15 - Le Selve - Tossignano

Easy stage on the hills, hiking along minor roads: the long stretch across the ridge is very scenic.

• Departure: Le Selve (490m)
• Arrival: Tossignano (255m)
• Duration: 5 hour/s
• Difficulty Level: E (for hikers)
• Length: 20.9 km
• Difference in height: Uphill 700m - Downhill 930m
• Lap no.15 Alta Via dei Parchi

Accommodation: Ostello dei Gessi

In Castel del Rio, one descends through groves of chestnut trees tended to as if they were gardens, touching the few remains of the Castellaccio, the medieval fortress that gave the village its name. In the lower part of the village, one crosses the river Santerno over the Alidosi bridge, a mighty single-arch fifteenth-century artefact still perfectly preserved. On the right side of the river the ascent begins that leads near Mount Carnevale, a not very prominent peak of the ridge that separates the valleys of the Santerno and the Senio. One continues through moderate ups and downs along the dirt road towards the plain, always keeping near the ridge, among oak groves and sandy stratification culminating in the exceptional scenic vantage point of Mount Battaglia: from there, the Vena del Gesso reveals its full extent. On the top of Mount Battaglia lie the remains of a medieval tower, and also gravestones and monuments that recall the bloody battles of autumn 1944. The road then descends through reforestation areas to Pruno Pass, where one meets the Strada della Lavanda, hikes on it for a short distance towards Fontanelice, and then turns right onto the wide ridge that bounds the small but charming valley of Rio Sgarba. The descent is a comfortable walk through orchards and vineyards, with stunning views of the gypsum cliffs and of the chestnut wood of Campiuno. Finally, one gets to Tossignano, an ancient village spread over a gypsum cliff and around the ruins of the fortress.