10:07As usual, if you have doubts, questions, Hamlet-like dilemmas… feel free to message me ( vidlothianATgmailDOTcom ) or call me (+39 3297203364)
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Ronco Scrivia Train Station h 10:00 am till 18:00Since the weather this weekend it seems to perfect for hiking, shall we have a short hike to the royal mountain of Ronco Scrivia?
If it were so, let’s meet at 10:00 at Ronco Scrivia train station… and head up to the top of Monte Reale, across chestnut woods and pudding stone formations. The mountain peak hosts the shrine of Loreto, where once stood a castle. The shrine rises at a height of 902 mt and can offer 360 degree views over the Alps and the sea. While spotting the Alps looks a bit unlikely, we should have clear views over the west, south and east.
Despite there being almost 600 metres of elevation gain, hike is rated as “T” (easy). Hiking time should be around 3 hours.
You may read more about Monte Reale on:– http://www.monte-reale.it/documents/scheda.html(detailed description of the hike, we’ll do a circular loop via Monte Reale and Minceto)– http://www.parcoantola.it/gallery_dettaglio.php?id=6697How to get to Ronco Scrivia, and how to come back alive:
On Saturday, let’s meet at 9:52 am at Ronco Scrivia station. Recommended trains are:
– if you’re going northwardsReg 12120Genova Brignole 09:13 Genova Piazza Principe RV 2122 09:30 Ronco Scrivia 09:52– if you’re going southwardsRV 3067Milano Centrale 08:30 Ronco Scrivia 09:59
Return may be around 5:00pm.As usual, if you have doubts, questions, Hamlet-like dilemmas… feel free to text me or call me (at +39 3337756854)
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Sunday, 17 December » Bogliasco – Anyone up for one more hike before Christmas? As this weekend I’m afraid I’m short of time, for pursuing ambitious goals like Mt Manico del Lume or Cinque Terre, I would suggest having a walk to the easier to reach village of Sessarego, so as to admire its mechanical xmas crib. Located in the inland of Bogliasco, the hamlet will again be having a party, with guided tours, music and wine, just like one year ago.In order to get to Sessarego, we can try following the trail described on:
http://www.verdeazzurroligure.com/index_htm_files/Anello%20Bogliasco.pdf (I guess the first four lines of the pdf are the fruit of some hasty copy&paste!)
Hike takes about 2 hours, has about 300mt elevation gain and apparently is rated as E (medium), due to some potentially intricate woods between the villages of Poggio Favaro and Sessarego.Meeting point: on Sunday, December 17, let’s meet at 10:42 at Bogliasco train station.Recommended trains:if you are travelling eastwardsReg – Genova P.Principe 10:11 – Bogliasco 10:41if you are travelling westwards
Reg – Sestri Levante 9:27 – Bogliasco 10:14if you are travelling southwards
Reg – Milano 7:25 Bogliasco 10:14Return will be from Bogliasco, probably around 4pmMore on the Xmas crib: https://www.facebook.com/presepemeccanizzatosessarego
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Saturday, 2nd December: Genova Principe – Following some rainy days, it seems like we’ll have decent weather for the weekend, maybe on Saturday and almost certainly on Sunday.
There are so many things going on, according to Mentelocale and LevanteNews, that it’s probably worth trying to do something on both days, even though Saturday’s weather might not be ideal.Plan for Saturday is to have a simple walk across some of the Genovese forts, probably #1 trail listed on
https://www.visitgenoa.it/sites/default/files/I%20Forti%20e%20il%20Parco%20delle%20Mura_0.pdf ,
with a possible bonus hike in case of dry weather.More specifically, the idea is to start off by visiting the famous presepe della Madonnetta ( https://lamialiguria.it/2022/12/presepe-della-madonnetta-ge/ ). Not sure whether it’s wiser to take the cable car from Zecca or walk our way there, I guess we can decide on the spot (and you probably know better than me!).
We’ll then reach Righi, where we can kick off the fort exploration by walking to forts Sperone and Begato (if the weather is kind, we could add Forte Puin to the list, since it grants a better view over the Genovese hills and the sea).
Our walk will continue towards Forte Tenaglia: the fort will be alive with a Xmas market and some guided tours, so it might be worth stopping by before heading down to Brin. Last but not least, at Certosa theatre young (and talented) pianist Claudia Vento will be hosting a free concert at 18:00: it’s a very interesting one, since it features Beethoven’s Hunt Sonata and some Chopin. There’s even some guided tour of Certosa at 17:00, but maybe that’s adding too much to the program?Return will be from Brin, possibly around 7:30-8:00pm (maybe 8pm, since the metro is free 🙂 ).Hike is labelled as T (easy) and takes about 2 hours (not including the sightseeing stops and the potential bonus hike to Puin).How to get to Genova Principe, and how to come back alive:Shall we meet at 10:50am by the entrance of Ostello Bello, in front of Piazza Principe station?Suggested trains to Genova Principe (*):if you travel eastwards:
REG – Genova Voltri 09:56 » Genova Piazza Principe 10:27if you travel southwards:
REG – Milano Lambrate 08:37 » Genova Piazza Principe 10:25if you travel westwards:
REG – Sestri Levante 9:27 » Genova Principe 10:40(*) if you buy your regional ticket online, watch out as Trenitalia added the nonsensical “check-in” feature, for the sake of making things more complicated. If you’re coming from afar, you may consider getting the 3 day regional pass for 29 euro. However, it seems like travelers from Milano can no longer benefit from the “Italia in Tour” ticket, since they added the restriction that it can’t be used in Lombardia.
———-As usual, if you have doubts, questions, Hamlet-like dilemmas… feel free to write me (at vidlothianATgmailDOTcom) or call me (at +39 329 7203364)
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Saturday, 28th October → Ronco Scrivia – It’s time to say farewell to daylight saving time, which means that from now on the hikes will get either shorter or darker. Before they do, let’s seize the chance to walk on what should be a bright sunny SaturdayAs the sea is expected to be very rough, heading to the coast is a bit pointless, so let’s move to the inland and try to conquer one of those mountains that we’re still missing: Monte Alpe di Porale.Located on the borders between Piemonte and Liguria, the 830mt mountain promises 360 degree views that (with some luck) will encompass both Alps and sea.Plan is to get there from Ronco Scrivia train station. The walk features several chapels and chestnut groves, a lookout point that goes by the name of Tana dell’Orso (Bear’s Lair… no idea why and, of course, hope we don’t find out the hard way!) and a panoramic big purple bench. We might skip Monte Porale if the walk from the village of Porale to Monte Alpe looks easier.The itinerary is brand new (we always explored the eastern part of Ronco Scrivia but never the western one), according to
https://www.appenninista.it/ronco-alpe/
and
https://roncoscrivia.unionedelloscrivia.ge.it/turismo/escursioni/
(the last one of the page) it should take around 3,5/4 hours and is rated as E (medium).How to get to Ronco Scrivia, and how to come back alive:On Saturday, October 28, let’s meet up at Ronco Scrivia station at 10:50.Suggested trains are:– if you’re travelling northwards (*)Reg 2124: 10:27 Genova Principe – 10:50 Ronco Scrivia– if you’re travelling southwards (*)REG 3017: 08:30 Milano Centrale ( Milano Lambrate 08:37) 10:01 Ronco ScriviaReturn will be from Ronco Scrivia, possibly around 4:30-5:00 pm.(*) if you buy your regional ticket online, watch out as Trenitalia added the nonsensical “check-in” feature, for the sake of making things more complicated. If you’re coming from afar, you may consider getting the 3 day regional pass for 29 euro. However, it seems like travelers from Milano can no longer benefit from the “Italia in Tour” ticket, since they added the restriction that it can’t be used in Lombardia.
