Tour of the Five Towers on a MTB – Leg 2

The departure is located in Monastero Bormida, at the car park on the east side of the medieval bridge. You proceed to provincial road (Strada Provinciale) 56, straight from the bridge, slightly uphill, pass the small church of San Rocco on the left and take a slightly downhill grassy road on the right that continues along the Rio Tatorba. You follow it until it crosses a dirt road, turn right, pass a concrete ford on the stream and go straight on uphill.

When you reach Cascina Galli, turn left on asphalt for 30 metres, then turn left behind the building on a dirt road that climbs uphill with hairpin bends into the woods and becomes a path on the ridge. Always among woods of chestnut trees, downy oaks and a lot of broom, you reach Bric del Moro, continue on level ground on a panoramic stretch, at the fork turn left downhill, then always left on a small road, near a hairpin bend you can see an old house; now you walk near large Muscat vineyards. Continue on a flat road on the right out of the woods near open and cultivated fields, until you arrive in the halmet of Grassi.

Take the little path on the left, and after a short downhill passage, continue on a protected and equipped path, along the edge of a gorge 120 metres deep. When you reach the asphalt, the road goes left through open fields in a wide valley till Borgata Grassi. Continue and at the crossroads turn left, then right again. At the top of the little climb between rows of trees, you leave the asphalt road and take a grassy road on the right (pay attention) uphill at a fence with a white - red chain, then flat again on the ridge. Continue left on a gravel road with hairpin bends, flank Cascina Bonina slightly uphill. Continue always on a small road with ups and downs. At the junction with asphalted road, turn left to Località Galli, till the Madonna del Rosario Chapel and continue on the Galli Road, going left on a gravel road when you reach the crossroads.

When you arrive on the asphalt, you take the path on the right with the indication San Giorgio Scarampi. Arrived back on an asphalted road uphill, you bend left for the village and reach the first Tower.

From the small square of San Giorgio Scarampi, remarkable point with a vast panorama, you continue at the bottom of the square on the right downhill, following the indication for Olmo Gentile. Your reach the little church of San Carlo Borromeo with annexed picnic area. At the intersection, you follow the road on the left to Roccaverano. After 250 metres, you leave the provincial road and you continue to the right on an uphill dirt road. At the second hairpin bend, you take the small path on the ridge next to the cultivated fields, continue downhill and take the asphalted road for 50 metres. You follow a grassy road on the left uphill through the woods, flank the cultivated field always on the right, cross the asphalted road and continue on a steep uphill road through the woods. On the Bric delle Forche near the monument in memory of 11. 11. 2001 you can stop and admire the splendid 360° panorama.

Once again on asphalted road, you go right for 50 metres, then left on a slightly downhill dirt road. After long ups and downs you will reach the aqueduct cabin; go to the right and after 20 metres you continue on an asphalted road towards Olmo Gentile. After the little church of Maria Addolorata, you reach now the centre of Olmo Gentile and the second Tower. Before the houses there is the cemetery and the picnic area, games (playground) and services. You have to go back to the aqueduct cabin and take the steeply uphill road to the right of the building. Arrived on the ridge, Pian Frascaro, you continue on gentle ups and downs alongside fields and bush with further wonderful views over the Alps and neighbouring valleys in favourable weather (q. 740 m. ).

When you arrive on a paved road, you go left for 50 metres, and take a small road on the left. Back on asphalt, you go left on the provincial road and at the junction stay you continue on the left. After 300 metres, you go right to the town centre. After 50 metres, you go right, stepladder, then right till you arrive in front of the former town hall and you get to the main square of Roccaverano and bypassing the church reach the foot of the third tower (if you want to climb the tower ask for the keys at the bar on the square).