On a very hot August day, early in the morning we left to cool down on the slopes of Mount Moria.
Surrounded by secular chestnut trees, we walked along easy paths, stopping to admire the oratory of the Madonna del Monte^[a] built in the second half of 19th century on the site of a earlier chapel built by the monks of Val Tolla abbey.
Since the refuge "Il Parco" was closed, at lunchtime we went down towards the Nure valley, so discovering with pleasure the village and the park of Bettola.

Provincial Park of Monte Moria:
Situated between the municipalities of Lugagnano Val d'Arda and Morfasso (PC) it covers an area of about 1000 hectares at an average height of 1000 m a.s.l.
It is covered with chestnut and beech trees, some of which are centuries old.
Remember that at about 20 minutes by car there is Velleia Romana, a place absolutely not to be missed.

Bettola:
The monks of Saint Colombanus in Bobbio operated in this area since the middle of the 6th century.
In the late Middle Ages it was the seat of the "Magnificent University of Val Nure".
Together with the whole Val Nure, from about half of the '300 it was subject to the Duchy of Milan.
Due to the Napoleonic reorganization of the Cisalpine Republic, in 1805 it was divided into two municipalities, San Giovanni and San Bernardino, respectively on the left and right bank of the Nure river, reunified with the name Bettola in 1877.
In the town square there is a monument dedicated to Cristoforo Colombo, as legend has it that here is his real birthplace.

For more info:
www.parcomontemoria.it
wikipedia: Parco provinciale Monte Moria
visitpiacenza.it: escursione al parco provinciale di monte Moria
wikipedia: Bettola