Parco Nazionale delle Foreste Casentinesi, Monte Falterona, Campigna

Corniolo - Le Fontanelle - Campigna - Corniolo

• Trail Conditions: On foot
• Interest: Flora, Wildlife, Geology, Panorama, Hystory

• Departure: Corniolo
• Arrival: Corniolo
• Duration: 2,5 h + 3,5 h + 2,5 h
• Difficulty Level: T - Tourist (level)
• Length: 27 km (11 km + 10 km + 6 km)
• Difference in height: uphill 907 m + 271 m + 0 m
• Public Means of Transport: Busline 132 with departure from Forlì (Start Romagna)
• Accomodation structures: Rifugio Le Fontanelle, Lo Scoiattolo, Agriturismo Biologico Poderone

A simple ring around one of the wildest valleys in the Protected Area, that of the Bidente delle Celle, climbing the famous Ripe Toscane and the Satanasso hole, up to the summits of the Mount Falco and Mount Falterona, from where one climbs down towards the wonderful forest of Campigna and to the Corniolino Castle.

 Download the description of the Ring-Route 2.

First day. This easy ring-route around the Bidente delle Celle Valley starts from the village of Lago, situated near Corniolo, a small village of the upper Bidente Valley. Once reached the Lake one takes the dirt road on the right, a little before the bridge above the state road, and staying on the left side one soon reaches the bar from where the hike will start. Beyond the gate it is necessary to go on for about 600 m along the dirt road up to the entrance of the path 261, marked on the right side by a board.

From this moment on, the itinerary starts climbing the slope, and beyond the ruins of an old house it will be possible to observe the ruins of the Corniolino Castle on the left, which one will meet again at the end of the ring-route. Beyond the Fossacupa spring there are the famous 'Ripe Toscane', a sequence of rocky coasts on the Fosso delle Celle which shows its particular course in this stretch. One reaches the locality of Le Celle, where a steep rise will lead hikers to the Fossa, a small group of houses still in good conditions. Going on the left one reaches another fork in the road, where a short deviation from the route allows visitors to reach Pian del Grado, a wonderful village of the upper Bidente Valley which was once inhabited. Going backward, the path 261 starts its slow but continuous ascent towards Pian delle Fontanelle, through the pastures and the ancient settlements of Cà Porcini and Cà Torni. The path 261 becomes part of the path 301, and it reaches Costa Poggio Corsoio and the forestry road leading to the Fontanelle mountain hut again, first stage of this ring-route.

Second day. Although it is shorter, the second day's hike leads hikers to conquer the Mount Falco early in the morning, along the route of the path 00, through Pian delle Fontanelle, P.gio Piancancelli and the spring of Sodo dei Conti, where the by now familiar Bidente delle Celle rises. Once reached the ridge one goes on the right leaving the beech forest to reach Mount Falco, where some boards show the presence of an integral reserve due to the presence of rare arctic-alpine botanic species. From Mount Falco, the highest summit of the Park with its 1,658 m, one goes on towards Mount Falterona, which is more famous but only 4 meters lower.
Going back one reaches Sodo dei Conti again and through the path 00 one will soon be in the Burraia meadows.  
From the meadows one goes on the left following the path 253, until one reaches the crossroads by the Ponticino. From here it will be possible to quickly reach Campigna, following a stretch of the Nature Path. Within the wonderful centuries-old fir forest, along the charming F.so Abetio, characterized by the typical nests of Formica rufa, one reaches Campigna, a place where one can stay overnight at the Lo Scoiattolo Hotel. If you choose to stay at the Il Poderone holiday farm and you come from Ponticino we suggest you to follow the path 253 first and then the 258 towards P.gio Palaio, from where it is possible to reach the structure.


Third day. On the third day one takes the path 259 from Campigna, until one reaches Colla Tre Faggi up to Monte della Maestà, along the watershed between Bidente delle Celle and Bidente di Campigna. From here one reaches the Corniolino Castle, the view of which follows hikers since the first day. From the ruins of the ancient castle, which belonged to the Conti Guidi's family and was abandoned during the 15th century, the path leads hikers through the Corniolo on the Provincial road 4, that after a few hundreds of meters reaches the village of Lago, the departure point of the ring-route.

Involved structures: Rifugio le Fontanelle (first day), Campigna: Lo Scoiattolo, Poderone (second day)