Elva – Fraction Arneodi di Stroppo

Elva 1637 m – Colle S. Giovanni 1872 m  – Arneodi  di Stroppo 1076 m

A restful section, almost all the time downhill, along ancient mule tracks between Elva and Stroppo.

From the church square, follow the panoramic route halfway up the hill which, bypassing some combes, touches the villages of Mattalia and Isaia, and then goes up among the larches to the Fontana Arsissa and Colle S. Giovanni 1872 m, with a characteristic cylindrical chapel: 0.45 hours. Beyond the hill (actually just a saddle) the panorama changes: you leave the rural Elva basin to go around, still on an easy mule track, the wild Intergiorno comba, with its cliffs that descend steeply towards the lower part of the Elva valley: the stream flows down there, and the road cut into the rock connects Elva to the valley floor. After going around the basin, you reach Colle Bettone 1831 m, from which the panorama opens up towards the villages of Svolto. Following a cart track you go down to cross the asphalt road (it is another connection, less arduous but very long, between Elva and the valley floor, passing through Stanto). Along the path you touch a bend in the carriage road, follow a sheep track and then lose altitude along the ancient mule track, reaching the houses of Contà 1438 m, inhabited for the mountain pastures. Having crossed the carriage road again, the mule track descends to Ciamino 1379 m and to a saddle near the Rocca del Papa, from which with numerous hairpin bends cut on the steep slope it crosses the Rio di S. Giuliano (stone bridge and mill). With a short climb you reach the hamlet of Arneodi 1076 m where the Hotel Locanda Al Torch stopover is located 2.00 hours.