Sentiero delle cinque Torri

Signage: turbot and yellow lozenge and wooden arrows in baldock main
Length: 31 km
Travel time: 8-9 at

The path of the Giro delle cinque Torri turns entirely on the ridges of the Langa Astigiana, in the municipalities of Monastero Bormida, Bubbio, San Giorgio Scarampi, Olmo Gentile and Roccaverano the Comunità Montana della Langa Astigiana – Bormida Valley, sour and sweet, wild and cultivated, rich in history, monuments, flora and fauna.
Loop path from Damas connects medieval towers by Damas, San Giorgio Scarampi, Olmo Gentile, Roccaverano, Vengore. Along the way are visible towers to Perletto, Denice and Castelletto d'erro. All these towers formed the line of defence of the Brand of the marquises del Carretto, that in those days controlled much of the Langhe and the Ligurian Apennines against the Saracen invasions.

The trail is passable at any season of the year, even if the heat are not advisable the months of July and August; the best seasons for nature and the colours are spring and autumn.

Walk the streets partly paved, White, dirt tracks, paths in the Woods and meadows; is also in mountain-bike with the exception of short sections in the Woods where transporting the bike on his shoulder. The clothing must be appropriate to the season: the boots are best trekking. The journey time for good walkers is 7 – 8 at, but the path can be easily broken in two days with overnight stop in Roccaverano. Since the path often intersects or flanks the roads can also be done sometimes at different times, using the car for lug near the section you want to go. The overall gradient of the whole route is about 1.100 metres uphill and downhill as well, the altitude varies between 200 and 800 metri s.l.m., the highest point is la torre di Roccaverano. As the path unfolds mostly on ridges, There are no sources or water sources, but on the other hand you can find roe deer and fallow deer and, on sunny days, the view stretches over most of the Apennine and Alpine arc, from the Monte Beigua to Ligurian Alps, Alpes-Maritimes, Monviso, Cottian Alps and Graian, Mont Blanc, Matterhorn, Group of pink, Pennine Alps.
The trail is open in both directions but the classic tour 5 torri is departing and arriving in Damas, via San Giorgio Scarampi, Olmo Gentile, Roccaverano, Vengore, Garroni, Santa Libera.

1° stage – Monastery / San Giorgio Scarampi km 12
The first trail (turbot and yellow logo) you are Damas, After crossing the beautiful medieval bridge 4 arches, with Central Chapel, at the intersection immediately following, turn right onto strada provinciale per Roccaverano, you pass the cemetery and you leave to your left the capelletta of Saint Ursula and subsequently the Church of San Rocco. Come in the middle of a straight, in the face of a farmhouse, leave the paved road to the right taking a dirt road leading to the Ford on the river Tatorba (If it is not possible to Ford the Creek, You can proceed again for 100 meters on the provincial road and take a right the first paved road, you always turn right and take two bridges we find ourselves on a dirt road that, skirting the Creek, You on the other side of the first Ford described).
Opposite the Ford takes the road that goes up to a group of houses, pass which, following the yellow marks it continues to climb to the top of the Hill, There he goes into the Woods to a small flat on the right, that leaves then left, to climb through the trees to the wooded Ridge, It runs southwards towards the Summit of Bric del Moro. It runs a camp and there he goes into the Woods below the Summit of Bric del Moro (on top of the remains of wooden constructions). Continuing on the trail in the forest of oak, on the side of the hill towards Tatorba, you reach a collar from where you see a deep valley that almost divides the Hill; here following a forest lane, and then for a costa, We descend to the ruins of a House, you leave to your left to continue on almost flat dirt beside a vineyard below. Along a stretch of trail that runs along the deep valley of the Riané, in order to arrive on a paved road where you turn left and walk uphill between fields, vineyards, hazel groves and farmhouses. When you reach the turn-off for Madonna della Neve, keep to the left and continue along the asphalt road uphill, afterwards, before a curve to the right which leads to a farmhouse, you leave the paved road to climb right along a grassy slope up to a dirt road that, the ridge path, enter in other paved road that we take always turn left and follow until a group of homes after a bend. The first House on the left, take a path that, downhill leads into the Woods where, crossed a small ruscell, It was always in the Woods and along a forest road leading uphill to cross a paved road, where you turn left again for Bertonasco Region – Galli. Follow the paved road through a group of houses (Case G). To the left, the Langa in front, You can see Roccaverano, the Tower of Vengore and the Church of San Giovanni, While in valle Bormida in Cortemilia to your right, you see the villages of Cessole and Vesime, and opposite stands the mighty Tower of San Giorgio. On the right hand side you can admire beautiful dry stone walls of sandstone of Langa. After a gentle descent leads to a stone chapel with arcade (Galli Chapel), It passes under the porch and there you enter left on a gravel road that continues on the Ridge. When the road became paved it runs again for a few meters and then lets go right along the ancient mule track leading to the village of San Giorgio. (about 3 hours from Damas)

