Round robin Coreglia-Perpoli-Castelnuovo-Barga-Coreglia

This is a nice quick trip to do when you don’t have much time but still wanna get some good quality kilometers under your belt without going to far from home. It basically consists of three short easy to medium climbs: starts by descending down to the valley, followed by a short warm up section (less than 10 km) on the main road; passed the town of Gallicano a T junction leads you to the right towards Cascio-Perpoli. The first ascent it’s 5 km long at an average gradient of 6% with some steeper parts in the middle and an easier segment towards the end. You can use either the big ring in the front with a large cog in the back or spin easy with the 36/39 at the crankset. At the top there is a water tab before descending down to Castelnuovo di G.: be careful cause there are a couple of tricky turns near the final part. You can stop into the beautiful city to drink a coffee or simply enjoy the view and take the classic selfie. 10 km slightly downhill (-1%) to ride part of the 2015 stage 5 track all the way back to Gallicano-Ponte di Campia before going up again to Barga.
If you wanna taste one of the best water in the area, about 5 km after leaving Castelnuovo, on your right, there is a spring water fountain named “acqua bona” which literally means “great tasting water”. Reaching Ponte di Campia (you will turn left at the cross intersection, go left again: 4 to 5% all the way til few hundred meters from Barga for a short 5 km climbs. With good legs it’s definitely more productive the 50/52 or 53 front gear cause you can push nearly 20 km/hour, but that it’s up to the rider. Barga is another masterpiece of medieval history, worth to go back at night for a drink and some dinner. Back down again towards the valley road; this part it’s nice to do it climbing in the opposite direction (4km at 6-7%). You’ll find yourself in Fornaci di B. : left, direction Lucca, for 3 more km before turning left again to start the final climb inbound Coreglia. 7 km at an average gradient of 6%, with alternating long easy straights and much challenging winding segments. If you feel like going further just keep pedaling past the main square, up to Ferchia-Crocialetto: 5 km more around 8% surrounded by chestnut trees, in absolute loneliness til gravel replace tarmac (then you need the MTB to discover the breathtaking beauties of wild Appennini tracks).