The caves of San Ponzo 

The privileged position of Oltrella on its plateau offers a beautiful view over a large area of ​​the Staffora valley and its towns, including the village of San Ponzo Semola, now a hamlet of the municipality of Ponte Nizza, on the opposite bank of the Staffora.

In ancient times the village was called Le Cascine, later it was renamed San Ponzo Semola: Semola is the name of the stream that runs alongside the village, while San Ponzo is the hermit who lived in one of the surrounding caves, one of the two local hermits whose story has come down to us today. After being followed for a long time by pilgrims and devotees of the saint, the walk to the caves is today a pleasant way to spend free time in the coolness of the woods, especially in spring, since the route has a minimal difficulty and no equipment is required.

San Ponzo Semola can be reached from Oltrella preferably by car. You can get there by bike or on foot as well, but you need to take into account the difference in altitude that you must walk uphill on the way back.

Descend towards the Valle Staffora state road, turn left towards Varzi following the state road for a very short stretch and turn right almost immediately, following the signs. Cross the bridge over the Staffora and reach the village.

San Ponzo is a village made of stone, peaceful, quiet and authentic, with its narrow streets and the central square where the village festival is held at the end of summer. You can park your car there, in a grassy and fenced area, and leave the square taking the marked path towards the caves.

The path is initially paved but soon dives into the woods. Along the route you can see local poplar, chestnut and hazelnut trees, and it is not uncommon to find traces of wild boars, foxes or roe deer along the way.

What remains of the passage of San Ponzo on this territory is truly modest like the life of a hermit: it is a cave immersed in the woods, one of the many natural caves dug by the dripping water on the local sandstone. The cave of San Ponzo faces north and is 12 meters wide, 7 meters deep and 4 meters high. Here the hermit lived the last years of his life, after having wandered around the Oltrepò to escape persecution against Christians. In this land he formed a bond with the local farmers while converting them to Christianity and in his memory, in addition to renaming the village, a chapel was built right inside "his" cave.

Since the death of San Ponzo the place became a destination for religious pilgrimages which took place every year around mid-May, the presumed period of his death, and ended most probably after the world wars, when industrialization and depopulation of the area put an end to many of the local traditions.

Once they arrived on site, the pilgrims of San Ponzo proceeded with ritual devotions: they lay down in the stone niche which was said to be the saint's bed, they observed the small hollow believed to be the nest of the hen that provided him with eggs, they bathed with a few drops of the water that dripped from the ceiling of the cave (and still drips), to which they attributed prodigious virtues.

Beyond every religious belief, today you can still enjoy the peculiarity of this place, the history behind it, the quiet of nature.

Continuing beyond the caves, shortly after the chapel there is a shaded picnic area, equipped with wooden tables and benches, to enjoy a quiet snack after the walk. If you feel like walking a little bit more, the path continues through the woods and in about half an hour it reaches Mutti, a small village overlooking the Staffora, from which you can greet Oltrella Country House again from the other side of the valley.