Discover the evocative Ligurian gullies and the giant stone mushroom. The rental car service is an easy and relaxing way to travel to this fantastic and protected area.
The hinterland of western Liguria never ceases to amaze with the diversity of its territory and its amazing unique landscape. We are talking about the Regional Natural Park of Piana Crixia, the last town in the province of Savona on the border with Piedmont. With its approximately 800 hectares of a protected area, the territory offers an evocative picture drawn by gentle hills, cultivated fields, fragrant lavender fields and above all, the calanchi, sinuous ‘waves’ of clay and sand, a true rarity for Liguria. In some places, the area offers an almost lunar landscape where you can practice soft hiking. Here the routes are simple, short, with little altitude difference and within everyone’s reach. By renting a vehicle from us, you will be able to discover the secrets of this park and its picturesque gullies as you will be free to move from one site to another. In this way, you will not be a victim of any inconveniences of public transport and its fixed schedules.
What are gullies and why do they form?
Gullies are a geomorphological phenomenon of erosion of the superficial layers of soil that occurs mainly because of water flowing over clayey rocks with little vegetation cover and therefore little protection from runoff. The term ‘gullies’ therefore indicates furrows in the ground along the side of a mountain or hill that represent narrow, sharp drainages.
On the ‘Trail of the Ridges
The Creste path is a scenic route of great charm for visitors at Piana Crixia Park and hiking enthusiasts. It owes its name to the landscape that characterises it, that of gullies and ‘crests’ in perpetual erosion and that, over the millennia, nature has moulded into the soft, impermeable, and not very consistent rock of the area. The route starts at Pontevecchio and stretches for about 3 kilometres to one of the most scenic and incredible spots in the park, the gully amphitheatre of Rio Ciazze. During the walk, you will have the opportunity to walk on top of the gullies and find yourself in the presence of a unique territory. This is what visiting a place like Piana Crixia Park should be like, to discover, explore and enjoy. With our car rental service, we give you the possibility to experience the whole gist of visiting a place like this.
Discovering the stone giant
But the real star of the park is the gigantic Stone Mushroom, which stands out at Borgo in Piana Crixia. Standing 15 metres high and weighing an estimated 500 tonnes, it is quite exceptional for Liguria, a form of erosion that is usually only found in Alpine localities. A spectacular stone giant that has guarded the valley for some 35 million years. Unfortunately, the erosion continues to this day and one day the hovering rock is bound to collapse. These are some of the reasons why you should consider visiting the Piana Crixia Regional Natural Park!
