A peaceful stage through wild, little-frequented areas, crossing ancient hamlets that are largely abandoned. The route is mainly through woodlands but still offers interesting viewpoints over the Celle Macra valley, with the chance to wander among the houses to see original examples of Alpine architecture.

Go down the steps that pass between the houses of Palent, then turn left and pass by the beautiful chapel of San Magno, curiously isolated at the foot of the hamlet. Continue on the easy mule track that leads downhill to the sunny hamlet of Aramola, separated by only a few meters of road from Maurengo. In the past, this cluster of houses had a total of over one hundred inhabitants. Turn right onto the dirt track which becomes a comfortable path crossing the Aramola hollow.

After a flat section, the path starts climbing again through mixed woodlands, gently at first and then more steeply, up to Colletto, a beautiful hamlet set on a ridge with an exceptional view on both sides. To the east, the numerous hamlets of Celle Macra are clearly visible, while to the west you can recognize the hamlets you just passed and, behind them to the right, Mounts Betunet and Bettone overlooking the Elva gorge. It is worth taking a few minutes’ detour towards the panoramic Castello ridge where a statue of the Alpine Madonna has been placed.

Back at the chapel of Sant’Anna, proceed to the paved road, cross it, and follow the signs towards Costa Chiggia. After about eighty meters, at a wayside shrine, turn left and go down to the hamlet of Cucchietto. Cross through it without going down to the provincial road and proceed on the path that later rejoins the asphalt near a shrine.

After about a hundred meters, before the hairpin bend, turn right and make a semi-circle around the church of the Garini hamlet. Passing under a portico, follow the dirt road downhill. At a junction, keep right to merge onto a small road to follow downhill, which is paved at first and immediately after becomes a dirt track. After two hundred meters, leave it temporarily to turn left towards the ancient parish church of Albaretto Macra, dedicated to Santa Maria, surrounded by a small cemetery.

Take the small path at its foot that leads back to the dirt track. After the hairpin bend, ignore a sign for the Percorsi Occitani that would lead to Camoglieres and continue along the dirt track which leads slightly downhill to Chiatignano. After a double hairpin bend, leave it for a path that branches off to the right and follows a traverse lined with dry stone walls.

After passing a shrine, the view suddenly opens up over the wild Combe valley. The path, with its stony and loose surface, makes a few tight hairpins and descends steeply to Sagna, in the municipality of Celle Macra. Once among the houses, turn right near a shrine to reach the access road to the hamlet—partly paved and partly dirt—to be followed downhill towards Combe.

Go around the hamlet, descending towards the Celle stream, cross it, and continue on the paved road downhill for a few dozen meters. Leave it for a path that branches off to the right and stays higher up, passing almost immediately by a distinctive shrine complete with a portico.

The path, slightly uphill at first and then downhill, makes a wide semi-circle and, after passing a second shrine with a portico, descends to the Celle Macra provincial road. After crossing the Tibert stream, follow the provincial road that climbs the opposite slope up to the Mattalia hamlet.

After a dirt track and before the houses, take the small paved road that climbs to the right. Once it becomes a dirt track, it turns right and climbs until it crosses the provincial road again. On the opposite side, a mule track allows you to avoid two long hairpin bends and leads up to Paschero.

Pass between the houses of the hamlet and turn left in front of the church, dedicated to the Nativity of the Virgin Mary. On the opposite side, a final mule track starts which, ignoring all turn-offs, leads directly to Chiesa, the seat of the town hall, the La Cüsino inn and stopover point, and the parish church of San Giovanni Battista with its remarkable medieval bell tower.

Text and photos by Cuneotrekking.com