THE BLUE PETAL
It is a beautiful loop trail, very good for MTBs, because there aren’t particularly steep rises except the one beyond the hamlet of Cotelle (bikes should do it in the opposite direction). The complete trail is 17 km long with a positive difference in altitude of 712 metres. The highest altitude is 641 metres a.s.l. at the chapel of San Giacomo near the “Bicocca” over San Michele, while the lowest point is the floor of the valley of Tanaro at 321 metres a.s.l. It takes about 4 hours to cover it by foot and 1 hour and a half in MTB. The starting points can be San Grato in Vicoforte or San Teobaldo in Niella where the blue petal connects with the fuchsia one, or it is possible to leave the car at the Parish church of Niella Tanaro to start in a low point and make the return easier. It is particularly beautiful the view after the “Bicocca”, going to Niella. To end the itinerary part of the fuchsia petal must be traversed, between San Grato and San Teobaldo, without arriving in the valley of Briaglia, covering the asphalt road between the hamlet of Vaschetti and farmhouse Tripoli.