Villagrande di Cichero - La Pria scrita

A short walking itinerary in Val Cichero, or Val Cicana, the green and peaceful valley between Val Fontanabuona and Valle Sturla, with the destination being the "Pria Scrita", the boulder with mysterious engravings, the subject of research and studies, which can be combined with a lunch at a local farm.

The itinerary starts in the small village of Villagrande, a hamlet of San Colombano Certenoli, which can be reached from Carasco either by following the SS 586 towards Val D’Aveto and then turning left onto SP 42, or from the SS 225 of Val Fontanabuona to Calvari and then right onto SP 42.

After parking the vehicle in the small square or along the road, pass the church and enter the heart of the village to find, after a few meters, the trail marker which turns left to climb between houses and gardens continuing on a beautiful mule track surrounded by fields.

After a short passage through the woods, you arrive at an isolated stone house, and after a few meters, the trail ends on the paved road near a farm.
Crossing the road, the trail continues with the same marker and allows for a shorter route, but we found it dirty due to tall grass and brambles, so we were forced to take the paved road to the left.
Even though it's longer, it's still lightly trafficked and pleasant.

After about 2 km, you meet the trail descends from Passo del Dente and continues straight, with a new marker , passing in front of the farmhouse "Casun du Larvegu", recommended for a lunch stop.
Another 100 meters on a dirt road, and you reach the "Prati di Cichero", a panoramic plain at the foot of Monte Ramaceto with two wooden tables and benches positioned under the shade of a majestic pine tree.

Here you can continue in different directions; to head towards the mysterious boulder, proceed immediately to the right after passing the fence and the panel providing information on the discovery and valorization of the stone.

With a short flat stretch, you slightly descend to follow the narrow path that alternates between passages through the woods and more open sections overlooking the valley.

After crossing a small stream and about an hour of walking from Prati di Cichero, you will find the Pria Scrita, which is currently surrounded by tall grass and covered by a shading cloth, making observation somewhat difficult.
However, if you manage to get close enough, the engravings that have sparked a debate between those who believe they are rock carvings linked to pagan rituals and those who argue for a geological explanation related to the natural erosion of the rock are visible.

Follow the same path to come back.

The path tracked on Google Maps

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