Difficulty: E
Total ascent/descent: 210 mts
Duration of the walk: 2 hours
Distance covered: 6,7 km
This short walk takes you through the hilly countryside that lies between Monte Tezio and the Tiber River, with lovely views of the Tiber valley. Leave your car near the La Bruna parish church and start your walk going west through the little town (sent. 412).
At the town’s end turn right on the paved road. At the next fork in the road leave the paved road behind you to turn left onto a gravel road (signposted sent. 412) ignoring the various deviations you may come across. Looking up to the right you will see the houses of Castiglione Ugolino with a tower that was, most likely, part of a fortification system built over the top of the knoll.
Continue along past an abandoned vineyard and, at a fork in the road, turn left keeping in the lower part of the valley which will soon lead you to just below the Castello di Valenzino. Here you will leave sent. 412 and follow sent. 412a over a gravel road that goes up and, after having walked alongside the provincial road, with a wide arch towards the right, continue climbing to the highest part of the hill from where you can enjoy some nice partial views.
The road begins to descend and takes you to a wide saddle. Continue on this main road until it takes a decisive turn to the right (south) and starts to climb again in the direction of a little villa with a small campanile. Along the way you can see some more partial views, this time of the Folci gorge above which the Antognolla Castle rises. Near a gate which seems to block your way, turn left along a lane that takes you to the centre of the little town of Castiglione Ugolino.
Here you pass by a private home which has a magnificent example of a beautifully restored dovecote tower. Once you reach the former parish complex with belltower, now private property, turn left up a paved ramp which takes you to the old, now abandoned, village cemetery. Notice the perimeter walls of what was once an old castle (it can not be visited as it is private property and in serious disrepair). Continue down towards the valley (you will glimpse views of the village of Bruna and a bend in the Tiber River) along the paved road until you get to the new cemetery by a cross under which your trail continues through cultivated fields in the direction of the first houses of La Bruna and, by the church, your car.