Hiking map scale 1:25.000

All trails can be hiked within the Reserve and nearby

Description and illustration of 4 circular routes

Tourist information and useful numbers

Edited by Fondazione Villa Ghigi

bishop (256 m), across from a parking lot and a small green area with children’s playground equipment (Battedizzo can be reached by a detour from Via Badolo and can also be an alternative departure point for the climb to Monte Mario). Alongside the church, Trail 118 climbs steeply towards the wall of sandstone and continues for a stretch along rock, some of which is a bit exposed and challenging, before entering the woods and passing the remains of an old stone house. The route continues around the side of the slope. Along the way you can see sponta-neously seeded young stone pines cling-ing to the rocks, outcrops dotted with helichrysum and wonderful views over the valley and the top of Monte Mario. After going along a narrower stretch which runs beside a small valley, you reach the intersection with Trail 110 which goes to the right towards the Raibano creek. Going uphill to the left, however, you quickly come out into a large clearing and the trail reconnects to the main route.

From the saddle you continue, to the left, just a few meters from the wide track of the variant that runs through the woods of Monte Mario, and immediately go to the right, taking Trail 110, narrow and exposed in some stretches, and which ascends quickly to the top of the hill, winding between low groups of downy oak, flowering ash, black hornbeam, juniper and broom that grow up to the ledge of the steep south-west wall.

4 From Monte Mario, in particular from a vantage point just below the summit,

which you find on the way down, you can see Setta valley below along with the whole mountain ridge included in the Parco Storico Regionale Monte Sole (Historic Monte Sole Regional Park). Around the summit, and along the ridge, grow the typical rupestrian vegetation and many stone pine trees. The “pinewood of Battedizzo”, once the object of botanical studies, inasmuch as it was planted near the end of the 1700s by a local land-owner for the production of pine nuts, is striking evidence of the character of the Mediterranean microclimate which is found in the area of the Contrafforte Pliocenico Nature Reserve. Between the autumn of 1944 and the spring of 1945, the buttress was one of the bulwarks of the German defensive line (you can still see traces of trenches and posts).

Once you leave the grassy headlland path on the left, which winds along the edge of the clearing under Commenda, you reach a crossroads where you leave Trail 110, which descends towards the Raibano creek, and continue to the left towards the north on Trail 122. Disregarding a trail that branches off to the right a little further ahead, the route continues to descend towards a wide headland path, alongside stretches of woodland and open meadows with grasses. On the sunny escarpment, you can see yarrow, wild pea, and other traditional herbs, colourful butterflies, grasshop-pers, lizards, green lizards, and other small animals. After a couple of bends in the road you come to the Piazza farm (289 m), surrounded by cypress trees, where you can admire a beautiful view over the hills of Bologna, and the sanctuary of the Beata Vergine di S. Luca. From Piazza, the route descends on the right steeply along an asphalt road which then turns into a dirt road, flanked by a row of young oaks and mixed hedges of hawthorn, field maple and wild rose, and then passes some rest areas and soon arrives at Mugnano di sopra (243 m). Just before the large parking area are the signs for Trail 122 and a board of

the “Linea Gotica (Gothic Line)” project showing the situation around Monte Mario during the Second World War.

7 The Prati di Mugnano Park, which extends over more than 100 hectares,

has been for decades a traditional destina-tion for outings from Bologna and neigh-bouring towns, also thanks to the restau-rant near the parking lot. In addition to extensive grassland, there are patches of mixed oak trees and the remains of the old chestnut groves, where such rare and pro-tected species as snowdrops, red lily, Turk’s cap lily and several types of orchid grow (Orchis purpurea, O. simia, Cephalanthera longifolia, Dactylorhiza maculata).

Directly after the restaurant, on the left, almost in front of a large oak tree, you come to the red and white indications for Trail 122, and go down a wide grassy head-land path, where you can admire an exten-sive view of the last stretch of the Reno Valley and the top of Monte Mario. Passing a rest area under a canopy, you enter an oak forest, with turkey oak, flowering ash, juniper, viburnum, sessile-leafed broom, coronilla, fly honeysuckle and wild aspara-gus, which is up against a beautiful sand-stone wall. In this section of the trail, which is sometimes subject to small landslides, during the descent caution should be exer-cised because of naturally eroded grooves and steps. Continuing through the forest, it becomes cooler and you can see shrubs of dogwood, wild service trees, laureola plants and hellebores, violets, lungwort, liverwort, and dog’s tooth violet. After a bend, near a large poplar (the diameter is about one meter), you find a small bridge over the Rio della Fornace, a little further on you come to a fork which intersects with Trail 118 on its first leg. From here, the trail makes a short descent to Via Vizzano and you can contin-ue on towards the railway station.

of duct-pipe that brought water to the villa and fountains that adorned the garden. Passing through a young oak wood, with flowering ash and maples, there is a fasci-nating transition with sandstone rocks and the path comes to the ridge near the sad-dle of Monte Mario (320 m) and a marve-lous vantage point (in the foreground, the confluence of the Reno river and the Setta creek).There you cross Trail 110, which also goes up from Sasso Marconi (used as a

main route in the Traversata delle cinque valli, with some exposed sections that can be very difficult if the ground is wet) and you can choose between continuing along the main route or two interesting alternatives.

Variant through the woodsThose who don’t wish to tackle the climb to Monte Mario can follow the wide path (Trail 118a) that continues to the left with fairly gentle slopes, again in the shade of the forest. The variant, similar in length to that of the main route and rather evocative, goes through a cool, wild-looking wood, particularly because of the many fallen tree trunks, and has a dense undergrowth with rare herba-ceous plants. On the sandy floor you

often see the footprints of wild boars and deer, and in the spring you can hear the birdsong of the blackcap, chaffinch, chiffchaff and other birds. After leaving behind another wide trail that goes left, you continue to work your way around the top of the hill and, at the side of the path, you can see small recesses carved into the rock and other signs of shelters from the Second World War. Once you reach a saddle and follow a short stretch

of track of the main route, you go left again on almost level ground through the woods (keeping on Trail 118a), cross-ing a long stretch of abandoned chestnut grove, to finally reach a crossroads where the track joins Trail 110.

Variant for BattedizzoThe detour, which prolongs the route by about half a kilometer, provides, from the base, a lovely view of the south-west wall of the mountain. You continue along Trail 118, which descends from the sad-dle to a young oak wood, and quickly arrives at some houses. Following the access road to the houses, you pass a gate and come to the small cemetery of Battedizzo, where you turn left to reach the small church dedicated to S. Martino

eters. From the intersection, you go up the paved road that leads to Ca’de’ Boschi, skirting the garden of Ca’ Nova, and then leading onto the path that starts at the side of a gate and, going along beside a fence, goes straight into the woods. At a fork in the trail, it continues straight on and proceeds halfway up, following the morphology of the slope and crossing the stream beds of some shady valleys (where the trail is narrow and the ground is loose or crumbling, you should pay attention). The trail continues through a beautiful natural wood, rich in species of botani-cal importance, with a composition that changes gradually depending on exposure. Stretches of mixed oak woods with flower-ing ash, Montpellier maple, Italian buck-thorn, Cytisophyllum sessilifolium, broom, viburnum, and wild asparagus, all growing in the areas near the rivers and streams, together with species typical of cool shady places, predominantly hornbeam, chest-nut, hazel, European spindle, some rare holly bushes, and in the undergrowth, hellebores, anemones, primroses, knotted crane’s-bill (Geranium nodosum), sage of the woods, Solomon’s seal and Turk’s cap lily. At the ravine of the Cava is a charm-ing little waterfall and a more extensive wetland in the shadow of hornbeam and

chestnut trees. Growing on the rocky cliffs are algae, liverworts, mosses and ferns, while in the wet sand you can often make out the footprints of a wild boar. After having crossed a track on the right and the next track on the left, you reach a wide grassy headland path, lined with black poplars, which ends beside the group of country buildings in Piazza.