———-As usual, if you have doubts, questions, Hamlet-like dilemmas… feel free to write me (at vidlothianATgmailDOTcom) or call me (at +39 329 7203364)
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Saturday, 30th September → Framura – Let’s take advantage of the very favourable weather forecast and have our traditional hike to Bonassola for the Madonna del Rosario celebrations, before we wrap up the hike&swim season. Since 10 days ago we didn’t manage to have a proper swim in the sea, let’s compensate for that by walking along the green-azure trail that runs along the coast, from Framura to Bonassola. More specifically, the plan is to follow the Framura promenade till Lavallà beach, then head up to Anzo and follow the directions on http://www.verdeazzurroligure.com/index_htm_files/VA12%20Framura%20-%20Bonassola%20new.pdf until we reach Bonassola.Hike takes around 3,5 hours, with 300 metres elevation gain, and includes detours to the always charming beach of Sca, the spine tingling Hop of the Hare lookout point and the quaint town of Montaretto (I assume we’ll need some water refill before reaching Bonassola)Hike is rated as T/E (although the descent to Sca is E/EE as it’s rather steep. However, it’s not dangerous at all).By 4-5pm we’ll be in Bonassola, where we can soak in the festival atmosphere, beginning with the bell concert that’s scheduled at 4:30pm. For those who wish to stay longer, the firework show will take place at 10:45pm.
——————————-How to get to Framura, and how to come back alive:On Saturday, 30th September, let’s meet at Framura train station at 11:01 am.Recommended trains are (*):if you travel eastwardsREG 3015 + REG 12223
Genova Piazza Principe 9:15 – Genova Brignole 09:24 – Framura 11:01if you travel westwardsREG 12222: La Spezia Centrale 10:15 – 10:53 Framuraif you travel southwardsREG 3015 + REG 12223
Milano Lambrate 7:32 (Rogoredo 7:38 ) – 11:01 Framura(*) if you buy your regional ticket online, watch out as Trenitalia added the nonsensical “check-in” feature, for the sake of making things more complicated. If you’re coming from afar, you may consider getting the 3 day regional pass for 29 euro. However, it seems like travelers from Milano can no longer benefit from the “Italia in Tour” ticket, since they added the restriction that it can’t be used in Lombardia.
———-As usual, if you have doubts, questions, Hamlet-like dilemmas… feel free to write me (at vidlothianATgmailDOTcom) or call me (at +39 329 7203364)
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Saturday, 2nd September, Moneglia – It seems like the heat waves are giving us a break this week, at least till Saturday (on Sunday the blazing summer may knock on our door again).
Given the not so hot temperature and the calm sea, let’s have a Saturday hike&swim to one of most picturesque shores in Liguria: Valletta (Moneglia), famous for its crags and emerald sea. Last year we skipped it, so it makes sense to go back now.In order to get there, we’ll try to have an unusual loop from Moneglia: we’ll start with an urban walk, across the hamlets of Crova and Ca’ Bianca, then we’ll move on to Mt Comunaglia before heading down to Valletta. Path features several lookout points and, even though we’ve never walked along it, it should be in good condition, since one month from now it will be used for the Andersen Marathon (a crazy running event that’s more than 40km long)Hike is roughly described on http://www.verdeazzurroligure.com/index_htm_files/Anello%20Monte%20Moneglia.pdf + https://www.appenninista.it/puntamoneglia/ ,
should take 3,5-4 hours (2,5-3 hours to Valletta + 1 to Moneglia), has 500 metres of elevation gain and is rated as T/E (easy/medium)… and E/EE (medium/hard) for the swimming part: if you wish to dive into the water, be warned that a little care is required to enter the sea. Also, be warned that there may be no water taps along the way: make sure you bring plenty of water!How to get to Moneglia, and how to come back alive:
On Saturday 2nd, let’s meet at the entrance of Moneglia station at 11:05 am.Recommended trains are:
— if you travel eastwards
REG 3015 + REG 12223 – Genova Piazza Principe 9:11 (Genova Brignole 9:23) Moneglia 10:51— if you travel westwards
REG 12222 – 10:15 La Spezia Centrale – 11:05 Moneglia— if you travel southwards
REG 3015 + REG 12223 – Milano Centrale 07:25 (Milano Lambrate 07:32 – Milano Rogoredo 07:38) Moneglia 10:51 (*)Return will be from Moneglia, possibly around 5:30pm. There’s actually a potentially interesting event (about travelling and Schubert, at Oratorio dei Disciplinanti: https://www.genova24.it/evento/il-viaggio-conversazione-fra-letteratura-storia-geografia-e-musica-a-moneglia/ ): still have to figure out whether it’s worth staying in Moneglia for the evening, the singing part would definitely be interesting.PS: As usual, if you have doubts, questions, Hamlet-like dilemmas… feel free to write to me (at vidlothianATgmailDOTcom) or call me (at +39 329 7203364)(*) PPS: Unfortunately, it seems like travelers from Milano can no longer benefit from the 3-day “Italia in Tour” ticket, since they added the restriction that it can’t be used in Lombardia. Rules are pretty fuzzy, though, I tried asking the customer center and they also were doubtful about the correct interpretation, although in the end they believe that it cannot be used in Lombardia (while it’s allowed to travel past the Cinque Terre as long as you don’t get off, an extra ticket must be bought to travel from Milano to Tortona). If you come from Torino, you’re lucky as you have no problems of this kind!Last but not least, if you buy your regional ticket online, watch out as Trenitalia added a nasty “check-in” feature. The easiest way to get rid of all problems is to check in as soon as you can (I believe you can check in from midnight of the same day)
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29th July, La Spezia – After a sizzling and turbulent month of July, it seems like we’ll have a pleasant weekend ahead, with sunny and mild weather and a calm sea… the ideal conditions for Saturday’s hike? As you may have guessed, this weekend’s goal is La Spezia, as the “natural swimming pool” event unfolds in Portovenere.For the uninitiated, the Portovenere strait will be off limits to boats. From 3pm till 6pm, boats won’t be allowed to cross it, thus making it feasible to swim from Portovenere to Palmaria (that’s about 300mt).Plan then is to have a hike along our favourite trail in Liguria, the so called Infinite Trail, across olive trees, a windmill and majestic views over the coast. The “infinite” trail probably owes its name to the fact that the alignment of Mt Muzzerone, Portovenere and the islands of Palmaria and Tino make the trail appear much longer (almost infinite) than it actually is.Since we haven’t been there for some time, let’s head to Campiglia and walk along the classic route to Portovenere, which takes around 2 hours. In order to put less strain on our knees, we’ll probably head down via the easier Muzzerone hut trail (no detour to Fort Muzzerone this time). As for getting to Campiglia, we can either walk from La Spezia or take a bus ride to Marola and then reach Campiglia via trail 528 (90 minutes).Hike is rated as “E” (intermediate), with an elevation gain of 600 metres.You may read more about the Infinite trail on:Seguendo Minerva a Portovenereand about the Natural Swimming Pool on:https://lamialiguria.it/eventi/la-piscina-naturale/How to get to La Spezia, and how to come back alive:On Saturday, July 29th, let’s meet at 10:10am outside La Spezia Centrale railway station, near the red human pyramid monumentSuggested trains are:» if you are travelling eastwards:IC 505 – 08:53 Genova Piazza Principe (9:01 Genova Brignole) 10:09 La Spezia (might get booked out, so don’t wait for Saturday to buy it!)» if you are travelling southwards:REG 3015 Milano Lambrate 6:32 (Rogoredo 6:38) Genova P.Principe 8:16
(*) +
IC 505 Genova P.Principe 8:51 – La Spezia 10:09(if you have blind faith in Trenitalia and you want to make the most of your 3-day ticket, there’s a way, via Parma, which is covered entirely by regional trains)Return will be from Portovenere/La Spezia, possibly around 6pm/7pm.(*) if you’re coming from afar, you may consider getting the 3 day regional pass for 29 euro.As usual, if you have doubts, questions, Hamlet-like dilemmas… feel free to message me ( vidlothianATgmailDOTcom ) or call me (+393297203364)
