Monte Bignone - ring

The "Monte Bignone" route allows you to make a loop and return to the "Carbonara trail" .

It starts from the "Red House" at the Vicinale Monte road (44 ° 02.571 N - 008 ° 12.373 E; see link google maps ). The first part of the route is a technical path to climb, with a beautiful view of the gulf. In the second section there is a dirt road, quite shaded. Following the indications of the CAI, the symbol that marks the path is characterized by two red dots on a white background.

The route winds entirely between heather shrubs and maritime pines; a real tunnel of dense vegetation that also presents some difficulties, sometimes stony and steep, better to go uphill than downhill or in any case with trekking poles. The view is spectacular: on the right you can see the Piana di Albenga , the gaze sweeps over the gulf and an intense blue sea.

At 410 meters above sea level, you begin to glimpse the whole coast and with an extra effort even the mountains of Tuscany with the Apuan Alps on the horizon. Continuing on, you enter another tunnel of fantastic vegetation. At 520 meters you can see Monte Bignone , on the left the Ligurian Coast , Finale Ligure on the horizon and then again Monte Pesalto, Monte Croce, Monte Acuto and the Carmo, the highest peak, the Galero . To go down there is a point with a cable and a fixed rope to hold on as it is very steep.

At the crossroads, under Monte Bignone, at 450 meters, take the path on the right that descends from the San Fedele side. Path largely in the shade, in the woods. It is necessary to be very careful in some points because they present a bit of overhang.

At 370 meters there is the only fountain of the route, the Fonte Carbonara . It is dry at certain times of the year but strangely enough in August there is always very fresh water. At the exit of the Carbonara path, you rejoin the path made to climb and return to the starting point, to the parking lot of the Red House.