From the crossroads, the main route con-tinues along Trail 118, which goes straight uphill along a dirt lane flanked by mortar-less stone walls, and after a curve, passes under a beautiful brick arch, the remains

asparagus, holly and juniper. The track, at times less visible, passes near a large Atlantic cedar and a couple of beautiful downy oaks (Quercus pubescens), through a clearing created for the passage of a power line, then goes back through the woods.

2 Downstream from the path, partly hidden by vegetation, is a centuries-

old and majestic turkey oak (the diameter of the trunk is approximately 1.5 m). This species of turkey oak (Quercus cerris) is easily recognizable by the characteristic wirey curled scales that cover the dome of the acorns and surround the buds at the ends of the branches. The turkey oak is a wild plant that grows in hillside forests, also used for ornamental and reforestation purposes.

Once you have passed some more old Atlantic cedars and a large mulberry tree, you come to an old country track in a wide meadow, turn to the left, go uphill, where you can find other specimens of turkey oak on the edge of the woods. A little further ahead, after following a section exposed to the sun, you overlook the deep, wooded valley of the Fosso della Nova, and going past another fine oak, you come to a grassy clearing a short distance from Ca’ Nova. The trail leads onto a dirt road, corresponding to a secondary entrance of Ca’ Nova, which you follow until you reach a crossroads (240 m) bordered on one side by a quiet corner of meadow surrounded by yews and cypress trees and a large libocedrus. On the right, a detour of about two hundred meters leads to Villa La Quiete, preceded on the left by a former stable.

3 Villa La Quiete, once called La Quer-ciola, belonged in the 1600s to

Domenico Albani and later to his brother Francesco (1578-1660), a popular Bolog-

nese painter, a contemporary of Guido Reni, who embellished the building and the beautiful surrounding park. After several owners, it was then purchased by the Malvasia family. The main building is sur-rounded by a dense garden with fir trees, Atlantic cedars, horse chestnuts and other plants. Near the entrance stood an ancient chapel, now rebuilt. Old cypress trees, stone pine trees, hackberry trees and honey locust still characterize the avenues that ran through the spacious park, now overgrown, and sketch the outline of the old property (during the Second World War both the villa and green area suffered heavy damages).

Variant for Prati di Mugnano From the crossroads, located a few kilom-eters from the point of departure, you turn off to the left onto a variant (Trail 118b), which, without climbing up onto the ridge of Monte Mario, goes directly to the Prati di Mugnano and reaches the Piazza Farm, shortening the route by about 1.5 kilom-

From the summit of Monte Mario the trail goes down to another saddle (393 m), where it joins the variant from the forest. Leaving behind the other tracks that are directed towards the wall, now barred by fences, the path goes ahead several tens of meters along level ground and then climbs again to the right on the scenic ridge, still following Trail 110 (signs for Commenda and Brento), and disregarding the track that goes through the thick wood on the northern side of the hill.

5 The northern slope of Monte Mario, scored by cool little valleys, is covered

with forests of white and black hornbeam, downy oak, mountain and field maple, serv-ice tree and wild service tree (Sorbus tormi-nalis), with extended stretches of abandoned chestnut groves. The underbrush and shrubs include hazel, European spindle, dogwood and the evergreen spurge laurel (Daphne Laureola), while in the undergrowth, follow-ing the end of winter, you can see the blooming of snowdrops, common primroses, wood anemone, liverwort (Hepatica nobilis), Alpine squill, Solomon’s seal, Turk’s cap lily, large yellow loosestrife, knotted crane’s-bill and different species of orchid.

You follow the trail for another 700 meters along the ridge, where there is wild vegeta-tion on one side and the dramatic landscape of the valley on the other (including the new highway entrance). At a crossroads (399 m) some signs and a bench indicate the entrance to the Parco Agricolo Naturale dei Prati di Mugnano (Natural Agricultural Park of Prati di Mugnano), established in 1974 by the City of Bologna in the territory of Sasso Marconi on a part of the land of the vast farming estate of Ca’ di Stellano. Continuing on Trail 110, you soon come to a slight slope up to the locality of Commenda (411 m), the southernmost part of the route, 5 kilom-eters away from the start, in a meadow with tables and benches for resting and shaded by a group of black locust and elm trees.

6 Old cherry and fig trees are a remind-er of the existence of the rural settle-

ment of Commenda. Little remains of it but some ruins which are almost complete-ly surrounded by vegetation. In the wide clearing a little further down, enlivened by the blossoming broom in late spring, a beautiful panorama of the other buttress of Contrafforte opens up. You can recog-nize Rocca di Badolo, Monte del Frate and, further in the distance, Monte Adone.

The route starts at the railway station in Sasso Marconi, reached by train on the Bologna-Porretta line but also features a large car park. Once having exited into Via Ponte Albano, you go down to the right, cross the bridge over the Reno river, and turn left into the busy Via Vizzano. Once you pass under the highway, you cross the street, using caution, and little further ahead to the right, you will find the direc-tions for the Reserve and the sign for Trail 122, which goes into the woods (102 m) to the left of the Rio della Fornace. Just before that, on the other side of the street, there is parking space for a few cars (from this departure point the route is shortened by about 1.5 kilometers).

1 The cool forest of black poplars, black alders, elder and hazel trees along the

banks of the Rio della Fornace blends into a mixed oak wood that climbs back up the slopes of the valley. In the undergrowth, you can recognize the distinctive branch-like stems of horsetails and the bent clumps of sedge, with their typical leaves with triangu-lar sections. Along the side of the path you will find some great examples of honey locust and other ornamental plants that

grow on the slope (this part of the route skirts around the ancient estate of Villa La Quiete, extending over a large portion of the slope, which is then crossed for several kilometers almost up to the ridge).

After about a hundred meters, before the small wooden crossing over the stream at a fork in the trail, you go up to the right along Trail 118 towards Ca’ Nova. After passing a short steep section with steps, the trail crosses a secondary narrow ridge marked by a row of European black pines and continues toward a young oak wood, with many flowering ashes (manna ashes) and, in the undergrowth, prickly patches of wild

The Reserve territory is crossed by a network of secondary roads, in addition to the narrow and picturesque paved roads that connect the few localities near the Contrafforte Pliocenico, some-times with wonderful views of its steep walls. This network includes ancient dirt roads and trails that were traditional-ly used to reach the historic sites and hil-ltops, or for travelling along the scenic ridge. The network of hiking trails in the protected area has recently been restored in collabora-tion with the Bologna section of the CAI (Ita-lian Alpine Club). The network of trails, the only viable and usable ones, marked with the classic white-red CAI markings, indicating the route number, the closest town (above), the final destination (below) and pos-sible long range routes (on the top arrow tip). The reorganization of the network of trails and footpaths led, in addition to the closure of a number of unreasonable and in some cases down-right dangerous trails and tracks, to a complete renovation of the trail signs system, which now includes informa-tion panels on the reserve, its trails and related conduct rules, the installation of fences, signs and other devices to prevent hikers from using particularly problematic or sensitive areas from an environmental perspective, and various maintenance operations for the trails. The hiking map offers four routes on the CAI network of trails, covering dif-

ferent areas of the reserve and cen-tred around the principal peaks of the Contrafforte Pliocenico. The routes, all of which are loops (with three varia-tions in Route 1), depart from the clo-sest villages to the reserve and allow the hiker to reach and appreciate most of its natural and historical treasures.

