Visone tower loop Path no. 541

The route starts from the old village of Visone, where once stood an ancient castle of which today remains a medieval tower dating back to the 14th century and an old washhouse, born at the meeting point of two sulfurous water springs, one warm and one cold. From the Tower the route resumes Via Castello, returning to the main road, turns left and follows a short stretch of the former SS456 towards Prasco up to the cemetery, then turns right, following the signs for the restaurant-pizzeria la Cappelletta; after crossing the little bridge over the Visone stream, it proceeds uphill on the municipal road, crosses the level crossing and continues to the sign indicating a right turn for Casa Piota, where it joins a gravel road. The path runs halfway up the wooded slope, following the right side of the Visone stream, then with a sharp turn to the left leaves the easy gravel road and begins to climb more decisively up the slope, following a faint trail through invasive vegetation. From the ridge you can enjoy a wide panoramic view opening towards northwest with in the foreground the villages of Cavatore and Grognardo and in the distance Ponzone and Acqui Terme and also, on clear days, the Alpine arc. Walking this path in May and June you are fascinated by the dazzling flowering of the broom (Spartium junceum) and the scent emitted by it and the blooming privet (Ligustrum vulgaris). The path descends slightly, reaches the municipal road and after a few meters turns left to resume climbing and reach the summit of Monte Menno (405 m), a gentle hill of the Acqui area, where a large modern cross has been placed, from which you enjoy a splendid panorama of the surrounding area. The route continues descending with small hairpin bends along the southern slope of the hill entirely covered by broom to reach the small hamlet of Santa Croce, where the Chapel of Our Lady of Health is located, dedicated to Monsignor Pietrino Principe, originally from these places. The 541 path at this point makes a hiking loop around the basin of the small Tassere stream, a minor tributary of the Caramagna stream and therefore of the Bormida. Descending on asphalt, the route passes between the houses of the hamlet of Olive, continues descending towards the valley floor and then follows the course of the small stream. After fording it, the path reaches the junction where path 544 turns left while path 541 takes right and begins a gradual ascent within a cool chestnut (Castanea sativa) and hop hornbeam (Ostrya carpinifolia) forest. After a very short stretch of asphalt, the path re-enters the forest, now mainly composed of oaks and shortly reaches the hamlet of Foresti, where it turns right, joining the municipal road. Continuing on asphalt, the route shortly returns to the Chapel of the Santa Croce hamlet, thus closing the small circular circuit.

From the chapel, the route retraces in the opposite direction the initial stretch and returns to the village of Visone.