"SENTIERI PERDUTI" are those routes that the professionals of mountain bike consider as the most fascinating ones all over Italy. For more than 130 km they offer so many opportunities, from a technical, morphological and environmental point of view, that they are actually unique in their kind. These routes wind along the area situated in the north-west of Sarsina, characterized by a lack of human settlements.
The remains of some humble houses and, above all, of the simple but dignified parishes of Careste, Ruscello, San Salvatore, Mangano, etc.., appear here and there in the most evocative sites.
An ancient exodus from these zones helped the restoration of a primordial ecosystem where everything is regulated by natural events. Forests covered the ploughed fields and, in the air, the sweet and pervasive scent of the genista and of the hawthorn replaced the pungent smell of the dung.
The intervention, in such a precarious and delicate environment, of the ANONIMA PEDALATORI MTB group, consisted in restoring the old routes connecting the various farms and the mule tracks which connect the ridge and the valley floor, and in bringing some sources into use again. All this, however, maintaining the original aspect of the area.
The description of the itineraries is deliberately simple. In this way, we want to stimulate that pioneering spirit which is necessary to set imagination in motion too.

The route runs along the old Umbro-Casentinese national road for about 4 km, and after the Marianna bridge, in Valbiano, it takes the roadway on the right, which immediately starts climbing the valley of the Ruscello Torrent.
The first stretch of road extends in the pleasant gorge and, after the Fonte Macchie source, 3,5 km after, the horizon widens out: on the other side of the bridge that crosses the stream, we can see beautiful and sometimens magnificent landscapes, expecially at 750m above sea level, where our gaze can sweep over the whole Appennines chain, with the Fumaiolo Mountain (1300 m above sea level), the Carpegna Mountain (1415m) the Aquilone Mountain (900m).
The downhill road, which passes by old abandoned cottages and parish churches in ruins, leads, after 9 km, to the starting point.

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Leaving from via Don Sturzo, in the upper part of Sarsina, follow the route towards the "Marmitte dei Giganti".
When you reach the mule track in Careste, go along it until the cross-roads to Montalto (474m). Here, turn left and go straight on until you reach the ruins of the Abbey of san salvatore in Summano.
Following this route, the dirt route gets narrower and it rapidly leads to the Mulinello ditch. After the ford, the route gets to the saiano ruin (450m), then to the stone ruin (rudere dei sassi) (450m) and finally to the crossing with the dirt road on the right which leads to Pian di Meglio (668m).
After the bar at the end of the road you find yourself again, on the right, in the upper stretch of the mule track of Careste (712m above sea level), and you have to go down it for about 4 km, until the cross-roads near Bazzano (550m).
Now turn left and go up to the top of the Finocchio Mountain (643m) and when you reach the provincial road 128, turn right towards Tezzo.
Here you can choose, on the left, the variant of the itinerary which leads to Vetracchio (390m), a charming place in a rural world which reminds of a past age.
Once you have gone back to Tezzo, the route towards Sarsina is a continuous descent.

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You have to go down the mule track in Careste for about 5 km, until you are over Bazzano (550m).
Shortly before reaching a little stone house on the left of the road, turn right in path that, beyond a bar, starts descending along the slope of the Guscella Mountain (559m).
once you have gone over the ruins of Cą Guscella, follow the steep descent up to Rio Cella (319m). After fording the ditch, the path climbs the hill up to the Mulino Vallicella (353m), Here, the road widens out and it easily leads to the provincial road 128 which, on the right, leads to Sarsina.
Once you are beyond the Finocchio Mountain pass (607m), you have to descend for about 2 km, until you reach Tezzo. On the left you find the starting point of the variant of the itinerary which leads to Vetracchio (390m), a charming place situated in a rural world which reminds of a past age.
Once you are back to Tezzo, the route towards Sarsina is a continuous descent.

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Once you have taken the provincial road 128, in the direction of Ranchio, after 2 km you arrive in Calbano (355 m.). After going over the ancient towers, take the dirt road on the left. This road first runs along the new "Arena Plautina" and a countryside with typical hill cultivations, then it rapidly runs down to Rio della Crocetta. From this point, it re-ascends, with some difficulties, up to the mule-track in Careste.
After 6 km you have to go over the parish church of Careste, 690 m above sea level, and take, on the left, a spectacular technical route, all ups and downs, which leads to the old little church of the Madonna del Mangano (590m), passing through different kinds of landscape.
You then have to take the bare path on the left which leads to a dirt road running to Tibbio and to the Casetta di Campagna.This road goes back, 1 km after, to the mule-track in Careste.
After that, you have to take the ascent on the left and climb for about 200 m, then take the road on the right which leads to the Marmitte dei Giganti".
Following this route, after 500 m you get to the upper part of Sarsina.

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Starting from the upper part of Sarsina, you enter the old mule-track which leads to the"Marmitte dei Giganti".
Following this route, you reach the mule-track of Careste and, 7 km after, you pass the parish (690m) with the same name.
Once you have taken the pathway on the left, you will confront technical descents, fords, chestnut woods, maquis, until you reach the ruins of the church of the "Madonna del Mangano" (509m).
Not far, on the right, through a breathtaking descent, you reach the Ruscello ditch and run along it up to the church of Valbiano , after pushing your MTB along 100 m of hard ascent.
You then have to turn right and take the cartroad of Careste. Once you have passed the Ruscello parish in ruins (650m), after a few hundreds metres, take a steep dirt road and the, on the right,  a path which will lead you on the top of the Monte di Facciano, (936m), the highest point of the route. Among pastures and woods, along continuous ups and downs, you arrive at the Bandiera Mountain (823m).
From here, run along panoramic descents, among beeches and pines woods up to Quarto (340 m.) and its lake.
The route back passes along the Umbro-Casentinese national road, for 7 km up to Sarsina.

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