Obviously, one can hike shorter sections of the routes, rever-se the directions, or venture deeper into the territory along CAI trails that are not included in the sugge-sted routes.The CAI trails, howe-ver, are also variously used for longer hikes that pass through the area of the reser-ve, such as the Tra-versata delle Cinque Valli (Crossing of the Five Valleys), the Via

degli Dei (Trail of the Gods) and the Via dei Santuari (Trail of the Shrines). The various segments can also be rearran-ged to organize theme hikes, based on the geology, botany, and history of the area, and so on (perhaps in some cases, referring to the significant points indi-cated on the map).

It is very important to respect the prohi-bition regarding not leaving the marked trail, for safety reasons that should not be underestimated, both for hikers and for the protection of the more sensitive ecosystems, such as rock walls (impor-tant nesting sites for birds ) and many of the stream gorges (ideal shelters for rare species of amphibians).

The reserve, established in 2006, is the largest (757 hectares) in Emilia-Romagna and includes portions of the municipalities of Sasso Marconi, Pianoro and Monzuno. It is part of the Site of Community Impor-tance “Contrafforte Pliocenico” (SIC-ZPS IT4050012), which extends over 2,629 hectares and is part of the Natura 2000 Network, the European Union’s large ecological network. In the Contrafforte reserve, there are as many as 11 types of habitat, 28 species of animal and a rare orchid of Community interest. The pro-tected area preserves the majestic rocky faces with their characteristic and dramat-ically vertical walls and their golden col-our. The cliffs extend for approximately 15 kilometers out to the valleys of the rivers and creeks Reno, Setta, Savena, Zena and Idice, culminating in the peaks of Monte Mario (466 m), Rocca di Badolo (476 m), Monte del Frate (547 m), Monte Adone (654 m), Monte Castellazzo (481), Monte Lolla (476 m) and Monte Rosso (591 m), to just beyond the boundary of the protected area, in the scenic Monte delle Formiche (638 m), where the shrine of S. Maria di Zena stands on its peak. The sandstone rocks of Contrafforte, which preserve important fossils, were originally settled on the bottom of a small sea gulf during the Pliocene age (5-2 million years

ago), when today’s Po Valley was still an open and deep sea, at the foot of the Apennine mountain range which had already, for the most part, emerged. The landforms shaped by erosion, and par-ticularly by wind, created pinnacles, cliffs, canyons and grottoes, and various and contrasting environments such as those for Mediterranean plants on the sunny rock faces, while on the gentler northern slopes, covered by woods, we find beech, yew, holly and other species typical of mountain areas. In addition to the peregrine falcon, which is the reserve’s symbol, the walls of the Contrafforte are a nesting place for the lanner falcon, and there are many reports of other important wildlife species: primarily the northern spectacled salamander (Salamandrina perspicillata), a rare amphibian that lives in cool and wet environments. Over the centuries, but especially after heavy bombings during the Second World War, when the German troops also used the Contrafforte as a last defensive bastion against the advancing Allied armies, the medieval castles, villages and churches were nearly lost. However, the territory still offers some elements of interest, such as the unusual “rupestrian” houses of Livergnano, built up against and partially dug into the walls of sandstone.

Contrafforte Pliocenico Nature Reserve

Hiking in the Contrafforte Pliocenico

The slopes of Monte Mario (466 m) are equipped with headland paths and tracks that allow hikers to follow different routes of various lengths and levels of difficulty, all circular and looping back through the large Prati di Mugnano public park. The main loop, after crossing through the grounds of an old noble villa, continues up to the top of the mountain along the scenic ridge overlooking the plunging west wall of the buttress. Two easier variants, accessible to everyone, are those that go through the dense wood covering the northern slopes of the mountain. Another alternative route, a little longer, descends from the ridge to the village of Battedizzo to then climb up the western wall of the mountain, with some more exposed and demanding sections, to then rejoin the main route at the southern end of the Prati di Mugnano park. Along all paths there are natural and historical elements of great importance. Some sections of the trails can be muddy in rainy periods and extra caution is always advised when traveling the sections along the ridge.

> Departure point Sasso Marconi (103 m) > Highest point Monte Mario (466 m) > Length 9 km > Duration 3.30 hours

Monte Mario and Prati di MugnanoRoute

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Turk’s cap lily (Lilium martagon).

An Italian stone pine clinging to the rock.

InformationRiserva Naturale Contrafforte PliocenicoHeadquarters Provincia di Bologna - Servizio Pianificazione Paesistica - via S. Felice, 25 -40122 Bologna - tel. 051 6598645 / 6598477riservacontrafforte@provincia.bologna.itwww.provincia.bologna.it/ambiente

Websiteswww.provincia.bologna.it/ambiente/contraffortewww.parks.it/riserva.contrafforte.pliocenicowww.ermesambiente.it/wcm/parchi/parchi/riserva_naturale_contrafforte_pliocenico.htmvww.sentieriweb.regione.emilia-romagna.it

Provincia di Bologna - Assessorato Ambiente - Servizio Pianificazione Paesistica. Coordination: Giuseppe De Togni.© Provincia di Bologna 2011.

Edited by Fondazione Villa Ghigi. Text: Ivan Bisetti. Contributions: Mino Petazzini. Photographs: Province of Bologna Archives, Ivan Bisetti, Ornella De Curtis, Francesco Grazioli, Marco Sacchetti, William Vivarelli.

Translation: Simmetrie and partners s.r.l. Hiking Map: Eliofototecnica Barbieri. Schematic Map: Elvezio Tiboni.Graphic design: Sandri Carlotti Adv. Editorial Coordination: Mino Petazzini.

Printing: Grafiche Zanini, Anzola Emilia (BO).

The rock face of Monte Mario above Battedizzo.T

Service Building at Villa La Quiete.S

A view of Villa La Quiete.A

The Setta valley from the saddle of Monte Mario.T

A

A colourful moth (Arginnis spp.).A

Monkey orchid (Orchis simia).M

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Bologna

Tolé

Vergato

Grizzana

Rioveggio

Vado

Monzuno

Pievedel Pino

Pian di Macina

Loiano

Monterenzio

Pianoro

Livergnano

OzzanoEmilia

S. Lazzarodi Savena

CastelS. Pietro

Marzabotto

Sasso Marconi

Casalecchiodi RenoMonteveglio

T. Z

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T. I

dice

T. Q

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T. S

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T. Setta

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The reserve, which is approximately 20 kilometers from Bologna, can be reached both from the city and from Sasso Marconi, Pianoro and Monzuno, along pleasant hillside roads. From Bolo-gna you can follow the Savena valley road up to Pian di Macina and then the secondary road SP 58, which goes up to Badolo. A more scenic alternative is the road that passes through Sabbiuno and Pieve del Pino and goes to Badolo. From Pianoro you can go up to Brento, at the

foot of Monte Adone, or take the SP 65 Futa to Livergnano. From Sasso Mar-coni, following Via Ganzole, you reach the Prati di Mugnano park, whereas if you travel along Via Setta for a couple of kilometers, this turns onto the SP 58 which goes to Badolo. The SP 36 Val di Zena skirts around the most eastern edge of the reserve. For those coming from further away, the Sasso Marconi exit of the A1 highway is less than a kilometer from the road to Badolo.

