we walk

…life’s thin paths. With a full immersion in the luxuriant green of the valley, the medieval village of Triora is the ideal scenario for free excursions in the Ligurian Alps. Walking though the woods around Triora does not only offer opportunities to meditate on nature and the environment but also puts us into contact with the allure of ancient villages and the discovery of old traditions still found in the memory of living people. It should be noted that since 2007, thanks to its historic and naturalistic values the district of Triora now belongs to the Regional Natural Park of the Ligurian Alps. Therefore, equipped with rucksack and hiking boots one can follow itineraries of rare beauty, stumbling across sheer cliffs untouched for centuries, mesmerized by breathtaking landscapes while walking along ancient vestiges. Travelling along these paths one is amazed by the countless botanical species and the rare endemism which populate the pastures around the mountains, namely the Lilium Bulbiferum (Orange Lily), Fritillaria Tubiformis, Orchid Sambucina and the Ligurian Gentian. By paying attention to any signs of life moving around us and keeping one’s eyes open, it is not difficult to have close encounters with some of the most important representatives of the Alpine fauna such as the Golden Eagle, the Chamois, the Marmot and migratory birds of prey such as the Short-Toed Snake Eagle, the Eurasian Griffon, the Montagu’s Harrier and nesting species such as the Greek Partridge and the Black Grouse. Once at the top of the granite peeks of the Ligurian mountains, with our heads caressed by the white mane of the clouds we can feel and see the breath of the sea rising from a distance of a few kilometres and enjoy in total freedom the radiant landscape displayed in front of our eyes. This fantastic context can vary according to the different periods of the year gives hiking lovers a wide range of excursion opportunities. You can go from the rhododendron blossoming at the foot of Mount Saccarello (the highest peak in Liguria) to the sightings of centuries-old larches in the state-owned forest of Mount Gerbonte, travelling across panoramic half crest paths such as the one connecting Passo della Guardia to Passo della Mezzaluna. Moreover, through other less difficult paths you can discover suggestive corners, rich in mystery such as the Mauta Bridge, the Degnu Lake or the Chiesa di San Bernardo (St. Bernard Church) with its exquisite series of frescoes; the tiny alpine hamlets such as Goina and Borniga or visit the stone villages of Realdo and Verdeggia both connected with the extraction of slate, a black stone not by chance considered to be the black gold of the Argentina Valley. This immersion into the wild nature of the Argentina Valley gives nourishment to the heart and soul. Hiking in the mountains can be tiring but it is an exercise which allows one to become a more conscientious walker along the thin paths of life.