Sentiero Pagnoca MTB/Hike

I parked at Villa di Villa and climbed up to Rugolo, then headed toward Montaner.  On the edge of town is a settlement called Val Borgo with an Orthodox church.  Turn right and begin climbing steeply.  After a few km I arrived at Casera di Fae and explored, looking for a shortcut.  No luck.  I descended a bit and traversed west to the chiesetta on Sentiere Pagnoca.  Here you must dismount and push your bike up a rocky trail until joining another concrete road, very steep.  Eventually you  reach the end of the road.  This begins the hike up CAI 1061, named Pagnoca after a partigiano fighter in WW II.  Lots of bike carrying uphill.  It’s a good workout, much more variety of muscle strain than usual bike riding.  Eventually it opens up in sunny beech forest,  which I thought was near Cima della Cima.  After descending a dirt road a I joined a well-paved road but  wasn’t sure where.  After ascending a bit I recognized the intersecting road from Col Oliver:  I was on Strada dei Patriarchi.  I descended to Villa di Villa, very tired.

Casera di Fae

Chiesetta on Sentiero Pagnoca

Faggio in autumn with deep blue sky

Steep climb