In the square of Ospitale stands the Parish Church of St James, that dates back to the 16th century but was constructed on the ruins of the old hospice, built by St. Anselmo in what was then called Val di Lamola. Tradition has it that St. James passed through this hamlet and stopped to drink at the fountain in the square. The church owes its current appearance to a reconstruction of the early 20th century.

Ca’ Cecchino is a curious hamlet expecially for its round chimneys, an architectural element typical of the valley. The origin seems to date back to a rite of the early inhabitants of these lands, the Liguri Friniates, who beheaded their enemies fallen in battle, since they believed that the strength of a warrior lay in his head and that the heads of their enemies could protect them from evil spirits. Therefore their skulls were stuck on spears and put outside the doors of their houses. When this barbaric custom disappeared the heads were substituted with round chimneys and a “pigna”, a cylindric or spherical stone, was placed upon them.

The “maestà” are pillars of carved stone that held sacred images. Their propitiatory and devotional shrines were located along different paths, made particularly difficult by the tough nature of the terrain or the presence of watercourses.

The area of Ospitale shows peculiar naturalistc features, of great interest also for the legends associated with the place. Tradition has it that the Lake Scaffaiolo is connected to the Atlantic Ocean, which influences the weather conditions of the area and causes sudden storms. According to other sources these storms are due to the movements of the surface of the lake. Boccaccio believed in these legends and documented them in his De Montibus: "If you throw a stone into the small lake Scaffaiolo, the air turns into fog and a tumult of winds arises…."

8th stage

Ospitale (930 mt) - Passo della Calanca (1775 mt) • 8 km
Excursion time: 2 hours 45min

From the square of Ospitale take the Via Croce Arcana, just outside the village and before entering the wood. After the last house with a fence the path joins another cart-track and continues ahead. Go uphill and, having reached a gravelled road, follow it on the left as far as the surfaced road and Ca’ Fananino. Continue along the road for 800 metres and, a wooden bridge, turn right and walk as far as the hamlet of Ca’ Pallai. Near the sign indicating n°975 turn to the left away from the road and walk along the path uphill through the woods. After a beautiful shrine on the right, continue through chestnut woods: reach the T-junction with a wider path and keep to the left. After only 5 metres turn to the right away from the path and follow the indications “La Staffa”. The path, now a well-paved cart-track, flanked by well preserved low walls, leads to Ca’ di Cecchino. Continue uphill, past a shrine on the right and away from the wood towards the Rio Ospitale. When it enters a beechwood the path runs by a shrine with the engraving “F.C.G.P.P. 1948” and contines across a bridge. Turn to the right away from the indications to Pian Castagnolo. The slope uphill goes along Rio Ospitale as far as a junction. Turn away from the main road and continue on the left as far as another junction. Take the left-hand path that leaves the wood, then re-enters it uphill and leads to a cross- roads near a sign (PRAMM Passo Riva 3 km). Turn right away from the cart-track and continue along the path n° 411. Further on a stone indicates Passo del Lupo. After a slope uphill through the woods you reach a bilberry grove. Walk through the bilberry grove and continue through a beechwood to another plain. When you reach a junction having passed through meadows, groves and a conifer wood, take the right-hand path as far as Passo dell’Ospitaletto (a pass at the crossroads between two paths not far from Passo del Lupo). Follow the indications to path n°401 to a path that continues straight through the wood and goes along the panoramic route overlooking Val di Gorgo e Corno alle Scale. On the right you can see the sides of Montespigolino, and the ski-lifts on the left. Continue through the bilberry meadows, then turn left and once crossed a stream, continue uphill. When you reach the junction, keep to the right and walk past the indications “8 ski route”. After a short while the path turns left towards the ski-lift as far as the junction. At the sign 401 turn right uphill. The path leads to the ski-lift. Follow the indications on the cabin to Lago Scaffaiolo and turn right along a flat path that continues uphill as far as the basin of Lago Scaffaiolo. Continue on the right as far as Passo della Calanca, a pass leading to Tuscany.