ANELLO DEI PASTORI

From the former train station of Santo Stefano al Mare (9.5 m above sea level), continue on the cycle path heading east until you reach San Lorenzo al Mare. Just after the bridge over the stream of the same name, turn left onto the small road leading to the Aurelia state road. At the traffic light, turn west and after about a hundred meters, on the right, you will find the entrance to the famous Cipressa climb. Continue without hesitation on the main road until, after almost 4 km, you reach a junction that leads right to the village of Lingueglietta (one of the "most beautiful villages in Italy", elevation 305 m). Climb to the top of the village (magnificent church), then turn left and after about 200 m, turn left again, taking the uphill road that runs along the cemetery and continues to the left as a farm track through the olive groves. After nearly 1 km, reach a clearing where you turn right onto the dirt road that climbs (the so-called “pastors’ climb”). Follow it for about 800 m heading north, then at the junction turn left, continuing along the fairly challenging dirt road, which is very scenic towards the sea. The path initially rises gently (up to 482 m), then descends until reaching, after a total of 4 km from the initial junction, the chapel of San Bernardo (331.6 m). Descend the steep (challenging) paved section and connect to the inter-municipal road Pompeiana-Castellaro. Continue straight south and soon reach the village of Pompeiana, where, at the parish church (elevation 182 m), you’ll find the junction with signs to the left for Terzorio. After 2 km, arrive at the village and begin to descend, staying on the provincial road no. 49 until you reach the traffic light at the junction with the Via Aurelia. From here, proceed west for a few hundred meters until the next traffic light, then turn left and shortly after right to return to the cycle path and the starting point.