Piemonte Gravel - Val Borbera

This route has at least three personalities.

The calm one, the determined one, and the tough one.

First comes the calm and comfortable, a cycle-touristic stretch along the Borbera stream. After a few easy kilometers, a kind of warm-up, the route crosses the wide riverbed of the Borbera on a very narrow pedestrian bridge. Then, you pass through the Borbera Gorges, a sort of canyon that takes you into another world. After a few more kilometers in the Val Borbera, here comes the first change in character. The route climbs decisively on a traffic-free road up the valley of the Gardenella stream to reach the chapel of San Fermo, and the feeling of being a bit off the beaten path becomes even stronger. From this point, the route continues for kilometers along the ridge and turns tough. Off-road skills are absolutely required, as well as a good dose of endurance. There is a brief pause between the towns of Borassi and Roccaforte Ligure. Then, it starts hammering again, ending with a beautiful flowy descent before reconnecting to the main road that leads back to Arquata Scrivia.