Marciana Marina, Bollero, Chiessi

A beautiful and technically challenging hike on the island of #elba. The route starts in Colle d'Orano, and at Patresi you take the single track that winds along the coast with some ups and downs, passing through Zanca, S. Andrea (stairs and bike paths), Cottoncello (narrow road), and Masciarello (a scenic trail that climbs through the woods, with a few short sections where you have to push your bike). Then, once over the hill past Ca Lodovico, a fast and at times technical descent to Marciana Marina. You cross the town via side streets and take the secondary road that climbs to Poggio. A gradual climb on asphalt to Madonna del Buon Consiglio and then on a dirt road to Poggio.

Leaving the village at the cemetery, keep left and climb the dirt road toward San Cerbone. The climb is gradual and mostly on compact ground, but in some sections you’ll pass over loose rocks, making it more challenging. After passing the hermitage of San Cerbone, following a short descent with a few steps, turn left to climb the forest road leading to Marciana (a short push section). The forest road is downhill with excellent surface; just before reaching Marciana, keep left to reach the Via Crucis trail to Madonna del Monte. The climb up the Via Crucis is tough and technical over fixed rocks that pave the path. After leaving the church, continue along the scenic trail (with some ups and downs and protruding rocks) to Serraventosa, and from there descend on a fast route—though with fixed rocks and steps—until you meet the Bollero trail on the right, which descends to Patresi.

The trail runs entirely through the woods; the first part features several technical sections over rock and stones, then the trail becomes smoother, though steps and technical sections remain frequent. The surface isn’t perfectly clear, but it’s still easily rideable. In the final section, you follow an old mule track with steps and a surface paved with stones and rocks. You emerge at the hairpin bend before Patresi and turn right to climb back up on asphalt to Marciana. In Marciana, take the Via Crucis again (this time from the start) and retrace the section you’ve already covered, but at Bollero, continue straight ahead to tackle the tough (technical) climb that leads to Troppolo. A fast single-track descent (but watch out for the steps) leads to the start of the final descent: Chiessi.

The descent is well-known; the first part is very technical with rocky sections and steps, hairpin turns with steep drops, and sections that are almost like a trial course. Then, in the second part, the hairpin turns become more frequent, with a surface of loose gravel and loose rocks (though traction is decent), and more steps, steep sections, and technical passages until the final stone-paved mule track. Once in Chiessi, turn right to return on the paved road to Colle d'Orano.

Difficulty: S5 (Bollero and Chiessi), the rest S3.