Sentiero Tanaro: Stage 9 Ormea

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Highlights and tour details

Go up through Valdarmella to the hamlet of Chionea and take the road, initially paved, which descends to the left looking at the church. Here, after a traverse through a wood, you take a mule track that leads to Porcirette Sottane (1094 m). Beyond the hamlet there is a crossroads, on the right of which, a flat dirt road shortly leads through beautiful chestnut groves to Case Rian. Go down between the houses, admiring two frescoes, and then, on a path with a steep descent, you reach the course of the Chiapino stream, which you cross over an ancient stone bridge. Now you have to go up on a narrow mule track that leads to a flat road and you soon arrive near the cemetery of the hamlet of Chioraira. Go uphill across Pian della Morra to reach the wide basin of the Colma, where the church of San Giovanni Battista stands (1515 m, 3.00 hours), near which there is a fountain and whose portico can offer shelter in case of bad weather. From the church you follow the road that leads to the votive shrine and then with an easy descent, cross the dirt road that from Quarzina goes up to Pian degli Archetti, until you reach the fork with the path that goes up to Rifugio Valcaira and to Pizzo di Ormea. Shortly after the fork, you meet the dirt road once more, which you follow for a few dozen metres and then leave for a path that goes down on the left to the Brignacchi houses where the asphalt road begins. Follow it as far as the houses of the hamlet of Quarzina (1366 m, 3.40 hours) where you can rest and refresh at the refuge.

Other information

Source: Unione Montana Alta Val Tanaro
Itinerary code: STA
Classification: Medium and low mountain provincial
Provinces crossed: Cuneo