The best cycling routes around Lake Giacopiane

Pria Burgheisa (Pietra Borghese) is a massive outcrop of mantle peridotites, among the best-known and most significant in the area. It lies on the southwestern edge of the Prato Mollo plateau, on the southern slopes of Mount Aiona, at an altitude of 1,465 m. It is a geosite of considerable petrographic, mineralogical, and regional geological interest, allowing us to study the evolution of a portion of the lithospheric mantle subsequently involved in the Apennine orogeny. The outcrop has a highly irregular shape: 30 m long, 10 m wide at its maximum, and 7–8 m high. The rocks are dark in color, ranging from blackish to brownish; the mass is affected by three main fracture systems, more or less orthogonal to each other, which fragment it into numerous square-shaped blocks. The surface of the blocks has a pitted appearance, as the pyroxene crystals, more resistant to erosion than olivine, remain prominent. At the outcrop, mantle foliation is evident, due to the presence of frequent pyroxenite bands. Source: Liguria Geosite Registry.

In the heart of the village of Prati di Mezzanego, right near the town hall, stands a magnificent centuries-old wisteria, listed in the Ligurian Regional Register of Monumental Trees. The plant has entwined itself around an old metal structure, now completely engulfed in branches, creating a natural display reminiscent of an art installation. The most evocative time to admire it is early spring, when the blossoms offer a truly unique display of colors and scents.

The Rifugio Casermette del Penna (1,400 m) is located within the Aveto Park, in a beautiful beech forest at the foot of Mount Penna, where the Forestry Corps barracks once stood. Renovated sustainably using local wood, photovoltaic panels, and a biomass boiler, the refuge offers 25 beds in both rooms and dormitories, as well as home-cooked meals prepared using local produce. Today, it is a popular destination for hikers, families, and groups, thanks in part to the large green lawn in front of the building: in summer, it's ideal for relaxing in the sun, picnicking, or letting children play freely. The location is perfect for exploring the trails of Mount Penna, the Lago Penna loop, the Pennino forests, or tackling more technical climbs to the rocky peaks. In winter, it's an ideal base for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.

The Rifugio Faggio dei Tre Comuni (1,400 m), opened in 2011, is located in a beautiful clearing among the beech forests of the Ligurian-Emilian Apennines, at the symbolic meeting point of the municipalities of Bedonia, Tornolo, and Santo Stefano d'Aveto. Built of wood and concrete, it offered approximately 20 beds and was managed by the Parma branch of the Italian Alpine Club (CAI). Unfortunately, with the agreement between the CAI and the Unione Montana (Mountain Union) having expired, the refuge is now closed and abandoned. A real shame: if the facility were reopened at least during the summer months, it could once again become an ideal base for hiking and biking excursions to Monte Trevine, Monte Penna, and the source of the Taro River. The beauty of the site remains intact, and the refuge's clearing is a perfect stop for a break in the silence of the forest.

This long stretch of the dirt road that goes from Perlezzi up towards the Aiona–Pratomollo Refuge offers wide panoramic views: from the Aveto Mountains to the sea, with Lake Giacopiane appearing between the mountains like one of those bodies of water in the nativity scene, reflected on silver paper. The surface is generally hard and compact, but in some short stretches the loose gravel can reduce grip, both uphill and downhill. The descent is pleasant and never too steep, while the climb requires a certain amount of effort: the difference in altitude is felt and the ascent is constant, with no flat stretches to recover. However, the effort is well rewarded by the increasingly spectacular views that open up as you climb higher.

This stretch of the dirt road that climbs from Perlezzi towards the Aiona–Pratomollo Refuge runs entirely through a splendid beech forest. Many of the trees are large, a sign of the age and majesty of the forest. In summer, you cycle in the shade of a cool green tunnel; in autumn, the landscape is tinged with warm shades, from yellow to brown. Even in winter, the forest retains a special charm, with the branching of the beech trees clearly visible in its elegant geometry. The surface is compact and smooth, making cycling easy. The difference in height is minimal, making this stretch particularly pleasant to ride.

The chapel near the Aiona-Pratomollo Refuge, dedicated to the Fallen of the "Balconia", commemorates a tragic period of the Second World War. "Balconia" is not a place, but the symbolic name given to a series of ferocious Nazi-Fascist roundups and massacres that struck the Ligurian Apennines between 1944 and 1945. This mountain area, a true "balcony" over the valleys, was strategic for the Resistance. The harsh German and Fascist repression aimed to annihilate the partisans and terrorize the civilian population that supported them, causing countless victims. The term "Balconia" thus became the dramatic synthesis of those sacrifices, a way to give a collective name to the pain and heroism of those who fought for freedom in those heights. The chapel is a monument to the memory of all of them. A touch of life and care: at the bottom of the left wall, a small fountain offers refreshment (especially in the summer months) and allows you to water the flowering plants that adorn the chapel, with the bottles made available.

Not far from the Aiona–Pratomollo Refuge, near the dirt road, you come across Pietra Borghese, a truly unique rocky outcrop. At first glance, it may seem like a simple dark mass that emerges from the pastures, but it is actually a very ancient rock, among the oldest in Italy: it is over two billion years old and actually comes from the Earth's mantle. Its composition, rich in magnetite, causes compasses to go crazy in the surrounding area, and it is not uncommon for its summit to be struck by lightning during storms. Some legends have also developed around this stone, including one that wants it to be a meteorite that fell from the sky. In reality, its true charm lies in its deep geological origin, which tells an ancient story linked to the birth of the Apennines and the disappearance of a prehistoric ocean.