Merana is the last village in the Bormida Valley in the province of Alessandria before entering the Savonese area: a few dozen inhabitants scattered in the many hamlets and the few houses around the town hall and parish church. The medieval Tower of San Fermo and agnolotti pasta are the prides of this village with its strange hills, a distinguishing feature. Very peculiar hills those of Merana, characterized geologically by the many gullies with a decidedly lunar appearance that are part of the "Rocchetta Formation" (also present in nearby Piana Crixia) and the "Monesiglio Formation" where the varying resistance of the marls has given rise to those singular erosive phenomena locally called "Muriun," bizarre sculptures of nature.
The ring is quite long with several ups and downs and is well signposted (regional cadastral marker 575) but it also has several variants that allow you to shorten the route and return to the village. Although these are hills, some sections are decidedly steep and challenging and should be approached with caution. Not recommended on hot summer days because the bare slopes of gray marl reflecting the sun's glare are veritable heat traps.
Access. Merana in upper Bormida Valley, rest area at the Pro Loco.
Itinerary. From the Pro loco rest area (265 m) go back on the SS30, turn right and after the bar take the small road that goes under the railroad tracks, then turn right in the direction of Cascina Valle, just before which you take the trail on the left that goes through the woods up to the hill of San Fermo (434 m, 0.30 hours).
Continue past the small church and then climb to the foot of the tower and the picnic area (botanical trail and giant bench). You then descend on the small asphalt road past a boat to join the trail that climbs from below.
Turn right and after about a hundred meters leave the asphalt road to continue on the trail on the left: here the trail descends into the woods to reach a more open area at the edge of the gullies. Continue through the fields and following the wider trail you ford a stream beyond which turning right, and then left, takes you onto the access road to the Varaldi farmsteads. Turning right, leaving the hamlet behind, you skirt a field for a stretch and then, leaving the agricultural track, climb into the gully runoff furrow. Reaching the top, you meet a trail that descends to the right, which is a somewhat tricky and little-used variant.
Instead, the trail continues beyond the gullies, continuing its ascent into the forest and reaching an area characterized by the presence of the "Muriun".
After passing the junction with the trail that leads to Pian di Verro, you begin the descent first on the mule track in the chestnut forest and then on the consortium road that leads to the Gertriti and Scaglino farmsteads. Continue on the asphalt road and, after crossing the bridge, turn left toward Cascina Galli (2 hours). Leaving the asphalt road and bypassing the farmhouse at the top of the slope, continue for a few dozen meters on the farm track and then proceed on the rougher trail that climbs to the left, thus arriving at another "Muriun" area. Further on, at the next fork in the trail, go right toward Monte di Mezzo. When the mule track begins to descend you leave it momentarily for a digression to the last "muriun" of the itinerary. One then re-enters the mule track beginning the descent. Initially in the woods and then in a deep and awkward furrow dug into the gullies, you reach a panoramic terrace: the right-hand trail, which in the first section is flat, represents an interesting variant, while continuing on the left downhill you reach the asphalt road at Casa Bruciata and from here return to the starting point.
Testo di Aldo Molino e Filippo Ceragioli in collaborazione con @piemonteparchi
Foto Aldo Molino
