ANELLO PAVAROLO-MONTALDO TORINESE-MARENTINO-PAVAROLO
Start and finish: Pavarolo, Via Maestra parking
Length: 12.40 km Elevation: +134 m Hiking difficulty: Moderate, undulating terrain
Water points: In Pavarolo, SMAT hut on Via Maestra, fountain in Piazza S. Defendente; in Montaldo T.se, SMAT hut in Piazza Superga, and fountain in Piazza Fornace; in Marentino, SMAT hut in Piazza Giardino
Starting in Pavarolo from the parking lot on Via Maestra, adjacent to the Tower staircase, follow the Cammino Don Bosco: keep left, turn left at the first intersection, and then descend to the right (300 m from the Tower) along Via Generale Zavattaro. Upon reaching SP122, turn left – paying close attention to traffic – to cross it after about 50 m near a craft area and then almost immediately turn right onto the road that crosses it – following it for about 150 m – then turn left near the last building. Leaving the structure on the left, continue for about 700 m on a dirt road that – describing a semicircle – gradually rises to Montaldo T.se. Upon reaching the asphalt, turn right towards Piazza Superga (SMAT water hut), continue straight for about 300 m until crossing – ignoring it – to the left, the road to Marentino. Here, continue straight through Piazza Fornace towards the cemetery on trail 233. After 350 m, you can admire a monumental Sophora tree near a votive pillar. After another 300 m, keep right on a descending dirt road near the cemetery. Ignore the next two deviations to the right and left, then turn left after 460 m near a votive pillar (1), reaching the Montaldo-Marentino road after 400 m. Turn right and continue along the valley floor for 1,200 m, passing the sports field to climb to Marentino along the Pozzetto road, entering the village near Casa Zuccala. Here (SMAT water hut), turn left to continue straight for 400 m on SP98 – passing the experimental Apiary – reaching the Church of S. Maria dei Morti. Continue straight for another 200 m, then turn left towards Tetti Ottone near an iron cross. At the next crossroads, continue to the right for 1.55 km on trail 210, ignore the deviation to the left for Tetti Ottone and continue straight. After 150 m, ignore the deviation to the left (trail 232 leading back to Montaldo T.se) to continue straight and reach Tetti Trinità di Montaldo T.se after 400 m. Here, keep left on asphalt for 180 m and – after passing the small square – take the path on the right (trail 230) towards Tetti Gaffolo. Continue straight for 250 m, ignoring the first deviation to the right, then turn right next to a house. After 230 m and reaching Tetti Gaffolo, keep right on trail 230. After an initial stretch on asphalt, the grassy path leads in 780 m to Tetti Vernai. Keep right here, then left 300 m later, continuing for 430 m to the craft area of Montaldo. Turn right, intersect SP122 after 150 m, turn left – paying close attention to traffic – and turn right after 50 m to climb Via Generale Zavattaro, then turn right onto SP224. After 220 m (SMAT water hut), turn right onto Via Rubino, continuing straight (ignore the deviation to the right after 200 m on Cammino Don Bosco towards Bardassano) on a beautiful pedestrian path leading to the starting point.
(1) BRIC ANDIO VARIANT
To reach Marentino (following this route increases the route by over 1.5 km). Continue straight near the pillar. After 280 m, continue straight, ignoring the path to the left, and after another 80 m, continue straight, ignoring the path to the right. After 300 m, continue straight, ignoring the path that goes up on the right until crossing again after 300 m with the path on the right that goes up to Bric Andio. Take the path to reach the centuries-old oak tree planted in the early 1800s that marks the border between the territories of Montaldo Torinese and Andezeno, on the summit of Bric Andio. According to oral tradition, a fierce battle took place here in 1158 when Emperor Frederick Barbarossa crossed this hill to conquer the Chieri territory.
Returning on your steps, continue straight, ignoring the two successive tracks to the left. After 150 m, ignore the road to the right, continuing straight. Do the same 50 m later, then – after another 300 m – always on trail 220, take the road to the left that descends towards Marentino. After 200 m, follow the road downhill to the right. After another 200 m, continue on the trail, then turn left 200 m later on trail 221 (indication on the post). After 500 m, continue along trail 221, ignoring the deviation to the left. Walk 200 m and continue straight, ignoring the roads to the right and left. After 400 m, turn right onto Via Marentino, climbing to the SMAT point after 200 m.
