A series of self-guided walks in the footsteps of angellightphoto
Walk highlights
This short ramble has rapidly become one of our favourite walks within the Aulla municipality. It is rich in wildlife, with a particular abundance of wild flowers and butterflies in spring. But the principal attraction is the dramatic landscape that has been shaped by geologically recent tectonic activity. Lunigiana is crisscrossed with both active and dormant fault lines and the Olivola fault is almost certainly still active. The results of past movement can be seen in the rift valleys, narrow ridges, and dramatic light ochre-coloured clay cliffs that are somewhat reminiscent of those at Roussillon in Provence. Look out, too, for the exposed beds of conglomerate and mudstone towards the end of the walk.
The route leaves Olivola by way of a steep downhill section of the Via del Volto Santo (blue way marks) that traverses a narrow ridge. Height is lost quickly on the way down but is regained more gently in the latter stages of the tour. The middle section of the walk follows the Bibola Brook upstream and is the part of the ramble that has the greatest abundance of wild flowers. The rest of the ramble is predominantly a woodland walk that rejoins the Via del Volto Santo back to Olivola.
