Bormida to Melogno Crossroads

The trail from Bormida to the Melogno Road crossroads follows the ancient route used by carters who transported salt and goods from the coast to Piedmont. Starting from the village of Bormida (531m), with its sandstone houses and characteristic medieval bridges, the landscape changes progressively with altitude. The first kilometres cross cultivated fields and abandoned orchards where wild apple and cherry trees grow, before entering dense chestnut woodland that gives way to beech forest around 700 metres. The route is a long steady climb to the Melogno road junction (802m), a historic transit point where salt roads converged. Stone fountains still in working order and stretches of original cobblestone appear along the way. The flora includes Cyclamen europaeum in shaded sections and wild orchids in clearings. Demanding in length but technically straightforward, recommended from April to October.