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Sunday, 2nd July – As usual, it’s that time of the year when Rapallo celebrates the anniversary of the apparition of Mary on the Montallegro hills with a colorful array of fireworks (both at midday and at night). This year we’ll probably miss the burning of the castle (since it happens on Monday), but we’ll be able to enjoy plenty of fireworks over the weekend.Since Sunday has a better weather and sea forecast, let’s pick it for our Montallegro hike: besides, according to tradition, it’s on a hot second day of July from 500 years ago that the Virgin Mary appeared in front of a shepherd on the Rapallo mountains and handed him a Byzantine portrait, that can be seen on the altar of the shrine (should you prefer to hike on Saturday, please head to the bottom of this event description for an alternative hike).The Sunday plan then is to follow the classic route described on https://portofinotrek.com/it/da-rapallo/46-119-rapallo-sant-ambrogio-montallegro-rapallo.html#/1-passante_per-rapallo, possibly with the detour to see the via Crucis on Mt Rosa. This will allow us to benefit from a trail that runs mostly in the shade of the Montallegro woods and have a few water taps along the way (as well as several lookout points over the Portofino peninsula).Will it be possible to swim? Hopefully yes, the sea might be a bit rough, but the Castello dei Sogni or Pozzetto beaches should offer enough protection from the waves. If the sea turns out to be calm, we might even be able to try the recently opened Natural Swimming Pool (a body of sea water, marked by buoys, that supposedly connects Castello dei Sogni to Pozzetto).Hike is rather long (3,5-4 hours) but easy-medium.You may read more about the festival on:Pagina principaleHow to get to Rapallo, and how to come back alive:On Sunday, July 2nd, let’s meet at the entrance of Rapallo train station at 10:53.Suggested trains are:— if you travel eastwards
REG 12345 10:05 Genova Brignole – 10:53 Rapallo— if you travel westwards
Reg 3261 – 09:50 La Spezia Centrale – 10:40 Rapallo— if you travel southwards () Reg 3015 – Milano Centrale (Lambrate) 07:25 (07:32) Rapallo 10:02 ()Return will be from Rapallo railway station… around 6pm (without fireworks) or midnight (if you’re up for watching the complete show).(*) if you’re coming from afar, you may consider getting the 3 day regional pass for 29 euro.As usual, if you have doubts, questions, Hamlet-like dilemmas… feel free to message me! (at vidlothianATgmailDOTcom or +393297203364)PS: If anyone is in the mood for a rather adventurous quest in uncharted lands on Saturday, plan is to visit the famous and elusive Castello della Pietra, which we have never managed to reach in 13 years of hiking. The updated bus timetables give us a glimmer of hope that it might be feasible to get there. In truth, a good deal of luck with public transportation will still be required, to get to Vobbia starting point of the hike, but if you’re feeling lucky let me know: we can try to draw a plan on how to get to the legendary Trail of Castellans leading to the castle that’s nested between two mountains of conglomerate. Hike takes around 1,5 hours (one way) and is wonderfully described on https://sentieridautore.it/2021/04/12/il-castello-della-pietra/
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Levanto, Saturday, May 27 – With the sea temperature reaching 20 degrees, the time might be right for the first hike&swim of the season? Since the weather appears to be more favourable on Saturday, I would choose it as hiking day (and if the weather turns out to be sunny on Sunday as well, we can always throw in a bonus mini-hike for the Recco focaccia festival 🙂 ).As for Saturday, the plan is to hike up to the peak of Mt Focone: we haven’t been on the mountain overlooking Levanto and the Cinque Terre for almost 10 years now (!), so it might be a good idea to seize the chance now, while the weather is still not too hot. Starting point will be Levanto’s medieval walls with the clock tower: from there, we’ll take trail #22 to Colla dei Bagari and up to the peak of Mt Focone, following the route described on http://www.verdeazzurroligure.com/index_htm_files/Anello%20Punta%20Mesco%202.pdf .
From Mt Focone, we can choose whether to do a shorter loop and head back to Levanto or go on until Punta Mesco and then hike back along the coast.Hike takes around 3 hours (short loop) or 4 hours (Mesco loop) and is rated as E (medium), with a vertical gain of 500 metres.We should be back to Levanto around 5pm, in time for a swim or for watching a military parade&concert from Abruzzo, that should take place at 6pm:
https://www.levantenews.it/2023/05/20/levanto-il-27-la-fanfara-di-casoli-chieti-in-corteo-e-in-concerto/How to get to Levanto, and how to come back alive:On Saturday 27th, let’s meet at 11:50am at the entrance of Levanto train station.Suggested trains to Levanto:— if you travel eastwards
REG – 10:45 Genova Brignole – 11:49 Levanto— if you travel westwards
REG – 11:15 La Spezia Centrale – 11:44 Levanto— if you travel southwards (*)
REG 07:25 Milano Centrale (7:32 Lambrate / 7:38 Rogoredo) – 11:49 Levanto(*) if you’re coming from afar, you may consider getting the regional weekend pass for 22 euro. For some odd reason, Trenitalia decided to call it Weekend Insieme ( https://www.trenitalia.com/it/treni_regionali/promozioni-regionali/promo-weekend-insieme.html ) but you’re perfectly entitled to travel on your own.
As far as I understood, this is the penultimate weekend with this deal.As usual, if you have doubts, questions, Hamlet-like dilemmas… feel free to message me ( vidlothianATgmailDOTcom ) or call me (+393297203364)
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Sunday, 16th April – Since Megli is hosting a rather interesting cheese focaccia festival on Sunday, is anyone up for a last-minute hike? Plan is to head back to Colle Caprile and walk all the way to the Recco hills above the coast.In case you came last November, you might remember we took a similar path, when hiking to Sori. This time we’ll start again from Colle Caprile and try the trail that runs parallel to the one we took. This one is slightly more demanding (since it involves a mountain peak instead of a tavern as lunch spot), but it should be feasible: we’ll try to conquer the (allegedly very scenic) peak of Mt Cornua and then will go down to Mt Cassinea and Case Ageno. If something goes amiss with the bus (i.e. if we miss the morning bus due to Trenitalia delays) the backup plan is to have a loop hike from Recco to Polanesi and Redentore and back to Megli (via Case Ageno).Hike takes around 3h30 and is similar to what is described on
https://www.caimilano.org/grupposeniores/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2018/12/190116-Monte-Cornua.pdf
or
https://www.appenninista.it/sori-cornua/How to get to Colle Caprile, and how to come back alive:On Sunday, 16th April, let’s meet at the entrance of Recco train station at 10:51. The bus to Colle Caprile leaves at 11:15.
If possible, try to pack lunch, since we’ll only have 24 minutes to catch the connecting bus.If all goes according to the hiking schedule, we should reach Megli around 4:30pm, in perfect time for the festival.Suggested trains are:— if you travel eastwardsREG – 10:05 Genova Brignole 10:40 Recco— if you travel westwardsReg – 09:50 La Spezia Centrale – 10:51 Recco— if you travel southwards (*)Reg – Milano Lambrate 07:32 (Milano Rogoredo 07:38) Recco 09:49Return will be from Recco, probably around 18:00.(*) if you’re coming from afar, you may consider getting the regional weekend pass for 22 euro. For some odd reason, Trenitalia decided to call it Weekend Insieme ( https://www.trenitalia.com/it/treni_regionali/promozioni-regionali/promo-weekend-insieme.html ) but you’re perfectly entitled to travel on your own.As usual, if you have doubts, questions, Hamlet-like dilemmas… feel free to message me ( vidlothianATgmailDOTcom ) or call me (+393297203364)
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Sunday, 12th February 2023:SoriIt may be yet low season in Liguria, but it’s already time for the first big event of the year, as the mimosa festival unfolds in Pieve Alta on Sunday.Anyone up for having a hike, starting from Sori? The plan is to head to the picturesque hamlet of Teriasca and then follow the southern segment of the route described at https://www.appenninista.it/teriasca-possuolo/
(we’ll avoid Mt Possuolo, but we might conquer the peak of Mt Castelletti)This will allow us to get to Mt S.Croce and Pieve Alta, while avoiding the competitive run that is being held on Sunday.We’ll likely get to Pieve Alta around 3:00 or 3:30 pm, in time for the festival and the distribution of mimosa flowers.Hike is rated as E (medium), has 600 mt of vertical gain and should take around 3 hours.Return will be around 5pm, from the station of Pieve Ligure.——————-How to get to Sori, and how to come back alive:On Sunday, 12th February, let’s meet at 10:48am at the entrance of Sori station.Suggested trains are:for those travelling eastwardsREG – 10:11 Genova Principe ( 10:20 Genova Brignole) – Sori 10:48for those travelling westwardsREG – La Spezia 08:14 (Sestri Levante 9:27) Sori 10:07for those travelling southwards (*)(**)REG – 07:32 Milano Lambrate – Sori 10:07(*) if you’re coming from afar, you may consider getting the (brand new!) regional weekend pass for 22 euro. For some odd reason, Trenitalia decided to call it Weekend Insieme ( https://www.trenitalia.com/…/promo-weekend-insieme.html ) but you’re perfectly entitled to travel on your own.
