Monte San Martino

From Clodig to Mt. S. Martino and to Topolò
Distance Level difference Departing from Running Time Country roads Difficulty
20,0 Km 840 m Clodig 2:15 h 60 % Hard


Mystic roundtrip up to Mt. San Martino and to Topolò. Once a year people living in Benecia go on a pilgrimage to San Martino (St. Martin) Church. Topolò is a magic village, expecially on July, during "Postaia Topolove" days. "Postaia Topolove" cannot be described, must be lived. Don't be surprised for strange things in the woods or happening in the village: in Topolò anything can be possible, even the arrival of a train!
Climb is along the southern side of Mt. San Martino, with just a couple of short descending stretches before Plataz, the descent runs first on northern side of the mount and then along a path from Bocchetta di Topolò to the village. This descent is hard and not for beginners. Alternatively descent can be done along the same road to San Martino pass and then along the normal road to Liessa. Pay attention to "041" Tabacco map because is incomplete: last stretch before Plataz and last stretch before San Martino Curch are not reported; the descent to Topolò is not very careful.

Roundtrip Map
References
Altimetric profile
Km Elev. Dir. Description
0,0 253 Departing recorssing the bridge on Cosizza river.
0,1 253 Just crossed the bridge turn right and few meters ahead take the normal road on the left that raises to Seuza and and Topolò.
1,1 335 Seuza. Stay on the right of the village and keep on climbing.
2,1 420 Country road on the right. Climb ahead.
2,3 450 Leave the normal road and take the country road that climbs on the left. Raising is steep at the beginning, then softer and the country road runs along southern side of Monte San Martino.
5,1 597 Aqueduct and steep descent towards Plataz. Go ahead. Some stretches are hard.
5,7 511 After a last steep descent on cement bed there's Plataz. Turn right and shortly there's the normal road that raises to Canalaz.
6,7 580 Canalaz. On the right there is the country road that climbs from Plataz but it's full of bramble-bushes. Keep climbing along the main road.
7,4 663 San Martino Pass (Privalo): wonderful overviews all over the Valli del Natisone. On the right there's the foot path to Monte San Martino. Pass through the saddle and go ahead for one hundred meters.
7,5 660 Just before the descent to Cepletischis, take the country road that climbs on the right: it's the old military road, actually in very good conditions, that softly raises towards the Monte San Martino.
9,3 795 On the left there's a country road to Bocchetta di Topolò. Keep climbing strainght on to the top. The road-bed gets worse but is still good. This piece of road is not shown in the Tabacco 041 Map.
11,2 965 San Martino Church. Bike can be left here and the top, and it's amazing overviews, can be reached in 50 meters by foot. Then go dowond along the same road as the ascent.
13,0 795 Take on right the easy country road that raises and runs along the northern side of Monte San Martino. During wet periods there's some mud on the road.
14,1 816 On the right there's a sign and the foot path to Monte San Martino top. Go ahead.
14,3 810 Bocchetta di Topolò. Pay attention because it's easy to go too far. On a rock on the right there are some red signs: follow these to "Topolò". It's the CAI path no. 745 "Sentiero Italia" that goes down towards the village. Not all this path can be covered by bike and actually (May 2002) first stretch must be covered by foot because of the cut woods.
14,9 700 After a nice stretch in the wood there is un fork just near a Cross: take the path that goes down on the right and, after a shatterd stretch arrives just near a sheperd's hut. From here the descent continues on a grassy ridge and sometimes the high grass covers the path.
15,6 580 After a last steep ramp there's the normal road and the Topolò Church. Thake this road on the right that will go down to Clodig.
16,0 530 Topolò main square. This is a mystic village, and it will be interesting take a look into it. At least to see the "Railway Station". The roundtrip continues along the normal road that goes down.
17,5 450 On the right the country road taken before. Go down go ahead.
18,5 375 Seuza. May be interesting taking the road on the right that passes through this nice village and then joins again the main road.
19,8 253 End of the descent and Clodig square: go ahead, then turn right and last take the bridge on the left.
20,0 253 Arrival.

Roads status: not practicable between Bocchetta di Topolò and Topolò due to wood cutting works. Updated to March, 16th 2003.

 
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