How to get there

Rules of conduct for hikers• The trails generally may be traveled

only on foot from sunrise to sunset• It is forbidden to collect or dam-

age plants, soil, rocks, minerals and fossils

• It is forbidden to pick mushrooms and woodland products. Gathering truffles is permitted, limited to the zone 2 of the reserve, only for per-mit holders and based on the meth-ods dictated by specific regulations

• Do not stray from the marked trails• Use extreme caution along the

ridges and in other exposed parts

• Wear appropriate clothing and shoes• Do not light fires and prevent any

risk of fire• Do not dump waste along the trails

(not even cigarette butts)• Do not make bothersome noises• Do not disturb wildlife• Keep dogs on a leash• Do not damage artifacts and signs• Respect the homes, crops and other

activities of those living and working in the reserve

• Report to the management any situ-ation that might require action

Emergency and useful numbers• Vigili del Fuoco (Fire Department) 115• Bologna Soccorso

(Ambulance and Medics) 118• Soccorso Alpino Emilia-Romagna

(Emilia-Romagna Alpine Rescue)800 848088

• Corpo Forestale dello Stato(State Forest Patrol)- Comando Provinciale di Bologna 800 841051 - 1515

• Corpo di Polizia Provinciale(Provincial Police Department)329 7504977 (Sasso Marconi)329 7504976 (Monzuno)329 7504944 (Pianoro)

• CAI (Italian Alpine Club)- Sezione di Bologna 051 234856

• GEV (Ecological Volunteer Guards) - Guardie Ecologiche Volontarie di Bologna 051 6347464

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Legend

Boundary of SIC/ZPS Contrafforte Pliocenico

Area 1a - Climbing permitted in this area

Area 1 - Area of great natural interest

Area 2 - Agroforestry area of interest

Bus

Information

Railway station

Bed & breakfast

Hotel

Restaurant

Camp site

Agri-tourism residence

Structures and sites to visit

Access points to the reserve

Trails number (CAI reference)910

Contrafforte PliocenicoRiserva Naturale

Red lily (Lilium croceum).

The wooden crossing over the Rio Fornace.

The Rocca di Badolo and, further away, Monte Adone.

The aqueduct to Villa La Quiete.

ENGLISH VERSION

Battedizzo

5 Two majestic towers of rock, shaped by the elements, flank the

scenic summit of Monte Adone (654 m), which overlooks the valley of the Setta and a large part of the Bolognese Apennines. The more cemented sand-stone layers, which protrude about fifteen meters up from the line of the towers, form a sturdy hat which has protected the underlying rock from erosion of the column. A young holm oak and flowering ash grow there, clinging to the larger tower, while different rupicola species insinuate their roots into the cracks of the wall.

From the top you can quickly return to Brento taking the path used to come up, or go to the right continuing along the ridge, still following Trail 110. Take the trail down, exercising caution, for about one kilometer along the edge of the wall, which offers sweeping views to the west and beautiful views towards the lines formed by Monte del Frate, Rocca di Badolo and Monte Mario.

Clumps of upright brome (Bromus erectus), globularias with its trailing

stems, white rock rose and other rupi-cola species form the scattered vegeta-tion that settles on the sandstone rocks. In some points you can also find juniper and sea buckthorn. On the opposite side of the precipice grows a mix of black hornbeam, flowering ash and downy oak. In late spring, rare beautiful pink flowers with purple veining also appear, known as dittany (also called limonella, for its characteristic scent). A row of cypress trees and a large trellis anticipate the end of the trail, which leads onto a road near the group of houses in Campiuno (471 m). Continu-ing along Trail 110, you disregard the first dirt road that climbs to the right and you take the path down, staying right along the headdland path , past a house and then along the side of an orchard and between rows of walnut trees (taking care not to disturb the residents or damage the crops). At the end of the descent, go up to the right along a field and a fenced patch of

At the base of the escarpment, stagnation encourages the presence

of species that prefer cool, damp envi-ronments. In early spring it is dominated by the heads of yellow coltsfoot, whose large leaves, which appear after flower-ing, continue to grow until the summer. During the summer months, along with horsetails and water hemp, you can see the yellow flowers of sticky sage and large yellow loosestrife.

Once past Ca’ Poggio di Casola (515 m), you go around some fine specimens of chestnut and then descend more quickly towards the buildings of Bortignano di sopra and the junction (445 m) for Ca’ di Bortignano, an interesting complex you can see from the roadside where the vegetation is sparser.

7 The rural settlement of Bortignano, finally transformed into a farm

house and barn in the late nineteenth century, has a much older history. In the architectures of the buildings, in fact, you can still recognize part of the church and convent of S. Maria di Bortignano. The church, once part of the parish of Gorgognano, in the mid-1400s was entrusted to the Carmelites of S. Martino di Bologna and at the end of the 1500s became a popular parish,

until the Napoleonic suppression of religious orders.

Climbing back up again, you reach the intersection with Via Serrasecca (481 m) and continue, with some ups and downs, along Via di Bortignano (now Trail 813) and after about a kilometer, the road becomes paved and turns around a rocky point, beyond which you will find a nice vantage point looking towards the Apennines (in the distance you can see the characteristic shape of Monte Cimone). From here you reach the first houses of Livergnano, already very close to the rock wall, and descend towards the main road (Via di Bortig-nano ends opposite the village square).

becomes narrower and caution should be exercised.

5 The sides of a very shady valley are covered by an attractive wood, what

remains of a neglected old chestnut grove, fairly extensive and with a consist-ent spontaneous renewal. The lower shrubs include hazel and wild service tree and in the undergrowth are bracken ferns, hellebores, primrose, liverwort and other species characteristic of cool shady slopes.

Continuing on, the oak grove prevails, and at the next turn of the mountain, the path intersects Trail 813a, which to the right, goes down to Zenarella. You must, instead, turn left, going uphill, and soon after, you reach a wider area of outcrops and a rest area, enclosed by a fence, which is equipped with benches and used as a resting point along the Traversata delle Cinque Valli. To the north, there is a panoramic view towards the hills of Bologna. You can recognize the round peak, topped by a large antenna, of Monte Paderno. You continue on a wide level track that quickly reaches the group of houses in

Casola (453 m) and you take the dirt road, Via Bortignano, which contin-ues to the left, uphill. The road, which winds through all of the northern slope of Monte Rosso, first goes around some wide meadows, then gains altitude after a couple of turns, and then goes across a stretch of cooler woods. On the higher side of the road, the lay-ers of rock are clearly visible for a long stretch and in the sandstone layers there are still obvious deposits of pebbles. Upstream from the outcrops you can see a mixed wood of oak, but in the cooler corners, there is often chestnut, along with mountain maple, laburnum and European spindle.

side and gray on the bottom, and the downy oak, with typically lobed leaves and a fine down in the lower side (which is also found on young twigs and gives the plant its scientific name).

Once past the curve with the votive aedicule, you disregard a road leading down to the right and continue along the heights. In the oak wood above are a few young holm oak and Montpellier maple trees, and shrubs of Cytisophyl-lum sessilifolium and coronilla, two typical species of dry, sunny mountain slopes that liven up the undergrowth in spring with yellow flowers similar to those of broom (the first being recog-nizable by groups of three small leaves, which often do not have a stalk, the second by the compound of 7-11 leaf-lets). Further along, you come to three large oak trees at the side of the road and later, shortly after the start of a fence, you come to a crossroads near the small village of I Sassi (396 m).

4 From the crossroads, looking up, you have a beautiful view of the wall

of Monte Rosso, on which dark green

strips of holm oak trees, together with rupicola shrubs and grasses, emphasize the less cemented strata. Near the ridge are some niches smoothed by wind and rain and you can see raptors in flight, whose presence is also revealed by the white droppings that can be glimpsed on the wall in the more sheltered ledges. To the east, in the foreground, the Monte delle Formiche stands out.