(**) If you have voting rights in Lombardia and plan on coming back to Liguria next week, you can also opt for the election ticket (however, bear in mind that on Sunday 19th there will be the unmissable Rabadan Carnival in Bellinzona!)As usual, if you have doubts, questions, Hamlet-like dilemmas… feel free to write me (at vidlothianATgmailDOTcom) or call me (at +39 329 7203364)
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RapalloSaturday, December 17 – Following last weekend’s Xmas crib show in Manarola, let’s take advantage of the (short) break from bad weather and have our other traditional end-of-year hike to… you probably guessed it: Mt.Manico del Lume! The idea this time is to get there by walking along the scenic ridge 2G trail between Val Fontanabuona and the Tigullio shore. More specifically, the plan is to catch a bus to S.Maurizio dei Monti and walk to Monte Pegge, so as to have our lunch break at the Margherita hut lookout point ( first part of https://portofinotrek.com/it/da-rapallo/50-130-montallegro-monte-pegge-manico-del-lume-caravaggio-santa-maria-del-campo.html#/1-passante_per-rapallo )
Should things go amiss (i.e. if there are train delays), https://portofinotrek.com/it/da-rapallo/111-344-montepegli-manico-del-lume.html#/1-passante_per-rapallo might be a backup plan.After lunch, we’ll try to reach Mt Lasagna first and then Mt Manico del Lume, where a memorable 360 degree view awaits us, as well as the chance of adding our signature to its guestbook. For coming back to Rapallo, the most straightforward way is probably along the entertaining trail with chains, as it’s way clearer than the path through the woods.Overall, hike takes around 3,5 hours and is rated as E (medium, but becomes a challenging EE in the short section with chains), with 800 metres elevation gain. Needless to say, hiking shoes are recommended and you should not suffer greatly from vertigo.How to get to Rapallo, and how to come back alive:On Saturday, 17 December, let’s meet at 11:07 at the entrance of Rapallo station.Suggested trains are:for those travelling eastwardsREG 12345 – 10:11 Genova Principe ( 10:20 Genova Brignole) – Rapallo 11:07for those travelling westwardsREG 3261 – La Spezia 09:50 Rapallo 10:40for those travelling southwards (*)REG3015 – 07:32 Milano Lambrate – Rapallo 10:02We’ll then catch the 11:25 bus from Rapallo to S.Maurizio dei Monti ( https://www.amt.genova.it/amt/trasporto-multimodale/linee-bus-provinciali/tigullio-occidentale/rapallo/ ), which we’ll reach at 11:40.Return will be from Rapallo, after 6:00pm. If we have time, we can also check the many Christmas cribs spreaded around town (and allegedly there’s also an Alpine choir singing along the streets)(*) if you’re coming from afar, you may consider getting the (brand new!) regional weekend pass for 22 euro. For some odd reason, Trenitalia decided to call it Weekend Insieme ( https://www.trenitalia.com/it/treni_regionali/promozioni-regionali/promo-weekend-insieme.html ) but you’re perfectly entitled to travel on your own.As usual, if you have doubts, questions, Hamlet-like dilemmas… feel free to write me (at vidlothianATgmailDOTcom) or call me (at +39 329 7203364)
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ReccoSunday, 20th November – Apparently, weather on Sunday will be favourable for hiking. Is anyone up for a last-minute Sunday walk in Colle Caprile, to soak up the autumn colors of the inland and admire one of those memorable Sori sunsets?The plan is to meetup at Recco station, catch a bus to Colle Caprile (hopefully we’ll be luckier than in May!) and tread the path along the ridge between Sori and Recco. There will be plenty of colorful woods (perhaps some unpicked chestnuts?), forgotten hamlets like Calcinara and S.Bartolomeo and memorable lookout points, such as the Chapel of Alpines at Case Cornua and the S.Uberto Redeemer monument.Hike takes around 3h15 and is well described on
http://www.verdeazzurroligure.com/index_htm_files/10%20-%20Uscio%20-%20Recco.pdfHow to get to Colle Caprile, and how to come back alive:On Sunday, November 20th, let’s meet at the entrance of Recco train station at 10:54.
If possible, try to pack lunch, since we’ll only have 20 minutes to catch the connecting bus.Suggested trains are:— if you travel eastwardsREG 12353 – 10:11 Genova Piazza Principe (10:20 Genova Brignole) 10:54 Recco— if you travel westwardsReg 3261 – 09:50 La Spezia Centrale – 10:51 Recco— if you travel southwards (*)Reg 3015 – Milano Lambrate 07:32 (Milano Rogoredo 07:38) Recco 09:49Return will be from Sori, probably around 17:30.(*) if you’re coming from afar, you may consider getting the (brand new!) regional weekend pass for 22 euro. For some odd reason, Trenitalia decided to call it Weekend Insieme ( https://www.trenitalia.com/it/treni_regionali/promozioni-regionali/promo-weekend-insieme.html ) but you’re perfectly entitled to travel on your own.As usual, if you have doubts, questions, Hamlet-like dilemmas… feel free to message me ( vidlothianATgmailDOTcom ) or call me (+393297203364)
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Deiva MarinaSunday, 16th October – As the leaves change colors, would you believe that we have not swum in the blue Framurese waters yet this year? Let’s put an end to this appalling piece of statistics by having our (likely) last hike&swim of the year end on the beach of Torsei or Porto Pidocchio. Water temperature is expected to be 20 degrees, a bit chilly but possibly still pleasant after a hike.Plan is to start from Deiva Marina, which will be throwing a festival to celebrate the start of autumn: from there we’ll head towards Framura by taking the trail of cork trees and the Castellaro di Vigo trail; the latter path features traces of ancient civilizations, which date back to 2000 years ago and which we always failed to find; after checking the map that was uploaded on https://catalogo.beniculturali.it/detail/ArchaeologicalProperty/0700373744 , perhaps we can uncover them this time. The trail will end in Castagnola, where we can walk down to Framura while doing some chestnut harvest.Overall, hike takes around 3 hours, has 350 mt of vertical gain and is rated as T/E (easy/medium).Return will be from Framura railway station, perhaps around 5pm.**********************************************************How to get to Deiva Marina, and how to come back alive:On Sunday, October 16, let’s meet at 10:59 am at the entrance of Deiva Marina railway stationSuggested trains are:– if you’re travelling eastwardsReg 9:11 Genova Principe (9:23 Genova Brignole) 10:54 Deiva Marina– if you’re travelling westwardsReg 10:15 La Spezia Centrale – 10:59 Deiva Marina– if you’re travelling southwardsREG 07:32 Milano Lambrate 10:54 Deiva Marina***************************************(*) if you’re coming from afar, you may consider getting the 3 day regional pass for 29 euro.As usual, if you have doubts, questions, Hamlet-like dilemmas… feel free to message me ( vidlothianATgmailDOTcom ) or call me (+393297203364)
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Sunday, 14 April – Anyone up for exploring the mysterious and mystical lands of Borzonasca?Known as the gateway to the Aveto park, the town of Borzonasca marks the beginning of a remote region that sometimes is also nicknamed “Ligurian Switzerland”. The trails around Borzonasca are not difficult, but they bear plenty of atmosphere: there’s an ancient romanic-gothic abbey, that’s among the oldest monastic complexes in Italy, a 600 year old cypress tree… and then there’s the so called “face of Christ”, a 7 metre tall / 4 metre wide monolith on which a human face has been carved. No one has yet been able to determine its origin!Plan then is to follow the indications of http://www.verdeazzurroligure.com/index_htm_files/19%20-%20Borzone.pdf and have a loop around Borzone and Borzonasca. The route also includes “Rocca di Borzone”, a former castle whose ruins now serve as lookout point. We can choose to either complete the full loop and reach the Rocca or, if we skip the lookout point, we could perhaps consider replacing it with yet another enchanted landmark of the region, the Licciorno church ( https://www.genovatoday.it/social/san-martino-licciorno-storia-leggenda.html )The trail features 500 metres of elevation gain, takes around 3 1/2 hours and is rated as “T/E” (easy/medium). Replacing Rocca di Borzone with the Licciorno church will add an extra 40 minutes.How to get to Borzonasca and how to come back alive:On Sunday morning, let’s meet at 11:03 am at the entrance of Chiavari station.From there, we’ll take the 11:21 bus to Borzonasca. As it would be better to start hiking right away, please bring food with you! (of course, you may also get it in Chiavari, if you arrive early)For coming back, I suggest catching the 5:25pm bus from Borzonasca, arriving in Chiavari at 6pm.For more details about the bus, please refer to:
