7. Coltavolino - Monte Acutello

Our starting point for this itinerary is the village of Coltavolino, essentially a group of old  farmhouses set around a little church and a more important residence, which is beyond Solfagnano. From here there is an excellent view of Monte Tezio and the hills that, following the Tiber, extend towards Perugia, as well as a lovely vista of Civitella Benazzone on the hills of Morleschio and Santa Cristina. There is a track that climbs rather steeply into the scrub.

To the left we can see the tiny hamlet of Valcaprara, a castle - with a small church dedicated to St Michael the Archangel - that has undergone major renovation work. Beyond it is the gully of Monte Acutello with the wooded hillsides around it. At the summit of Monte Acutello we find abandoned rural buildings, the most notable of which is an impressive edifice with a square plan: the “castle”.

Continuing on a panoramic ridge trail, we come to a plateau with three rural houses and the ruins of various annexes. Here we can see the chapel of San Patrignano, built in 1547; its outside walls are still standing. The air of abandonment and solitude that characterize the place today are misleading. According to testimonials gathered along the way, it was the site of an important livestock market and this group of houses on the ridge was a point of reference and socialization for the numerous families that lived in the farmhouses dotting the area, some of which - now in ruins - we can see as we continue our walk.

There was also a school here. Along this path, we can enjoy panoramic views of the Apennines and the hills of Gubbio. At the junction we take the first road to the right, which descends towards the gully of Resina and Santa Cristina.

Halfway up the hillside we walk through woods composed entirely of hornbeams. The winding road takes us up and down as we continue around the mountain (Monte delle Portole, 713 m). We come to a fork and take the track to the left, which brings us back to the plateau of Taverna - San Patrignano. From here, we take a track that descends through mixed woods and abandoned farmlands, arriving just above the Resina torrent. The last leg of the route essentially parallels the torrent to bring us to the unpaved road that takes us back to our starting point.