2° stage – Saint George / Olmo Gentile km 5
Admired the beautiful stone quadrangular Tower, go through the village of San Giorgio Scarampi consisting of a few stone houses and two churches, and descend on the opposite side with bella vista, on the right, the Tower of Perletto, with opposite the Tower of Elm Gentile. It comes down to a resting area equipped with canopy, at a beautiful baroque church, all local stone (including the roof). Along a stretch of road for Roccaverano, then lets get right on the Ridge, that is until you descend on the provincial road, the cross and continue along the forest road on the left. This forest road, muddy often, in chestnut wood; makes for a short stretch between the meadows , that after crossing the forest climbs to the ridge where there is a deposit of the aqueduct. Continue on the Ridge, It crosses a gravelly road that takes you through continuing the walk on a beautiful Ridge, with the right Kind of Elm and left of Roccaverano, until you reach the top where there is a large cross erected in memory of the victims of the attack on the two towers of n.y. of 9/11/2001. Beyond the cross we descend on the provincial road, that we take right and follow for about a hundred metres downhill, to turn then left (at one pole of the bridle path) on grassy road. The road becomes a path that crosses a field, then become a Bridleway that leads downhill to a deposit of the aqueduct; and later for paved road leads to a stone church, where there you enter the provincial road that leads to Olmo Gentile. (San Giorgio Scarampi – Olmo Gentile hours 1,15 / gradual hours 4,15)

3– Olmo Gentile stage / Roccaverano km 3
Visited the tower and admired the Castle, now Congress Center, We return on their steps and, After the Church off Elm, turn right onto the paved road. Come to the water, turn right and up the Hill to a small path in the Woods up to take on an old dirt road. It continues to rise, with his right, before a forest of oak trees, then a fence until you reach the ridge where turning left there you enter on the strada provinciale Roccaverano-Serole. Follow the road towards Roccaverano. After a few meters, If you want to avoid the asphalt can be left on the traces of the old road, passing next to a dilapidated stone house, then get back on the road at the trackside shanties. Once at the junction with the provincial road Roccaverano – St. George 's., turn right and descend on the provincial road until the next crossroad, where you turn left. Follow the yellow trail climbs in the beautiful village of Roccaverano, between sandstone houses. Climbing a stone staircase you can see to your left, a wall is entirely covered by saxifrage. We arrive in the beautiful piazzetta, bounded by beautiful stone church carved and sculpted, the 14th century Bramante's design (Please visit the Interior, the Church is always open), with opposite the ruins of the Castle (Windows with stone mullioned Windows) and the beautiful circular stone tower. You can ask at the bar of the Pro-Loco (the same square) the keys to climb the Tower. (at 0,45 by Olmo Gentile – gradual hours 5)

4° stage – Roccaverano / Vengore km 3
Roccaverano is the highest point of the route, from the top of his Tower gaze goes free (at 360 degrees) over the horizon, with views of the Langhe and the Bormida valleys of Dublin and the Bormida di Spigno, the landscape made of Woods, meadows, fields, Headbands, and gullies of grey clay. From this point you can see the various towers which constituted the line of Defense.
From piazza di Roccaverano, taking a lane on the right side of the Church, it comes down between the old stone houses, It passes under a vault and there you enter on the provincial road. A few meters after, to avoid a bend, turn right and descend a steep paved road that leads back onto the provincial road for Mombaldone, If you continue downhill. On the left, under the scarp see beautiful votive stone Chapel of Brown Family, the same who erected the Church. To avoid two bends, you can cut to a small path. Continuing to the provincial road leads to the hamlet of San Giovanni where stands a beautiful church of Romanesque origin, with a great cycle of frescoes. Also note the beautiful stone bell tower, beneath which lies a small cemetery with tombs scattered throughout the Meadow, reminiscent of Irish cemeteries. After the cemetery, to avoid asphalt, You can proceed along a path in the Woods on the right side of the road. When you reach the turnoff to Denice, take the uphill road on the left and after a hundred meters, at a crossroads with two paved lanes, you leave the paved road to climb a small path in the woods that leads to the Tower of Vengore, Stone Henge, given the time-span, that isolated stands out against the sky, exercising a particular charm. (at 0,30 from Roccaverano – King progressive 5,30)

5° stage – Vengore / Monastery km 8
From the Tower of Vengore down on asphalt road, the cross, and descend the steep Escarpment to merge on a steep descent on the trail where the right side is a stone wall and a pine forest. Arrived in the vicinity of a mulberry tree, turn left onto flat road that crosses the hillside, abandoned groups covered. Along this street you can admire a beautiful specimen of wood. Once again on the road to Denice, in the locality of Garroni, It runs for about one hundred meters, and then abandon it for a strabello dirt road that climbs the ridge of the Hill. On top of the Hill looking across the Valley Bormida di Spigno, with its clay grey Badlands, and beneath the Tower of Denice with against the Tower of Castelletto d'erro. Continue along a downhill trail that goes into the Woods (common border markers), always in the Woods to turn left and reach a forest path that leads up a dirt road and then the asphalt road to Denice. Follow the asphalt road downhill for a stretch, then, to avoid asphalt, the surrenders to come up with a path on the ridge to the left of the road; the ridge path will descend on the paved road and follow until junction on the right for Brooding Houses (Wooden cross on the left in sandstone stand infix carved). At this point the road right curve and abandons the ridge to descend to Denice, We go up the ridge to the dirt road that leads us to cross a forest and get off next to the hamlet of Santa with his Church and the old school, owned by the town and the monastery which has used as a refuge (To use you must request the keys to the city of Damas). From the hamlet of Santa Libera you continue down to the monastery via a few metres of paved road, that leaves right to climb to the Ridge with a dirt road and there he resubmits nel bosco, then descend on the paved road that runs through again for a short distance to reach a curve that turns right, If you leave the paved road to go left to the old mule track leading to Damas. Descending we reach back to the paved road that goes downhill, and after two hairpin bends (one revolves around a farmhouse), at a crossroads, turn left for few metres right to resume the old mule tracks, that soon becomes the trail and you enter it again on the paved road to Damas, If you arrive after crossing the River on the medieval bridge.