At this point we leave the dirt road and go left along a path, still following Trail 809. It runs alongside a cultivated field, with the Monte delle Formiche in front, then enters the wood and quickly descends until it comes to a new crossroad, at a large downy oak speci-men (305 m) and, at this point, about 3 kilometers from the start, the descent that characterizes the first part of the route is almost end and you are about to begin an ascent that will take you back to the departure point in just over 4 kilometers. You leave Trail 809, which leads to the river valley of Zena, and go left on Trail 809a. After a last descent, the steep climb begins up natural steps, going around the slope, through a copse of downy oak, turkey oak and flower-ing ash, with shrubs of broom, juniper, blackthorn, dogwood, viburnum and privet. After the first corner, the trail

Sadurano (a dead end with no traffic) and the directions for Trail 809. After a short, sharp climb the road, at a curve, becomes a dirt road and offers a spec-tacular panoramic view.

2 From Monte Rosso up to the Zena creek, the rocky face of Contrafforte

Pliocenico appears in all its grandeur. On the road down, the spectacular southern wall of Monte Rosso dominates, while in the background you can recognize the Monte delle Formiche (638 m), with the famous shrine of S. Maria di Zena on the summit (every year around September 8, when the birth of Mary is celebrated, swarms of winged ants, after the nuptial flight, go to the hilltop to die, a natural phenomenon to which popular tradition has attributed a miraculous character).

The trail descends quickly to a wide dirt road at the foot of the sandstone walls. Upstream of the road grows a mixed oak woods with species typical of the sunny slopes. On the escarpment in spring there is blossoming broom, and in the summer, you can see the beautiful red flowers, gathered in small bunches at the end of the long stem, of the Carthusian pinks, and the purple spherical flowers of

the round-headed leeks. In the wood-land below the road, you find mainly black or yellow locust, hawthorn, elm and field maple, and the service tree. In some places, the wood gives way to areas with broom, viburnum, and patch-es of sea buckthorn. At the side of the road, every now and then, are beautiful large oak trees. A couple of kilometers from the departure point, you come to the fork (410 m) leading to the group of houses in Sadurano and continue straight until you come to, just beyond, an impressive sandstone tower.

3 The tower that appears above the road shows in an exemplary manner

the sequence of layers that make up the walls: there are very thick layers of con-glomerates, with pebbles of various shapes and colours (you can recognize sandstone, limestone, gabbro, serpen-tine, jasper), which were created by frag-ments of eroded rock along the Pliocene valleys and transported by streams down to the beaches of the ancient gulf, to which Contrafforte is a testimony. On the side of the tower, you can compare two characteristic types of oak of the reserve: the evergreen holm oak, with leathery glossy leaves, dark green on the upper

ful plateau where the sacred building is located, rebuilt after the war as almost all the buildings in the village were, and which dominates a large portion of the Bolognese hillside (with the sanctuary of the Beata Vergine di S. Luca in the background).

The peculiar houses of Livergnano, protruding directly from the walls of

Contrafforte, because of their partially “rup-estrian” nature and their vivid colours, are an example of spontaneous construction almost unique in the Bolognese Apennines. The old village, first documented in the early 1200s, was subjected to heavy bomb-ing from October 1944 until the spring of 1945, and the houses were rebuilt after the war. The memory of the tragic event comes up in many parts of the town and in the small private museum “The Winter Line” (located in Via della Chiesa and open to the public on holidays or on request).

From the square, after crossing the street at the pedestrian crossing, you walk another 600 meters on the main road, taking great care at the curve, before coming, on the left, to Via di

The picturesque village of Livergnano is located along the SP 65 called Futa about 9 kilometers after Pianoro, and is also reach-able by public transport (ATC line 906 for Monghidoro). Leaving the car in the new

parking lot that is located just before the village, you have to walk another hundred meters along Via Nazionale to get to the village square, where you can take a detour on Via della Chiesa and climb to the beauti-

forest. After passing a barred gate, you disregard a path that goes down to the right, and reach a wider road which you follow to the right (Trail 110a), leav-ing behind Trail 110 which turns left towards Monte del Frate. Nearby is the entrance to the Centro Tutela e Ricerca Fauna Esotica e Selvatica, dedicated to the rescue, recovery and shelter of animals that have been abandoned, injured, or confiscated, mostly of tropi-cal origin (the centre often houses lions, tigers, monkeys and other animals quite unusual to a setting such as the Contrafforte Pliocenico). You take a dirt road with various ups and downs, partly exposed to the sun (Via Valverde), accompanied by views of nearby crops and, higher up, the wooded northern slopes of Monte Adone. On either side of the road that runs past some houses, are patches of mixed woodland with downy oak, flowering ash, Cytisophyl-lum sessilifolium, and other typical species. In some points you can also see examples of laburnum, service tree and

chestnut as well as some oaks of con-siderable size.

7 The forest comes closer to the road and on the higher embankment are

species suited to shady slopes such as black hornbeam, sycamore maple, labur-num, and hazel. On the rock, exposed for a long stretch and humid due to exposure to damp and run-off, are elegant carpets of liverwort, primitive vegetable organisms, similar to the moss but with an appearance more like algae, whose delicate and sensitive structures can be appreciated only with close observation. In the ravine below the field, horsetails and giant horsetails stand out, while in summer you can see water hemp, yellow wort and spear-leaved willowherb (with delicate pink flowers on tall stems).

After about a kilometer you reach the intersection with Via Vallazza, where you can connect to the path that goes back to Brento.

can see spots of tree heath, an ever-green shrub with pungent leaves, which, in early spring is filled with small, fragrant white flowers. Among the tufts of grasses, in summer, the beautiful blooms of Carthusian pinks (Dianthus cartusianorum) stand out, with their bunches of purplish flowers, and wild pinks (D. sylvestris), with their scattered flowers and serrated red or pink petals.

The path continues upwards, and on sunny days, you can hear the rustling of lizards. After a stretch of narrower, shadier path, past a small clearing sur-rounded by low oaks and other beauti-ful clumps of tree heath, further ahead you reach a broader grassy plain. In spring and summer, it is dotted with the blooms of pinks, Ferulago camp-estris, a showy umbellifer with a long erect stem, pigeon scabious (Scabiosa columbaria) and other herbaceous plants that attract colourful butterflies and other insects. At the edges of the plain is a board illustrating the “Gothic Line” project dedicated to Monte

Adone, showing the historic events of the Second World War related to the mountainous area. A little further on you reach a small plateau (625 m) at the edge of the steep south wall of the mountain. Nearby is a small rest area.

4 From the plateau, being careful not to get too close to the preci-

pice’s edge, you find a spectacular vantage point. Looking south, on clear days, the view sweeps to Monte Cimone and the other Apennine peaks. Oak woods are predominant and some specimens of considerable size of holm oak grow spontaneously, along with juniper, broom and blad-derpod (with its characteristic swollen fruits that appear in summer). Beyond the first trees you see, in the thick car-pet of grasses, traces of posts and paths of the Gothic Line. To the north, the river valley of Favale deepens, its banks covered with black hornbeams, chestnuts and other vegetation typical of cooler woods.

With a last, short climb you reach the top of Monte Adone through a thicket of downy oaks, where you can also see holm oak and black hornbeam, whose development is influenced by the very windy position.

a few isolated houses. Shortly before the intersection with Via Valverde (485 m), the Trail 110 branches off to the left and goes along sandy ground, shortly reach-ing a large open space surrounded by the typical vegetation of the sunny slopes that you find along much of the route.

