S.Pietro Val Lemina - Talucco - hermit hill and infernetto

Nice autumn tour in the Pinerolo area, with Marina in art bubetta and Ivano. We start from S.Pietro Val Lemina on provincial road 167 to Talucco and then on the right to Colle Ciardonet, with abrupt turn right again with steep stretch to the beginning of the dirt road (bar) that shortly takes us to the hermit's pass. After two ritual photos we move on dirt road to the colle dell'infernetto, turn right to the empire forest with reconstructions of ancient charcoal pits.

Charcoal production was a profession that was handed down and extended beyond the Alps into Provence with seasonal charcoal makers from Talucco, Gran Dubbione and Ravera di Cumiana. Even at the end of the '800s and between the two world wars, the demand for charcoal for domestic and even industrial use was high and teams of cutters and charcoal burners moved through the forests of Italy, France and Spain.

Bosco dell' Impero, started in 1910 and finished in 1938 involved reforestation in the upper Lemina Valley on poor, shallow soils with strong surface erosion: in the upper part we find Scots pine and in the lower part larch and spruce. Scots pine grows on warm south-facing slopes; larch with deep roots and sparse undergrowth was also often planted in royal hunting estates; spruce highly developed in the Eastern Alps has strong water requirements met by atmospheric moisture and modest, shallow root system.

Start of descent: nice technical section in the empire forest, steep, narrow hairpin bends with stones and foliage. On the plateau we keep left to take dirt road that leads us to the Colle dell?infernetto. Back on the trivium we take central path and then right to get to Cascine Pol, Gerbido di Costagrande and Talucco.

Fraternali publisher no. 6 - Pinerolese - Val Sangone Trail map (1:25,000)