https://www.amt.genova.it/amt/trasporto-multimodale/linee-bus-provinciali-old/tigullio-centrale/borzonasca/As for Chiavari, recommended trains are:if you travel eastwards
REG – Genova Brignole 10:05 – Chiavari 11:03if you travel westwards:
REG – La Spezia Centrale 09:47 – Chiavari 10:32if you travel southwards:
REG – Milano Lambrate 07:32 – Chiavari 10:12Return will be from Chiavari station, shortly after 6pm.As usual, if you have doubts, questions, Hamlet-like dilemmas… feel free to message me ( vidlothianATgmailDOTcom ) or call me (+39 3297203364)
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Recco – Sunday, 17th March – It seems like a rather warm weekend is ahead of us: anyone up for a hike in the Recco inland? If I’m not mistaken, ATP/AMT buses decided to extend their Recco-Colle Caprile service to Calcinara: if that’s true, it would be wonderful news for us, as it means we will have a very good chance to conquer three famous mountain peaks that we’re still missing: Becco, Bado and Croce dei Fo’. However, for this Sunday I would stick to something shorter, as there won’t be that many trains back due to Trenitalia doing some maintenance work.Plan then is to catch a bus from Recco to Calcinara, reach the panoramic peak of Mt Cornua and hike to Recco via the unexplored Testana/Corticella trail (#14 on https://www.lookyhotel.com/images/GP_descrizione_sentieri_confoto.pdf ). Trail 14 follows an ancient trade route and is said to be very scenic, with sweeping views over the Paradise Gulf accompanying our walk down to Recco. We’ll also be able to discover the old hamlet of Testana, with the church of S.Margherita d’Antiochia.Hike should take slightly more than 3 hours and is rated as E (medium). Or T/E (easy/medium) according to https://portofinotrek.com/it/da-recco/132-trail-ad-anello-corto-da-testana-a-monte-cornua-e-monte-del-pre.htmlBy 4:30 we should be back in Recco, in time for the 5:xx train to Genova or Sestri Levante.How to get to Calcinara, and how to come back alive:On Sunday, 17th March, let’s meet at the entrance of Recco train station at 10:57. The bus to Calcinara leaves at 11:15 ( https://www.amt.genova.it/amt/trasporto-multimodale/linee-bus-provinciali-old/golfo-paradiso/ ).If possible, try to pack lunch, since we’ll only have 18 minutes to catch the connecting bus. (if we miss the bus, we could consider doing the hike in the reverse direction, but that would be much more demanding)Suggested trains are:— if you travel eastwards
REG – 10:11 Genova Principe (10:20 Genova Brignole) 10:54 Recco— if you travel westwards
Reg – 09:50 La Spezia Centrale – 10:57 Recco— if you travel southwards (*)
Reg – Milano Lambrate 07:32 (Milano Rogoredo 07:38) Recco 09:49Return will be from Recco, probably around 17:00.As usual, if you have doubts, questions, Hamlet-like dilemmas… feel free to message me ( vidlothianATgmailDOTcom ) or call me (+39 3297203364)
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Sunday, 3 December -> Sestri Levante – Anyone up for an even richer hike on Sunday? As the weather is expected to be quite sunny (as anticipated yesterday), plan is to head to the Sestri Levante inland and explore the trails that lead to the mining town of Masso and its treasures. Legend has it that the biggest gold nugget ever extracted in Italy comes from here.While we probably won’t come back with our pockets full of precious ore, visiting the town of Masso might lead to some surprises, since it will be hosting a Xmas market as well as some guided tours to the mines and the miraculous Loreto shrine. Also, the village is said to be a wonderful lookout point over the sea, so the time might be right to discover it.In order to get to Masso, the easiest way (since I didn’t understand how the special shuttle buses work) is probably to take a bus from Sestri Levante to Castiglione Chiavarese. From Castiglione Chiavarese, we’ll take trail #56 to Masso, as described on https://www.sestri-levante.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/CARTINA-SENTIERI-SESTRI-LEVANTE-1.pdf. It should be an easy 1 hour hike in the woods, along the Petronio river and across an ancient bridge.After visiting Masso, we’ll probably head down to Moneglia, following trail #56 plus the Bracco-Moneglia path, that we took a couple of times when visiting the Davidin tavern. The second part of hike takes slightly more than 90 minutes.How to get to Sestri Levante, and how to come back alive:On Sunday, December 3, let’s meet at 10:30am by the entrance of Sestri Levante station.Suggested trains to Sestri Levante (*):if you travel eastwards:
REG – Genova Principe 09:11 (Genova Brignole 9:23) » Sestri Levante 10:28if you travel southwards:
REG – Milano Lambrate 07:32 » Sestri Levante 10:28if you travel westwards:
REG – La Spezia 09:50 – Sestri Levante 10:25There’s a bus to Bargonasco right away, but chances are we’ll have to take the following one.Return will likely be from Moneglia, probably around 5pm.(*) if you buy your regional ticket online, watch out as Trenitalia added the nonsensical “check-in” feature, for the sake of making things more complicated. If you’re coming from afar, you may consider getting the 3 day regional pass for 29 euro. However, it seems like travelers from Milano can no longer benefit from the “Italia in Tour” ticket, since they added the restriction that it can’t be used in Lombardia.More info about Masso’s wonders:
http://www.minieredoro.it/monte%20loreto.htm
https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santuario_di_Nostra_Signora_di_Loreto_(Castiglione_Chiavarese)
https://primaillevante.it/tempo-libero/eventi/a-masso-mercatino-di-natale-e-villaggio-dei-presepi/———-As usual, if you have doubts, questions, Hamlet-like dilemmas… feel free to write me (at vidlothianATgmailDOTcom) or call me (at +39 329 7203364)
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Saturday, 18th November → Rossiglione – The favourable weather forecast calls for yet another hike in the Genovese inland. Since we haven’t been there for quite some time now, shall we return to the Ligurian grand canyon?Plan is to explore the canyon by doing one of two possible loops around the Gargassa river. For going, we’ll follow the river while paying attention in the couple of spots where we need to find a way to cross it. Even though it has barely 100 metres of vertical gain and takes less than 1,5 hours, trail is rated as E (medium).For returning, we can decide between two trails:1) the eastern one (circle+rhombus mark) is the longest one and perhaps the most interesting one, as it runs along the ridge of the canyon and takes us directly back to Rossiglione; with 250 metres of vertical gain, it’s very panoramic, takes 2 hours and is rated as T/E (easy/medium)2) the western one (3 dots) runs along the western ridge of the canyon; it’s very spectacular in the first half, takes 90 minutes and is rated as E/EE (medium/hard, because of a couple of exposed sections, that are secured with chains). The main drawback is that the second part is not so appealing and the ending is on the asphalt.You may read more about the trails on:https://www.parcobeigua.it/iti_dettaglio.php?id_iti=3433 (western loop)https://www.101giteinliguria.it/da-rossiglione-al-monte-poggio/ (eastern loop)How to get to Rossiglione, and how to come back alive:On Saturday, November 18, let’s meet at the entrance of Rossiglione train station at 11:10 (or on the front coach of the regional train from Genova Brignole)Suggested trains:for those travelling northwards *Reg – Genova Brignole 10:13 (Genova Piazza Principe 10:21) Rossiglione 11:10for those travelling westwards *Reg+Reg – Sestri Levante 8:45 – Rossiglione 11:10for those travelling southwards *Reg or IC + Reg – Milano Lambrate 7:32/08:12 Rossiglione 11:10Return will be from Rossiglione (either at 16:47 or at 18:50)Ah, please bring food and enough water with you (otherwise the 16:47 train will be hopeless!)(*) if you buy your regional ticket online, watch out as Trenitalia added the nonsensical “check-in” feature, for the sake of making things more complicated. If you’re coming from afar, you may consider getting the 3 day regional pass for 29 euro. However, it seems like travelers from Milano can no longer benefit from the “Italia in Tour” ticket, since they added the restriction that it can’t be used in Lombardia.
