Circular path from Biassa to Monesteroli-Campiglia and back
Biassa is a very ancient and suggestive town, quite extensive, located at the head of the Fosso Canivella valley. Although the sea is very close both to the south and to the north, it remains largely protected by the green wooded buttresses of the surrounding mountains, revealing a part of the Gulf of La Spezia, with the mountains of the Tuscan-Emilian ridge, the Apuan Alps and the beginning of the white Carrara marble quarries in the background. The westernmost portion of the Tramonti coast gravitates to Biassa, which is why it takes the name of Tramonti di Biassa. The starting point is Biassa which is only 4 km away. above La Spezia.
Leaving directly on foot from Pietra di Mare in the historic center of the village, you take a historic stone staircase, classified as monumental, in the woods that leads us to the chapel of S. Antonio, path 504 that leads to the coast of Tramonti, which includes 4 nuclei of Fossola, Monesteroli, Schiara, Persico and was, for the inhabitants of Biassa, “Trans Montes” (beyond the mountain) and here they went to cultivate the vineyards overlooking the sea, to practice fishing, to produce salt from sea water, as a complement to a rather poor rural economy.
From the church of San Antonio you can descend towards Fossola and then, having passed the white church of the Guardian Angels, continue to the left halfway up the hill towards Monesteroli, or you can go down directly along the Schiara road until you reach the path that leads directly to the steepest section of the Grand Staircase which reaches houses of Monesteroli. This staircase is made up of over 1100 high sandstone steps and runs along the top of the promontory and seems to be suspended between the sky and the earth. The show is breathtaking and one feels part of a world for the most unknown.
For the way back it is advisable to follow the ascent with the signs for Campiglia and to make an interesting stop at the historic Napoleonic fountain in Nozzano on the heights of Schiara. Once in Campiglia we will begin the return journey along a stretch of Alta Via del Golfo until we return to the San Antonio Church and descend the monumental stone staircase that leads directly to the historic center of Biassa and Pietra di Mare.
- Difficulty : EE
- Duration : 6 Ore