La Via dei Gessi Bolognesi e dei Calanchi dell’Abbadessa (Chalk and Ravine route)
Information
The “Via dei Gessi e dei Calanchi” (chalk and ravine route) is a 102 km-long route that connects Bologna to Brisighella and Faenza, through the hills of Emilia-Romagna. A trail consisting of 7 stages with challenging gradients, allowing you to discover the natural beauty and picturesque villages of the area in slow mode.
The itinerary starts just outside the city of Bologna and continues through the Parco Regionale dei Gessi Bolognesi e dei Calanchi dell’Abbadessa, a protected area that hosts delicate environments such as chalk outcrops and marvellous ravine formations.
Leaving the park, continue on to the picturesque village of Dozza, from where you reach Borgo Tossignano. Here you enter another Regional Park, the Parco Regionale della Vena del Gesso Romagnola, where you can admire the gypsum with its cliffs, caves and surrounding woods.
Leaving the park, you reach Brisighella, a village in Romagna from which you reach the centre of Faenza.
More updated info on the trail HERE.
Borgo Tossignano
ph. Marco Maccarelli, archivio Imola Faenza, CC BY NC ND 4.0 1
Parco Regionale dei Gessi Bolognesi e dei Calanchi dell’Abbadessa
map Stages
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1
Bologna - Settefonti
- Lenght : 21,3 km
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2
Settefonti - Dozza
- Lenght : 22,1 km
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3
Dozza - Borgo Tossignano
- Lenght : 12,7 km
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4
Borgo Tossignano - Borgo Rivola
- Lenght : 9,5 km
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5
Borgo Rivola - Zattaglia
- Lenght : 8,2 km
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6
Zattaglia - Brisighella
- Lenght : 9,4 km
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7
Brisighella - Faenza
- Lenght : 18,7 km
bar_chart Technical Info
- Km: 102 km
- Stages: 7
- Regions: 1
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High-top hiking boots and thermal anti-blister socks are recommended.
40/50 litre rucksack that should never exceed 7-8 kg (water included. At least 3 litres per day are recommended in summer. On some parts of the route there are neither drinking water fountains nor shops)
Hiking map
First aid kit
GPS system for orientation
Telephone and battery charger + power bank
Walkable all year round. Beware during summer periods for high temperatures and winter periods for low temperatures and snow.
At the eXtraBO info-point, you can find the printed trail guide
On the official website, you can download the Walker’s Postcard for free.