2 In the rocky outcrops, there are numerous examples of fossil traces

of marine molluscs (generally shells of gastropods and bivalves, often oysters) that eloquently testify to the Contraf-forte’s origins. On the escarpment, grow the species typical of sunny environ-ments such as downy oak, flowering ash, Cytisophyllum sessilifolium, broom, juniper, white rock rose (Helianthemum apenninum), with the prostrate stem and yellow flowers, and silvery gray patches of helichrysum, a plant that gives off a strong scent reminiscent of liquorice.

Continue the climb along a wide track, marked by a deep groove in the middle, and you reach a shadier section where there are black hornbeams, some chest-nuts, and in the undergrowth, the broad fronds of bracken. After a couple of curves, continue the climb up to a young

coppice-wood with downy oak, black hornbeam, flowering ash, sycamore maple, dogwood, laburnum, and, in the undergrowth, hellebore and violets, until the next turn. Here the trail is visibly rocky, and also crosses an unmarked track that rises from the right (575 m).

3 At this point the sandstone layers almost form a sequence of natural

steps. On the edge of the outcrops, you

1 The hamlet’s small church, with a belfry on the side, was built on the

initiative of Father Marella in 1959, again dedicating the ancient sacred building, bombed in 1944, to S. Ansano. There are only a few ruined remains of the original church in the Savena valley. The church and the nearby Casa del Pellegrino (Pilgrim House) were among the first buildings constructed after the war, in the village almost destroyed by bombings, and have given new life to the village which, before the war, was a small but active holiday

center. On the near plateau of Monte Castellazzo at the bottom of the homony-mous street, stood the ancient castle of Brento, built by the Byzantines in the sixth century to oppose the Lombard advance. It was destroyed over the 1400s, and very few traces remain.

From the intersection of Via Castellazzo, you descend Via Monte Adone for approximately 150 m, following the signs for Trail 110, until, on the left, you come to Via Vallazza, which goes up to

The route begins in Brento, which can be reached from the valley of the Reno follow-ing Via Badolo up to the locality of the same name, where you leave the SP 58 to turn right in Via Brento. After about 3 kilometers you come to a fork, and, taking a left on Via Monte Adone, you are soon in the village.

You can park in Via Castellazzo, which begins on the right just past the church of S. Ansano, near the restaurant Monte Adone. From Pianoro, instead, you continue along the valley floor of the Savena towards Loi-ano and after a couple of kilometers, on the right, you see the directions for Brento.

5 A small spring flows at the base of an ancient artifact in the shade of

hazel, hornbeams and poplars on the left bank of the Raibano creek (whose waters are partly hidden by sedges, horsetails and patches of ground elder). In the wooded slopes bordering the creek, along with black hornbeam and hazel, there is also beech, a species typical of mountain forests. The undergrowth is full of bells, anemones and other species that offer beautiful blooms at the end of winter. The rare red lily and Turk’s cap lily are seen less frequently, blooming in June and July.

The ascent to Badolo is immediately steep, with sections of fence and a few steps. You proceed into the for-est accompanied by the murmur of the Raibano waters, where you can see immediately to your left a beauti-ful waterfall. Along the side of the path, there are some beech trees, with their characteristic smooth, gray trunk, while in the undergrowth, among the hellebores and violets, you can spot the three-lobed leaves of the liverleaf (which blooms in late winter) and the paired ones of the Listera ovata, an orchid with small inconspicuous green-ish flowers that appear towards sum-mer. A quick climb up takes you to a fine rocky outcrop, at whose base is another small spring that waters a small flat area with patches of horsetails, ferns and sticky sage. A little further ahead, you exit the forest, and after a narrower stretch of trail, a series of caves carved into the rock on the right and the ruins of a farmhouse, the trail widens and soon reaches the small cemetery of Badolo, within sight of the church’s tower.

Trail 122. The road passes some houses and skirts the border of the reserve near a deep valley shaded by tall poplars and downy oaks and frequented by roe deer and wild boar. Beyond the Picaflor Farm, which also offers Bed & Breakfast acco-modation, turning to the right, you reach the junction with the trail, which goes down to the Terzanello di sotto Farm, where a centuries-old grapevine grows (the so-called “Fantini grapevine”, discov-ered and documented by Luigi Fantini in 1964). Proceding at the same altitude, you continue along the dirt road, lined with young oak trees and patches of broom. On the left are beautiful views of the eastern side of the Rocca di Badolo.

4 Behind the unique peak of the Rocca di Badolo, a thick broad-

leaved forest extends into the underlying deep valley of the Raibano creek and those of its two tributaries, the Anderlino and Piva creeks, which descend down the sides of the Poggio dell’Oca. This is one of the most sensitive and valuable environments in the Nature Reserve, strictly controlled by the laws governing the protected area, which provides shelter to species of fauna and flora that are of Community importance.

At the junction with Trail 122b to Col-liva and Villa Francia, take the left, still proceeding along the dirt road, up to a barred gate that closes the road. At this point, take a narrow path on the right that enters a shady mixed wood, with horn beam and other broad-leaved trees, part of the large Prati di Mugnano public park. Go down the path, bumpy and often muddy, alongside the fence of private property until you reach a wider track. When you turn left, you immediately come upon a wide and panoramic clearing. Trail 110 goes along its edge and down into a xerophilous oak wood, typical where there is sunny exposure, where, in the early spring, the white flowers of the viburnum stand out (in summer the plant produces vivid fruits, inedible, first red and then black and glossy when ripe). At the intersec-tion with Trail 118, you turn left and proceed on Trail 110 towards the Raib-ano creek and Brento, where there is a steep descent, continuing through the woods to the next junction. Take a right turn here and, after a last steeper and more slippery section of trail, you reach via Badolo, where you take a left turn. After a hundred or so meters of paved road, you proceed through the woods, still following Trail 110 (directions for Badolo and Brento).

3 The eastern side of Monte del Frate is covered by a typical mesophile forest

with black hornbeams, hazels, flowering ashes, wild service trees, and maples, as well as some chestnut trees (brought in for productive purposes in past centuries and well adapted to the sandy soils of the Contrafforte). In the undergrowth, you can see ferns and various herbaceous species typical of cool and shady areas (primroses, anemones, violets, hellebores, lungwort and others), which bloom in late winter.

After a few curves, you come out into a large meadow, which boasts a sweep-ing view to the north, encompassing the hills of Bologna, with the sanctuary of the Beata Vergine di S. Luca in the background, and to the east, Monte Calvo and other areas of the Parco Regionale Gessi Bolognesi e Calanchi dell’Abbadessa overlooking the Savena valley. Continuing down along a grassy headline path flanked by thickets of broom and wild roses, you come to Via delle Valli (in the municipality of Pianoro) and continue left along a drivable dirt road, with views of the wooded north-ern slopes of Monte del Frate, until you cross the SP 58 near a saddle. Beyond the paved road, a private dirt road rises briefly to the left up to a large board that marks one of the historic spots of the Gothic Line.Coming down, staying to the right on the paved road, after about a hundred meters you pass the entrance to the Nova Arbora Farm and Bed & Breakfast, where a botanical garden is open to visi-tors by appointment. Continuing down-hill, after 200 m, on the left you come to Via delle Orchidee and you continue on this dirt road following the indications for

pean feather grass (in the summer, when mature, its long silver spikes form delicate feathery appendages that promote seed dispersal).

2 The long vertical wall of Monte del Frate, particularly striking from the

Setta valley floor, is a perfect example of the sandstone and sedimentary struc-tures which form the Contrafforte, often enriched with fossil traces of organisms that lived in the Pliocene shallows. Wild patches of holm oak (Quercus ilex), a typical Mediterranean evergreen oak, grow on the ledges and ridges, along with junipers, brooms, dwarf helichrysum shrubs (intensely perfumed) and other rupicola species. Raptors such as the peregrine falcon and lanner falcon,

together with other birds of rocky habi-tats, find refuge in the most sheltered cavities. It is not uncommon to see them circling above the mountain.