———-As usual, if you have doubts, questions, Hamlet-like dilemmas… feel free to write me (at vidlothianATgmailDOTcom) or call me (at +39 329 7203364)
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Sunday, 15th October → Recco – As the water temperature is still over 20 degrees, does anyone fancy having one more hike&swim? Plan for Sunday is to walk along the scenic ridge between Uscio and Camogli and, if the weather conditions allow it, conquer the peak of Monte Bello as bonus hike.
The itinerary is the one described on
https://www.lookyhotel.com/images/GP_descrizione_sentieri_confoto.pdf
(#16 and part of #18), it features chestnut groves and scenic views, while following a relatively flat trail. If the visibility is good, we should consider conquering the 712mt peak of Monte Bello (that’s about 40 min extra hike).
Hike is rated T/E (E for the bonus hike), has around 500 metre elevation gain and takes around 3 / 3,5 hours (4 hours with the bonus hike)
We’ll probably reach Camogli around 4:30pm, in time for a quick swim or for checking out the “Palio della Madonna dei Gotti”, which is at 5pm and features chestnuts and beer: the festival honors a statue which can be found in a little alley of Camogli and is said to watch over the fishermen, who thank her for the protection and traditionally celebrate with a glass of wine/beer the return from the sea.
**********************************************************How to get to Recco, and how to come back alive:On Sunday, let’s meet up at Recco station at 10:54 and catch the 11:15 Recco – 11:35 Salto bus.Suggested trains are:– if you’re travelling eastwardsReg 12353: 10:11 Genova Principe – 10:20 Brignole – 10:54 Recco– if you’re travelling westwardsREG3261 09:50 La Spezia Centrale – 10:51 Recco– if you’re travelling southwardsREG 3015: 07:25 Milano Centrale ( Milano Lambrate 07:32) 09:49 ReccoReturn will be from Camogli, possibly around 17:30.(*) if you buy your regional ticket online, watch out as Trenitalia added the nonsensical “check-in” feature, for the sake of making things more complicated. If you’re coming from afar, you may consider getting the 3 day regional pass for 29 euro. However, it seems like travelers from Milano can no longer benefit from the “Italia in Tour” ticket, since they added the restriction that it can’t be used in Lombardia.
———-As usual, if you have doubts, questions, Hamlet-like dilemmas… feel free to write me (at vidlothianATgmailDOTcom) or call me (at +39 329 7203364)
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Sunday, 17th September → Rapallo – Given the weather forecast, Sunday is favourable for hiking: is anyone up for exploring more of the Rapallo inland?The village of San Maurizio di Monti will celebrate its patron saint and, since it’s also their organising committee’s 100th birthday, it might be worthwhile to take a look at what they’re up to? Plan then is to get to S.Maurizio by first having an urban walk across the Two Towers of Rapallo:
https://rapallooutdoor.it/2021/03/13/urban-hiking-percorso-1-le-due-torri/and then by following the route described on:
https://portofinotrek.com/it/da-rapallo/77-rapallo-s-maurizio-dei-monti-passo-della-crocetta-pian-dei-merli-rapallo.html
( for a complete map, take a look at https://www.salitamontallegro.it/assets/pdf/CartaMontallegro.pdf )Hike is rated as T/E (easy/medium) and takes around 3,5 hours, with 600 metres elevation gain. Besides 2 towers, it features several lookout points and a mysterious fresh water spring, that goes by the name of “Cucciottu de San Martin”. By 2:30pm-3:00 we should be at S.Maurizio, where we can soak up the festival atmosphere, before heading back to Rapallo along the ancient salt trail.More about S.Maurizio festival:
https://iltigullio.com/2023/09/13/tigullio-e-dintorni-eventi-feste-e-sagre-16-17-settembre/Return will be from Rapallo, possibly around 5pm (or later, if we combine the hike with a swim at Castello dei Sogni)How to get to Rapallo, and how to come back alive:On Sunday, September 17th, let’s meet at the entrance of Rapallo train station at 11:07. Unless you’re arriving earlier, try to pack lunch, since we’ll walk to the opposite side of the station (the trail starts from there).Suggested trains are:— if you travel eastwards
REG 12353 – 10:11 Genova Piazza Principe (10:20 Genova Brignole) 11:07 Rapallo— if you travel westwards
Reg 3261 – 09:50 La Spezia Centrale – 10:40 Rapallo— if you travel southwards (*)
Reg 3015 – Milano Lambrate 07:32 (Milano Rogoredo 07:38) Rapallo 10:02(*) PS: Unfortunately, it seems like travelers from Milano can no longer benefit from the 3-day “Italia in Tour” ticket, since they added the restriction that it can’t be used in Lombardia. Rules are pretty fuzzy, though, I tried asking the customer center and they also were doubtful about the correct interpretation, although in the end they believe that it cannot be used in Lombardia (while it’s allowed to travel past the Cinque Terre as long as you don’t get off, an extra ticket must be bought to travel from Milano to Tortona). If you come from Torino, you’re lucky as you have no problems of this kind!Last but not least, if you buy your regional ticket online, watch out as Trenitalia added a nasty “check-in” feature. The easiest way to get rid of all problems is to check in as soon as you can (I believe you can check in from midnight of the same day)As usual, if you have doubts, questions, Hamlet-like dilemmas… feel free to message me ( vidlothianATgmailDOTcom ) or call me (+393297203364)
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S.Margherita Ligure, Saturday 12th August – You know what time it is? If you have been part of the group for some time, you must surely know that it’s time for Santa Margherita’s fried fish festival!Since the sea should be calm, a hike&swim is in order and, since we haven’t been there for more than 3 years, I would suggest heading to the bay of Cala degli Inglesi (a rocky shore that lies somewhere between Portofino and S.Fruttuoso and where a Canadian ship sank some 50 years ago). The weather will be a bit hot, but the woods and the many water taps present along the way should make up for the 30 degree temperature. And we can shorten the walk by hitching a ride from one of many electric buses that allegedly will be running for free between Santa Margherita and Punta Pedale (therefore starting the hike from the villas in Via Repellini).Hiking-wise, we’ll follow the western segment of the route described on:
https://portofinotrek.com/it/da-santa-margherita-ligure/62-santa-margherita-nozarego-olmi-portofino-paraggi-cappelletta-delle-gave-santa-margherita.html ,
followed by https://portofinotrek.com/it/sentieri-principali/17-portofino-cala-degli-inglesi.htmlHike is rated as easy, except for the descent to Cala degli Inglesi, which is rated “EE” (for “expert excursionists”). It’s not particularly dangerous or exposed, but some extra care is needed, especially in the last part of the trail (which is secured with chains and rather steep, you can get an idea from the photos on http://www.cralgalliera.altervista.org/calainglesi010.pdf ).Overall, the whole hiking loop takes around 3,5 hours and has 400 mt of vertical gain.How to get to S.Margherita Ligure, and how to come back alive:On Saturday, 12th August, let’s meet at 11:14 am at the entrance of S.Margherita Ligure/Portofino railway station (by the infamous taxi telephone).Suggested trains areif you travel eastwards
REG 12355: 10:11 Genova Piazza Principe (10:20 Genova Brignole) 11:03 S. Margherita Ligure-Portofino
or
REG 3265: 10:45 Genova Brignole 11:14 S. Margherita Ligure-Portofinoif you travel westwards
REG 11368: 09:50 La Spezia Centrale – 10:44 S.Margherita Ligure-Portofinoif you travel southwards:
REG 3015: 7:25 Milano Centrale 7:32 Milano Lambrate 09:58 S.Margherita Ligure-Portofino (*)As for the festival, distribution of the fish is said to begin around 6pm.Return will be from S.Margherita Ligure, somewhere between 6pm (without the fish) and 8pm (with a full stomach).(*) if you’re coming from afar, you may consider getting the 3 day regional pass for 29 euro.As usual, if you have doubts, questions, Hamlet-like dilemmas… feel free to message me ( vidlothianATgmailDOTcom ) or call me (+393297203364)
