The itinerary winds through the valley of the Samoggia stream, between the slopes of Montepaolo and Monte Castellaccio.
The soil is clay and marl, with large areas of gullies and landslides. Starting from the square in front of the Sanctuary, continue in a south-westerly direction, passing by the Rosacroce colony. At the first crossroads (410m), turn right, pass Casetta Olivetto (385m) and turn left towards the north until you reach the continuation of the path. After a few short hairpin bends you reach the Samoggia stream. Cross it on a bridge, from which you can see the many small waterfalls created by artificial dams. After passing a small lake to the right of the road, and after about a hundred metres, turn left and cross the Samoggia again on the bridge to reach the hamlet of Buca di Sant’Antonio (185m). From the bridge you can see a small waterfall and the lake below.
After about 1.40 hours from the start, reach a plateau and climb north-east. After about 20 minutes you reach the Palazzina Vecchia (now in ruins), turn right and walk for about 500 metres to Casa Sassone. On the left, the slope is dominated by the limestone of Spungone; in the background you can see Bertinoro, Bagnolo and Montepaolo. Once you have reached Casa Sassone, turn left and take the cart track that climbs towards Monte Castellaccio in a west-north-westerly direction. Reaching the top of Monte Castellaccio (509m), you can see the ruins of the castle and the station of a geodetic station for cartographic surveys. Then, after about 2 hours and 45 minutes from the departure point, you will reach the summit of Monte Torre (510 m.).
This is where the descent begins.
The fauna that can be seen along the route includes roe deer, wild boar, foxes, hares, pheasants, buzzards, magpies and crows.
Difficulty: the route is mainly on cart tracks and dirt roads. Difficulties may arise during rainy periods due to mud, which can make walking difficult.
The itinerary is circular and takes 4 hours and 30 minutes.
Duration: From May to October
How to get there: To reach the departure point: the village of Dovadola is about 16 km from Forlì on the SS 67 road. Coming from Forlì, about 1 km before the centre of Dovadola, almost in front of the cemetery, take the main road on the right and follow the signs for Montepaolo. After 7 km you will get to Montepaolo, where it is possible to leave the car in the parking area in front of the church.
Additional information: Once you have parked your car outside the Sanctuary of Montepaolo, it is worth taking some time to visit the sanctuary and the cave of the saint.
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