The Road of the Stone Houses
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The Road of the Stone Houses This route takes the visitor up into the High Langa (Alta Langa) area, with its typical stone-built farm- houses constructed using the dry-stone technique out of local ‘pietra di Langa’ or Langa stone. The route begins in the little town of Santo Stefano Belbo and the first part winds its way 744 — Santuario del Todocco 681 — Gottasecca 537 — Castino 546 — Cravanzana 529 — Bivio per Gorrino 432 — Bosia 358 — Camerana 377 — Castelletto Uzzone 269 — Rocchetta Belbo 354 — Gorzegno 362 — Monesiglio 318 — Pezzolo Valle Uzzone 252 — Cossano Belbo 252 — Cossano Belbo 250 — Cortemilia 181 — Santo Stefano Belbo 181 — Santo Stefano Belbo 105,0 Km Total height difference: 1.475 m through the vineyards of Moscato the prevalent local grape. On the way up to the Località Campetto ham- let in the territory of the village of Bosia, vineyards make way for http://www.cicloturismo.langheroero.eu/itinerario1.asp extensive hazel groves. This , in fact, is the land where the fa- mous Langa hazelnut is cultivated, the ‘Tonda e Gentile della Langa’, (Sweet and Round Langa Hazel), as it is technically known. The extensive, well-ordered groves can be found all through the territories of the villages of Cravanzana, Torre Bor- mida, Gorzegno and Camerana, where the route will take you to the left and down to Gottasecca, where it descends to the valley floor of the Uzzone stream. On the floor of the valley, you will turn left once again and pass through the village of Scaletta Uzzone to arrive in Pezzolo Valle Uzzone. Here, you turn right near the sports grounds in the direction of Località Todocco along a steeply rising road until you reach the Todocco Sanctuary where there is a marvellous view over the local valleys to be admired – well worth all the effort! Af- ter a refreshing break, the last part of the route can be enjoyed to the full, as it is all downhill, passing through the territories of the villages of Gorrino and Cortemilia, where there are many examples of dry-stone constructions to admire, especially the dry- stone terracing walls once used to create ar- eas of flat ground on the hillsides that could be more easily cultivated. These terraces are splendid examples of rural engineering and architecture from times past. The last part of the route is also downhill towards Castino, with its interesting historical cen- tre which contains many tastefully restored buildings. From here, you are not far from the Belbo valley where the presence of vine- yards tells you that you are once again near- ing the territory of Santo Stefano Belbo..