San Bernardo di Bibiana – 19 Ottobre 2023

Last (hopefully) sporting activity in orange in the chestnut and birch woods above Bibiana, up to the small chapel of San Bernardo (closed but with fountain). After a takeaway coffee in the square we follow the road that runs along the hill of the castle (invisible) between meadows and cultivated fields; beautiful views but a lot of fog and abundant heat. At the crossroads in the woods we go left (old wooden post) and walk along the hill until the asphalt ramp of Via dei Pianazzi, which goes up between villas and houses that are more ugly than beautiful (garden with deer and goats: a farmhouse?). After the houses the track becomes unpaved and enters the woods: we follow the main route which goes up, bends to the left and begins to flatten. We ignore a clearly visible path that climbs up with steps on the right and we don't do well because shortly after we have to go back and take it so as not to go back down into the woods. The path climbs steeply but clearly, climbing among the chestnut trees up to the base of the rock that acts as a climbing gym: above the path returns to normal but we choose to climb for another 10 minutes on the steep path that finally overlooks the church lawn . We say goodbye to two elderly wives and camp out in the sun on the picnic tables, next to the cool fountain. The panorama is very limited but the place is notable because in 1706 Vittorio Amedeo II went up there for several days to observe with the telescope the moves of the French who were laying siege to Turin (!) and here he formulated the famous vow that led to the construction of the basilica of Superga (!). We set off again, going around the bowling greens on the asphalt, full of old men without masks (!) and follow the path that descends with many turns through the woods of the valley, passing questionable scattered houses and finally reaching Bibiana, where we end this lovely little walk.