Places of Power in Arcegno

From the church at Arcegno, walking towards the old centre, go on via Sant’Antonio. There is a curve in the road with steps carved into the rock. At the top of the steps at ground level, you can see the first rock with cup-shaped incisions nearby. Having passed the centre, you walk for 10-15min on the road crossing the Pestalozzi holiday camp. Just a few metres after the blue house - Casa Johanna Spyri – take the path on the left going up to the corner of the woods, where there is a rock with engravings, channels and grooves on the opposite riverbank (the riverbed is usually dry). Going back to the path, known as Strada dei Polacchi, keep going for ten minutes towards Pozz di Butt pond, where there is also a chapel, wooden bridge and rocky hillock. If you cross the wooden bridge and keep going along the path that rises slightly, you will arrive at the foot of the hill, at the end of which you join the rocky summit of Barbescio hill from where you can enjoy the view towards Locarno. From there you go back down to Strada dei Polacchi, continuing along the right-hand path to a field with some parking spaces.

Keep going straight and after a few metres on the left, you will find a path going into the woods, which turns into a slippery path leading to Grotta dei Pagani in under 60 metres. Then retrace your steps to Pozz di Butt pond. From there you go down and take the path towards the village running parallel to Strada Dei Polacchi. This path goes close to the pond known as Bollettina Lunga and ends up at Arcegno after 100 more steps.

Questa escursione richiede un passo stabile e sicuro, in quanto alcuni sentieri sono ripidi o possono essere scivolosi.