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Saturday 22nd July, Sestri Levante – It seems like the weather forecast for Saturday is improving! Given that this weekend’s big event takes place on Saturday, I think we can safely place our bets on Saturday (and perhaps leave the sunnier Sunday for a swim?)The big event is, of course, the Sagra del Bagnun, a festival that is primarily about a soup of tomato and anchovies, that is served to everyone (for free) starting from 7pm. As it often happens with Ligurian festivals, there will be live entertainment and fireworks. You may read more about the festival on https://www.sharry.land/en/events/la-sagra-del-bagnun-a-riva-trigoso or https://www.mentelocale.it/genova/eventi/256620-sagra-del-bagnun-2023-a-riva-trigoso-distribuzione-gratuita-fuochi-d-artificio-e-musica.htmAs for the walk, given the not-so-low temperature, let’s have the classic Punta Manara hike in Sestri Levante, as described on https://portofinotrek.com/it/da-sestri-levante/139-547-trail-ad-anello-sestri-levante-riva-trigoso.htmlWhat can we add as bonus hike? Probably not the trail to the sea they’re trying to build at Punta Manara: I understand it is not ready yet and some people, who possibly use openstreetmap, had to be rescued this year.What has been restored and is fully walkable is the path along the slopes of Monte Pagano, the scenic hill that overlooks Riva Trigoso and hosts its city park. We’ll then finish the hike by unveiling the secrets of Monte Pagano.Main hike is rated as T (easy) and should take around 2 hours, with 180 metres of elevation gain. In order to avoid the initial annoying flight of stairs, we’ll probably take last year’s path that starts from the cemetery. The Monte Pagano bonus hike will add an extra 30 minutes.By 4pm we’ll likely be in Riva Trigoso. I’m not sure if we’ll be able to swim, as the sea is said to be rough, but we can give it a try, while waiting for the Sagra to begin.How to get to Sestri Levante, and how to come back alive:On Saturday, July 22nd, let’s meet at the entrance of Sestri Levante station at 11:34 am.Recommended trains are:— if you travel eastwardsREG 12355 10:11 Genova Principe (10:20 Genova Brignole) 11:30 Sestri LevanteorRV 3265 – 10:45 Genova Brignole 11:34 Sestri Levante (might be quite full)— if you travel westwardsREG 12222 – 10:15 La Spezia Centrale – 11:15 Sestri Levante— if you travel southwardsREG 3015 – Milano Centrale 7:25 (Milano Lambrate 7:32) Sestri Levante 10:28 (*)
(there’s also a train at 8:30, with some pretty tight connections)Return will be from Riva Trigoso, possibly between 6:00pm and 11:00pm (depending on how much bagnun you want to eat!)(*) if you’re coming from afar, you may consider getting the 3 day regional pass for 29 euro.As usual, if you have doubts, questions, Hamlet-like dilemmas… feel free to message me ( vidlothianATgmailDOTcom ) or call me (+393297203364)
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Sori – Sunday, May 28 – Since weather forecast doesn’t look so bad anymore, is anyone interested in adding a Sunday walk to Saturday’s hike?
If it were so, let’s meet up at Sori station shortly after noon and walk to Recco via Polanesi, across sundials, old churches, fancy villas and a pirate tower, as described on:
https://prolocorecco.it/images/pdf/depliantitinerari.pdf
Walk takes about 2 hours and has 200 metres elevation gain.
By 2:30pm we should be in Recco, in time for the distribution of their famous focaccia: https://www.mentelocale.it/genova/eventi/250864-festa-della-focaccia-di-recco-2023-focaccia-al-formaggio-gratis-musica-e-mercatino.htmHow to get to Sori, and how to come back alive:
On Sunday 28th, let’s meet at 12:10pm at the entrance of Sori train station.
Suggested trains to Sori:
— if you travel eastwards
REG – 10:45 Genova Principe – 11:53 Sori
— if you travel westwards
REG – 10:15 La Spezia Centrale – 12:10 Sori(*) if you’re coming from afar, you may consider getting the regional weekend pass for 22 euro. For some odd reason, Trenitalia decided to call it Weekend Insieme ( https://www.trenitalia.com/it/treni_regionali/promozioni-regionali/promo-weekend-insieme.html ) but you’re perfectly entitled to travel on your own.
As far as I understood, this is the penultimate weekend with this deal.
As usual, if you have doubts, questions, Hamlet-like dilemmas… feel free to message me ( vidlothianATgmailDOTcom ) or call me (+393297203364) See less
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Saturday, 13th May – Once again, it’s that time of the year when Camogli celebrates St.Fortunato, by offering a sizzling show on Saturday and fried fish on Sunday. Organizing a hike is harder than ever, given that it’s rather wet this week and, as if it were not enough, Trenitalia decided to cut the Pavia-Voghera railway line for 2 consecutive weekends.Still, I think the fish festival is worth some extra effort to get around these hurdles. Since the visually entertaining bits are all on Saturday evening and the forecast should be less wet in the afternoon, let’s try meeting up on Saturday after lunch and walking from S.Margherita Ligure to Camogli. If the weather is favourable, we’ll take the panoramic path that goes across Bocche and Pietre Strette. ( north segment of https://portofinotrek.com/en/from-santa-margherita-ligure/64-174-santa-margherita-ligure-portofino-s-fruttuoso-san-rocco-pietre-strette-santa-margherita.html#/2-passing_through-portofino , hike takes around 3 hours and is rated as T/E, with 500 mt elevation gain)If the weather turns out to be wet, we’ll walk along the easier ancient Roman route, from S.Margherita to S.Lorenzo and Ruta.For those who are yet uninitiated, the Saturday program features two big statues, made of wooden junk, that are brought to the shore and burnt at the stake. There will be a procession, with people carrying the ark of S.Fortunato across town… and plenty of fireworks.We’ll probably arrive at Camogli around 6pm, in time to marvel at the statues, before they get burned, and watch the sunset.You may read more about the festival on:
– http://www.camogliedintorni.it/Falò.htmlReturn will be from Camogli.
Needless to say, if you plan to watch the fireworks and the burning of the statues, you might want to stay until 11pm or midnight.If you choose to stay overnight, take into account that there’s the “buy 1 and get 1 free” train offer also on Sunday (courtesy of Trenitalia and Mother’s Day)**********************************************************How to get to S.Margherita Ligure and how to come back alive:On Saturday, May 13th, let’s meet at 14:05 am at the entrance of S.Margherita Ligure station, by the infamous taxi telephone.Suggested trains are:– if you’re travelling eastwardsREG 13:13 Genova Piazza Principe – 14:05 S.Margherita Ligure – if you’re travelling westwardsREG 13:28 Sestri Levante – 13:55 S.Margherita Ligure– if you’re travelling southwardsa nightmare of regional trains (*) or a long Intercity train, if you’re coming from Milano. A more comfortable connection from Torino.***************************************(*) if you’re coming from afar, you may consider getting the regional weekend pass for 22 euro. For some odd reason, Trenitalia decided to call it Weekend Insieme ( https://www.trenitalia.com/it/treni_regionali/promozioni-regionali/promo-weekend-insieme.html ) but you’re perfectly entitled to travel on your own.As usual, if you have doubts, questions, Hamlet-like dilemmas… feel free to message me ( vidlothianATgmailDOTcom ) or call me (+393297203364)
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25th March, Lavagna – Given the favourable weather and the opening of several major sights (courtesy of the FAI days), is anyone up for exploring the Lavagna inland? This easy hike features the (recently renovated) slate trail that women in old times used to tread, when carrying the slate from the caves down to Lavagna, as well as one of major churches in Liguria, the romanic-gothic Basilica dei Fieschi. Be it because of the marble&slate decorated facade, or because of its historical importance (it was a symbol of the power of the pope), the church was ranked #1 in last year’s FAI contest on Italian monuments to protect.
