4th STAGE: Castiglione dei Pepoli – Vernio (18 km)

The Wool and Silk Road continues south from Castiglione dei Pepoli in the direction of Vernio. We cross the border between Emilia and Tuscany, crossing an area once ruled by two powerful feudal families: the Pepoli and the Bardi.

Rich in ancient chestnut forests, coppice, fir woods and pastures, the entire area was crisscrossed by communication routes articulated in paths, mule tracks and pavements, which connected small villages, tiny settlements, such as abbeys and oratories, resting places for pilgrims and wayfarers.

Technical description:
Leaving Castiglione, one initially climbs to the Ranuzzi Refuge, continuing on to the villages of Bagucci, Rasora and Spinareccia. You leave Emilia and actually enter Tuscany, following the Setta stream to Montepiano.

The Wool and Silk Road then continues ever southward, crossing the Crocetta Pass to arrive soon after in Butia. Here on a steep descent we pass Gorandaccio to end the trek at Mercatale-San Quirico, a hamlet in the municipality of Vernio.

Length: 18 km
Uphill elevation gain: 540 m
Downhill elevation gain: 960 m
Highest point: 997 m
Lowest point: 280 m
Type of surface: mixed

Technical tips:
Required to wear technical hiking clothing. Bring a rain/wind jacket, hat and sunglasses, sunscreen and at least 2.5L of water.

Municipality of departure: Castiglione dei Pepoli
Place of departure: Castiglione dei Pepoli
Municipality of arrival: Vernio
Place of arrival: Vernio

Recommended period: April to November

The Via della Lana e della Seta (Wool and Silk Road ) is a path that connects two cities that share an important manufacturing history, Bologna and Prato, in a trekking itinerary that allows you to immerse yourself in the natural beauty of theTuscan-Emilian Apennines.

The route goes through hamlets, Apennine valleys and passes, joining two cities of great historical value, which have also grown over the centuries thanks to the wise management of their “waters”: Bologna, the city of the Reno and its many channels, the silk capital for centuries, and Prato, the city of the Grasshopper, of gore and gualchiere, capital of the wool and textile district.

The entire route is 130 km long and is divided into 6 daily stages.