The Cave Path

The route can start from the Finale Ligure train station, or from the eastern gate of Finalborgo, where you can arrive by bus from the station. The walk begins by crossing the beautiful historic center of Finalborgo, the home of Ligurian outdoor activities. After wandering through the alleys of the center, we take the path called via delle Neviere, which follows the Aquila stream. From here we will follow the signs for the “Sentiero Ermanno Fossati”. We follow the valley for a while and then climb left on a steep path that leads to the Madonna di Loreto church, also called the church of the five bell towers because of its characteristic architecture recalling the Lombard architectural style of the 15th century. Near the church, we turn right and walk a stretch of paved road following the valley until we reach the trailhead detaching to the right, and after crossing a beautiful farmhouse, it begins to climb on the left orographic side of the valley. The path climbs steeply, alternating stretches in the holm oak woods with openings that offer beautiful views of the valley and the sea in the distance. We must pay close attention to an unmarked fork that we take to the left to reach one of the two wonders of the day, the Ivy cave, about 200 m away. The cave is a paradise for climbers, who have marked some particularly difficult and spectacular routes on the open-air cave walls. Returning on our steps, we resume the path to the left, which climbs towards the top of the cliff, with some rather thrilling sections, not very suitable for those suffering from vertigo. In this section, sometimes you have to make passages using your hands. Once at the top of the cliff, we turn left to descend on a steep path through the woods that leads to the second magical place of this walk: the Pollera cave, named after a pool of water flowing at its bottom, which can only be visited together with expert speleologists, rappelling with a rope. The cave was inhabited since prehistoric times, and many very interesting archaeological finds have been discovered. We continue descending to the valley bottom, where we resume the paved road leading towards Finale Ligure. Returning on our steps, passing beside the church of the five bell towers, we continue straight until reaching the village of Castel Garrone, where there is the beautiful church of Sant’Eusebio, from the 13th century, with a characteristic bell tower shaped like a sail. Near the church, we take the left path descending among olive trees towards Finalborgo. We descend to the Castel Giovanni fort, and from here we conclude the round trip by passing again through Finalborgo to return to the station.

The route is part of the Walking & Cycling for future project, in which Movimento Lento proposes every Friday a route on foot or by bicycle whose start and end points are reachable by public transport (train, bus, etc.)

For more information visit the website www.movimentolento.it/walking-cycling-for-future/