On Saturday it will be possible to visit it with a guided tour, as well as climb up its bell tower (provided you book a spot at https://faiprenotazioni.fondoambiente.it/evento/abbazia-dei-fieschi-44900/ ; if you do, try to select a slot around 5:00pm!)As for the hike, we’ll start from Santo Stefano basilica in Lavagna and follow slate trail #1, as described onhttps://portofinotrek.com/en/from-lavagna-or-cavi/115-376-trail-ring-lavagna-monte-s-giacomo-monte-rocchette-s-giulia.html#/54-passante_per-lavagnaOnce we reach S.Giacomo, we’ll turn left and head down to San Salvatore.For going back to Lavagna, we’ll likely take the pedestrian path along the Entella river.Hike has a vertical gain of 550 metres, takes around 3 hours and is rated as T/E (easy/medium).How to get to Lavagna, and how to come back alive:On Saturday, let’s meet at 12:35 at the entrance of Lavagna train station (if you wish to reach Lavagna earlier, you can consider taking the guided tour of Casa Carbone, which is also open to the public. I think we visited it some 8-9 years ago).Recommended trains areif you’re travelling eastwards:
REG – Genova Piazza Principe 11:15 (Genova Brignole 11:24) Lavagna 12:27if you’re travelling westwards:
REG – La Spezia Centrale 11:50 – Lavagna 12:35if you’re travelling southwards:
REG – Milano Lambrate 8:37 – Lavagna 12:27Return will be from Lavagna, around 18:30.(*) if you’re coming from afar, you may consider getting the regional weekend pass for 22 euro. For some odd reason, Trenitalia decided to call it Weekend Insieme ( https://www.trenitalia.com/it/treni_regionali/promozioni-regionali/promo-weekend-insieme.html ) but you’re perfectly entitled to travel on your own.As usual, if you have doubts, questions, Hamlet-like dilemmas… feel free to write me (at vidlothianATgmailDOTcom) or call me (at +39 329 7203364)
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18 December (Bogliasco) – After finding out that the hamlet of Sessarego is throwing a party and (allegedly) unveiling its mechanical xmas crib, a second hike might be in order? This one is quite short, as it takes about 40 min to get from Bogliasco train station to Sessarego (250 mt elevation gain)Meeting point: on Sunday, let’s meet at 12:45 at Bogliasco train station.More on the event: https://www.levantenews.it/2022/12/13/bogliasco-domenica-18-sessarego-in-festa-tante-iniziative/
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Genova Brignole26 November 2022 – Anyone up for a last minute Saturday walk ? Over the past years, we explored the Genovese aqueduct a few times, between Cavassolo and Molassana, however we never ventured along the last segment, between Molassana and Staglieno. The plan then is to have a stroll along it (while taking advantage of Trenitalia’s Black Friday deal).The path follows the route of the historical aqueduct, that has supplied Genova with water since Roman times and was partly restored last year… so let’s hope it’s in decent conditions at least!
Walk takes around 2 hours, has 50 metres elevation gain and is well described onhttps://www.visitgenoa.it/sites/default/files/archivio/Pedestribus%20Acquedotto%20storico.pdf (it’s segment #3)Needless to say, this segment will also allow us to have a walk in Staglieno, one of the most famous cemeteries in Europe.
More on Staglieno on:
https://www.visitgenoa.it/en/cimitero-di-staglieno-0How to get to Genova Brignole, and how to come back alive:On Saturday, November 26th, let’s meet at the entrance of Genova Brignole train station (by “Puro Gusto” cafe) at 11:21.From there, we’ll take a bus to Molassana.Suggested trains are:— if you travel eastwards (*)REG – 10:10 Savona 11:21 Genova Brignole— if you travel westwards (*)REG – 09:50 La Spezia Centrale – 11:15 Genova Brignole— if you travel southwards (*)Reg – Milano Centrale 8:30 – Genova Principe 10:28 + one of frequent trains to BrignoleReturn will be from Genova Brignole, probably around 16:00.(*) if you’re coming from afar, you may consider getting the Italia in Tour 3-day ticket, as it’s on sale for 14,50 euro until Monday ( https://www.trenitalia.com/it/offerte_e_servizi/promo_extra_scontoblackfriday.html ). As a matter of fact, everybody should be travelling this weekend!As usual, if you have doubts, questions, Hamlet-like dilemmas… feel free to message me ( vidlothianATgmailDOTcom ) or call me (+393297203364)
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RapalloSaturday, 29th October – Could it be that it’s still warm enough for one more hike&swim? Let’s seize the chance to explore the inland and shore of Rapallo, while enjoying the last day with daylight saving time, and, since it’s Halloween weekend, let’s throw in some ingredients that would make Stephen King proud.First of all, there’s an old village, Gravero, that was supposed to turn into a fancy resort connected by road to Rapallo. However, that didn’t happen and the village was engulfed by the vegetation and became abandoned. Then there’s the pet cemetery, which apparently happens to be the oldest one (!) in Europe.In the event that we bump into zombies, there’s no need to worry, as we’ll finish off the hike at the Montallegro Shrine, where we can find enough holy water to cleanse our souls. We’ll probably get there via the Groppallo trail. Which we also have never done.All in all, it’s a rather adventurous hike that might take around 3,5 hours, with 750 metres of elevation gain. It is labelled as T/E (easy/medium) on https://portofinotrek.com/it/da-rapallo/75-s-agostino-gravero.htmlIf it’s easier than expected, we might even consider extending it to Mt Pegge (although that looks like a remote possibility)Once we get to Montallegro, we can head down to Rapallo on foot or via cable car. We’ll probably get to Rapallo around 5:30pm.**************************
How to get to Rapallo, and how to come back alive:On Saturday, October 29th, let’s meet at the entrance of Rapallo train station at 11:07. If possible, try to pack lunch, since we’ll walk to the opposite side of the station (the trail starts from there).Suggested trains are:— if you travel eastwards
REG 12353 – 10:11 Genova Piazza Principe (10:20 Genova Brignole) 11:07 Rapallo— if you travel westwards
Reg 3261 – 09:50 La Spezia Centrale – 10:40 Rapallo— if you travel southwards (*)
Reg 3015 – Milano Lambrate 07:32 (Milano Rogoredo 07:38) Rapallo 10:02***************************************(*) if you’re coming from afar, you may consider getting the 3 day regional pass for 29 euro.As usual, if you have doubts, questions, Hamlet-like dilemmas… feel free to message me ( vidlothianATgmailDOTcom ) or call me (+393297203364)
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LevantoSaturday, 1st October – It’s official, after 3 years the Madonna del Rosario festival returns to Bonassola: the festival is a visual treat, since it involves candles on the sea (if the waves allow it) and a firework show, and usually is not so crowded, so it is possible to comfortably watch it from the beach ( https://nuovaprolocobonassola.business.site/ ) .The plan then is to combine the festival with a hike across some of the picturesque hamlets in the Levanto inland. More specifically, let’s visit Fossato, Lizza and Lavaggiorosso: according to https://www.montagnadiviaggi.it/2021/03/escursione-frazioni-levanto-lavaggiorosso-casella-montale.html, it should be a peaceful walk across quaint houses, painted doors and water mills. From Lavaggiorosso, we’ll hike up to Monte Rossola and things will probably be less relaxing (but hopefully not as electrifying as when we went there for the first time! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwRRAMnmxBs ): the ascent will likely be a bit steep, but the reward will be great, as Rossola’s silent and barren peak yields a wonderful 360 degree view over the riviera.From the peak of Mt Rossola we’ll hike down to Bonassola. Descent is rather steep, so hiking shoes and/or hiking poles are definitely recommended, as they can help a great deal on the way down ( https://www.freesoulontheroad.com/2021/03/sentiero-per-il-monte-rossola-da-levanto/ )Hike takes around 4 hours, has 600 mt elevation gain and is rated as E (medium).We’ll arrive in Bonassola around 5 pm, in time for a swim (sea permitting), possibly a 30′ bonus hike to Punta del Carlino (to watch the sunset)… and the festival, of course!** How to get to Levanto, and how to come back alive: **On Saturday, 1st October, let’s meet at 11:14 at the entrance of Levanto train station.If possible, bring some food with you as we’ll be walking mountain-wards and I’m not sure about bakeries along the way.Suggested trains are:If you are travelling eastwards:REG 09:19 Genova Principe (09:28 Genova Brignole) 11:14 LevantoorIC 9:47 Genova Principe (9:56 Genova Brignole) 10:58 LevantoIf you are travelling westwards:REG 10:25 La Spezia – 10:55 Levanto (if you prefer 11:25, just let us know! Ah, for some absurd reason it’s cheaper if you buy it from La Spezia Migliarina, i.e. Trenitalia pays you to travel from Spezia Migliarina to La Spezia Centrale)If you are travelling southwards:07:25 Milano Centrale (07:32 Lambrate) Levanto 11:14 (*)Return will be from Bonassola, around 5-6pm or (if you stay for the festival) around 11:30pm(*) if you’re coming from afar, you may consider getting the 3 day regional pass for 29 euro.As usual, if you have doubts, questions, Hamlet-like dilemmas… feel free to message me ( vidlothianATgmailDOTcom ) or call me (+393297203364)
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