Proceding at the same altitude, the trail skirts the edge of the rock face, which offers several spectacular panoramic views over the Setta valley. Due south the nearby peak of Monte Adone stands out, while to the west, the mountain ridge of Monte Sole is the dominant feature. On the horizon you can glimpse the high peaks of Corno alle Scale and Monte Cimone. On the opposite side, to the east, the trail goes around a young forest with a mix of downy oak, holm oak, black hornbeam and a few isolated chestnuts. Disregarding a dirt road that descends to the left (the sign warns that the road is off limits), you reach a second fork where you stay to the left then turn and continue up through the woods, characterized by beautiful patches of tree heath and sessile-leafed broom, to reach, after a short descent, a crossroads with numerous signs. Here you leave Trail 110 to follow the directions of Trail 122 towards Poggio dell’Oca, which winds down into the woods to the left (the wide track can be muddy at certain times).

The route begins in Badolo, which is about 6 kilometers from the Sasso Marconi highway exit, which now also joins the Nuova Porrettana. From the roundabout next to the toll booth, you continue towards Sasso Marconi for a short distance then turn right onto the SP 58, which gives directions to the small hamlet. The starting point is the little church of S. Michele Arcangelo, where there is parking for a limited number of cars (6/7).

1 In this church today, rebuilt in 1976, you can still see the small portions

which survived the heavy bombing of the Second World War, which destroyed the previous church, built in 1770 in place of a sacred building dating from the end of the 1300s.The ancient chapel of the Madonna della Rocca, located below the summit of the mountain that dominates Badolo, where there was once a fortified build-ing, was also rebuilt after the war and opened in 1980 (it is reached via a path of less than half a kilometer and partly carved into the rock, which you find

along Via Badolo 150 meters before coming to the church).

From the church you take Via Badolo up, following the directions of Trail 110 that passes by Monte Adone and Brento. After about 400 meters, after the inter-section with Via Brento, you find a track on the right, clearly visible, that climbs the slopes of Monte del Frate. The trail, which becomes immediately steep and at times is cut directly into the rock, goes up and through a typical mixed oak woods with downy oak, flowering ash, shrubs of juniper and sessile-leafed broom. At the crossroads, you go left, disregard-ing the trail, now blocked, which goes towards the steep cliff, and a bit further ahead you find a beautiful vantage point which overlooks the town of Badolo, with the small church and cemetery, the top of the Rocca di Badolo, and in the background, the valley of the Setta creek which flows into the Reno river. With one last uphill climb, you reach the ridge: the sunny meadow grassland is dotted with rock roses and fumanas). An interesting feature are the unusual tufts of Euro-

Monte Adone Loop

The large loop of the route winds through a series of pleasant environments and landscapes, including the panoramic ridge of Monte del Frate (547 m) and the small valleys that become deeper behind the Rocca di Badolo (476 m), passing some of the most naturalistically important places in the reserve. The route uses highly visible trails and dirt roads, with few steep sections that may be slippery in rainy periods and require some caution only along the ridge, where the track is close to the edge of the vertical wall of Monte del Frate.

> Departure Badolo (378 m) > Highest point Monte del Frate (547 m)> Length 7.8 km > Duration 3 hours

Monte del Frate and Valle del Raibano

The route, which offers sweeping views and interesting natural and historical sights, is the most direct route for reaching the highest peak of the Contrafforte Pliocenico (the climb is a little over a kilometer and a half). The difference in alti-tude is significant (almost 200 m) but winds along a short and quite smooth path, on easily recognizable trails and dirt roads. From the top you can then complete the path going down along the ridge and take a shortcut down the northern slope of the mountain. Near the summit and during the descent to the ridge, cau-tion should be exercised in the most challenging and exposed sections.

> Departure Brento (463 m) > Highest point Monte Adone (654 m) > Length 5 km > Duration 2 hours

Route

3

Route

2 This is a long hiking trail that goes from Monteveglio to Ozzano Emilia, crossing the entire reserve and touch-ing the major heights of the Contraf-forte Pliocenico. The project, devel-oped by the Bologna section of the CAI (Italian Alpine Club) in the late 1980s, was equipped in 2005, in the middle of the trail (from Sasso Mar-coni to Monterenzio), with “stopping places” and appropriate signs, marked by the initials T5V, with a contribu-tion from the Mountain Community of Cinque Valli Bolognesi (which no longer exists). The route in the Nature Reserve, which can be done on foot and, in some parts with different paths, by mountain bike too, it is a two day journey on foot with a stop near Pianoro (for those who travel by mountain bike, it takes just one day). The trails mainly go along the ridge, with some stretches more exposed and demanding, and the rest on dirt and paved roads. From Sasso Marconi you take Trail 110, which goes directly up to the saddle of Monte Mario, reaches

the top, goes through the Commenda Farm ruins, descends into the Raibano creek and then goes back up to Bado-lo through the woods. Beyond Badolo, the route, still on Trail 110, goes along the ridge of Monte del Frate, descends to Campiuno and, again along the ridge, rises to the top of Monte Adone and then reaches the lower Brento area. From here the route continues down Trail 910 to the Savena valley floor, climbs up the opposite side to reach Livergnano. Using Via Bortig-nano (Trails 813 and 813a), the route follows down to the valley of the Zena creek (Trails 809a and 809) and once beyond the boundaries of the reserve, climbs back up to reach the summit of Monte delle Formiche. An early pub-lication regarding the Traversata was promoted in 1990 by the Provincia di Bologna, the CAI and Pangea. In 2007 a booklet was published, edited by A. Soravia and S. Gardini, accompanied by specific maps, which describes in detail the route and the possible walk-ing and mountain biking variants.

Traversata delle Cinque Valli

Buildings and places open to the publicMuseo e Centro di Documentazione “The Winter Line”- via della Chiesa, 4 - loc. Livergnano - Pianoro - tel. 051 778834This is an exhibition of relics from the Second World War set up in one of the houses cut into the sandstone of the Contrafforte Pliocenico. It can usually be visited on Sundays (it is always advisable to contact the owner fi rst).

Centro tutela e ricerca fauna esotica e selvatica Monte Adone - via Brento, 9 - loc. Brento - Sasso Marconi - tel. 051 847600 -info@centrotutelafauna.org - www.centro-tutelafauna.orgThe center recovers and provides shelter for animals, both native and exotic, abandoned, injured or confi scated; it can be visited by appointment, Saturday and Sunday afternoon (May-September).

Giardino botanico Nova Arbora - via di Badolo, 35 - loc. Badolo - Sasso Marconi - tel. 051 847581 -info@novarbora.com - www.novarbora.comThe garden, in the Bed & Breakfast of the same name, is organized into different habitats (pond, bracken, medicinal, aromatic, Mediterranean and alpine plants, gardens of the “delights” and “poisons”, etc...). It can be visited by prior arrangement, from March to October (closed in August).

Oasi Naturale SAPABA San Gherardo - via Rio Conco - loc. Pontecchio Marconi - Sasso Marconi - tel. 051 6758409 - info@infosasso.it -www.ecosistema.it/sangherardoThis is a large wetland area near the river Reno, created through the environmental restoration of a quarry, now home to numerous species of birds. It is accessible by reservation only with guided tours for schools and groups.

