Foce di Lavaggio - Valle di Malacqua (REL trail 676 / GSPA67666PE)

Trail 676 is an internal connecting route in the Levanto valley, situated below the mountain watershed. The itinerary starts from Foce di Lavaggio, also known as Foce di Lavaggiorosso, an important geographical pass at approximately 430-450 metres above sea level, reachable from the village of Lavaggiorosso via trail 674. Leaving the pass behind, the track develops entirely in the shade of dense woodland dominated by holm oaks, chestnut trees and vegetation typical of sheltered inland valleys. The path crosses steep mountain slopes at mid-slope level while steadily descending, passing small hillside streams and rocky outcrops. The itinerary ends deep in the woodland upon reaching the bottom of the Valle di Malacqua gorge, also known as the Rio Malacqua valley, at approximately 315 metres above sea level, where it connects with other trails in the local hiking network, including trail 677 from the nearby Foce di Dosso.

• Official mapping-management notice: in the official register of the Liguria hiking network, this secondary route is classified with the note “trail markers absent”. The horizontal markings in the field may be limited, faded or covered by forest vegetation. The use of a GPS device with offline maps, such as OpenStreetMap, is essential to avoid losing orientation at junctions.
• Wear high hiking boots with a lugged sole: the valley floor accumulates a dense layer of damp leaves, branches and loose gravel, making the ground slippery.
• The final section descends towards the Malacqua stream bed: avoid the route during or immediately after heavy rainfall. The valley floor collects water from hillside streams, the clay-rich surface becomes saturated with heavy mud and rocky passages become slippery.
• There are no certified drinking-water sources along this isolated woodland route.