HospitalityHoliday Farms and Bed & BreakfastsAgriturismo Piccola Raieda - via Brento, 3 - loc. Badolo - Sasso Marconi - tel. 051 847531 - info@piccolaraieda. it - www.piccolaraieda.itB&B Nova Arbora - via Badolo, 35 - loc. Badolo Sasso Marconi - tel. 051 847581 -info@novarbora.com - www.novarbora.comB&B Falco Pellegrino - via Badolo, 56 - Badolo - Sasso Marconi - tel. 051 847589 / 338.8286806 - falcopellegrino@ libero.itB&B delle Valli - via delle Valli, 16 - loc. Badolo - Sasso Marconi - tel. 051 847657 / 333 5783988B&B Azienda agricola Picaflor - via delle Orchidee, 5 - loc. Badolo - Sasso Marconi - tel. 335 8329308 - 338 8107600 - andolc@tin.it - www.lavandadipicaflor.itB&B Prati di Mugnano - via Vizzano, 6 - loc. Prati di Mugnano - Sasso Marconi - tel. 051 841109 - pratidimugnano@ gmail.com- www.pratidimugnano.itB&B Ca’ di Mazza - via Brento, 199/2 - Brento - Monzuno - tel. 335 7267958 - info@bbcadimazza.it - www.bbcadimazza.it

Restaurants and trattoriasAntica Hostaria della Rocca di Badolo- via Brento, 2/4 - loc. Badolo - Sasso Marconi - tel. 051 847506 - alexsopr@alice.it -www.hostariadibadolo.itRistorante Prati di Mugnano - via Vizzano, 8 - loc. Prati di Mugnano - Sasso Marconi - tel. 051 841818Trattoria Vizzano - via Vizzano, 17 - Sasso Marconi - tel. 051 847054Trattoria Ganzole - via Ganzole, 8 - Sasso Marconi - tel. 051 841539Trattoria Calamelli - via Setta, 75/p - Sasso Marconi - tel. 051 847507

Trattoria Da Vanes - via Nazionale, 238 -loc. Livergnano - Pianoro - tel. 051 778833Trattoria Grillini - via Zena, 25 - Pianoro - tel. 051 6510034 (check /they do not answer telephone - in 2006 it worked) Trattoria Bar Ca’ di Pippo - via Monte delle Formiche, 5 - loc. Monte delle Formiche - Pianoro - tel. 051 6510186Vecchia Trattoria di Monte Adone- via Castellazzo, 4/a - loc. Brento - Monzuno - tel. 051 6775126 / 6778233 - www.trattoriamonteadone.com

Hotels and innsAlbergo Ristorante l’Oasi - via Setta, 7 - Sasso Marconi - tel. 051 841608Locanda dei Cinque Cerri - via Setta, 45 - loc. Cinque Cerri - Sasso Marconi - tel. 051 847734 - info@locandacinquecerri.com - www.locandacinquecerri.comAlbergo Ristorante La Meridiana - via Ponte Albano, 142 - Sasso Marconi - tel. 051 841098Locanda Ristorante 3 Virtù - via Ponte Albano, 97 - Sasso Marconi - tel. 051 6750182 - trevirtù@hotmail.com - www.locanda3virtu.itAlbergo Ristorante Tre Galletti - via Ziano di Sotto, 18 - Sasso Marconi - tel. 051 841128 - info@tregalletti.com - www.tregalletti.comLocanda Ristorante del CastelloPalazzo de’ Rossi - via Palazzo de’ Rossi, 16 - loc. Pontecchio Marconi - Sasso Marconi - tel. 051 6781172 - info@locandacastello.it - www.locandacastello.itCentro Sportivo Hotel Camping Ristorante Piccolo Paradiso - via Sirano, 7 - loc. Sirano - Marzabotto - tel. 051 6750300 - info@piccoloparadiso.eu - www.piccoloparadiso.eu

This hiking trail leads from Florence to Bologna in 4/6 stages, largely following the ancient road that was once a connect-ing Transapennine route. The fanciful name is linked to the various place names along the path, such as Monte Adone (Mount Adonis), Monte Venere (Mount Venus), Monzuno (from Mons Juno) reminiscent of the pagan gods. The old road ran past Brento, Monzuno, Madonna dei Fornelli, then the Stale pass (near Barberino, in Tus-cany) and over the centuries was referred to by various names: Via Romea, Via dei Muli (Trail of the Mules), Via di Barberino, or Via dello Stale, or, precisely, “Trail of the Gods.” The hiking trail, designed twenty

years ago by a group of enthusiasts, offers various alternative routes. The trail, marked with the initials VD (within the Reserve today also marked on the CAI signs) and sometimes with two yellow circles, partially overlaps with the four suggested routes and the longest hiking trails that cross the Contrafforte. Within the protected area, the path passes the Prati di Mugnano, Badolo, Monte del Frate, Monte Adone and Brento and continues south towards Monzuno. A brochure is available in book-stores (latest edition 2007), accompanied by specific maps, with a detailed descrip-tion of the entire route and its walking and mountain biking variants.

Via degli Dei

The simple circular route around the slopes of Monte Rosso (591 m), which starts at the highly unique village of Livergnano with its houses built into the rock , offers beautiful views close to the impressive sandstone walls that tower over Sadurano, and interesting views of the cool woods lining the northern side of the cliffs. The route is mainly on scarcely shaded dirt roads and it is best not to hike it at the hotter times of the day. Some caution should be exercised pri-marily along a narrow stretch of path through the woods on the eastern slope of the mountain.

> Departure Livergnano (525 m) > Highest point Is basically that of depar-ture, because the first part of the route descends to the fork in the Trails 809 and 809a under I Sassi (325 m), before going back up to Livergnano> Length 7.5 km > Duration 3 hours

Around Monte RossoRoute

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This long hiking trail, which takes 4/6 days of walking, connects Bologna to Prato, passing some of the most impressive religious buildings in the Apennines, from the Oratory of S. Caterina on the top of Montovolo to the lonely Santuario della Beata Vergine delle Grazie di Boccadirio surrounded by the woods of Baragazza, up to the Abbey of S. Maria di Montepiano, now in Tuscan territory. It was created by the CAI sections of Bologna and Prato

in 2000, the year of the Jubilee. The Trail’s route, marked with the initials VS, only takes in a short section of the Reserve, passing through the Prati di Mugnano park as far as Commenda and then following down to Battedizzo to proceed beyond the Setta creek in the direction of Monte Sole. A pam-phlet is available for this Trail as well (Edizioni Tamari), accompanied by spe-cific maps, with detailed descriptions of the main trail and possible alternatives.

Via dei Santuari

European feather grass and, in the background, Monte Adone. The beautiful wall of the Rocca di Badolo. The spring at the Raibano creek. View from via Badolo onto the imposing Rocca.

Tree heath in bloom. Wild pink (Dianthus sylvestris).

Panorama from the top of Monte Adone.Northern spectacled salamander (Salamandrina perspicillata).

The houses of Livergnano.

Lanner falcon (Falco biarmicus).

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A waterfall along the Raibano creek.A

V The Contrafforte between Monte del Frate and Monte Adone.T

T W Close-up view of the towers of Monte Adone.C

PN( White dittany (Dictamnus albus). W

Monte Rosso and, in the background, Monte delle Formiche.M

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The village of Brento on the slopes of Monte Adone.T

Formation of liverwort (Hepatica nobilis).F

The beautiful rock face that overlooks the locality I Sassi.T

Dog’s tooth violet (Erytronium dens-canis).D

Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus).P

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Testimony to the Second World War in Livergnano.T

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The church of Badolo and on the right, the Rocca.T4

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Apennine yellow-bellied toad (Bombina pachypus).

Melanargia spp. on bramble flowers. The village of Bortignano from the street of the same name.

The sandstone tower.

The polished face of Monte del Frate.T

Alpine squill (Scilla bifolia).

Gray clay at the foot of Monte Adone.G