With its third stage, the TraversaMarche enters the Vallesina, and the predominant landscape becomes hilly.

You start from Serra San Quirico, walk for a stretch along the valley floor, on narrow roads, then go up the hill, on the hydrographic left of the valley of the Esinante torrent, go back down into the valley and finally go up the opposite side, up to Cupramontana, the point of arrival.

Two very interesting variants are presented, hereinafter referred to as the Abbey Variant and the Hermitage Variant. The first leads to the Abbey of Sant'Elena; the second leads to the Hermitage of the White Friars. An optional digression to the Sanctuary of Blessed Giovanni Righi is also described.

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Towards Bruscara

You descend from the historic center of Serra San Quirico, passing through the Copertelle:

Shortly after the arch that marks the exit, you turn sharply right, then cross another arch,

and after a few dozen meters you turn sharply left, taking Via Fratelli Rosselli downhill, to continue straight at the next intersection, taking a dead-end road:

You continue downhill, partly along the SP 14, partly along shortcuts closed to traffic, such as Via Filzi:

A final road that deviates to the right from the provincial road

leads to the railway station, located at about 1.4 km from the starting point:

You head to the north-east, along Via Clementina,

and 160 m further on, on the right, you cross the level crossing:

You then proceed for 380 m, along Via Fratelli Bandiera, passing the last houses and a couple of warehouses, continuing straight at a crossroads,

until you reach the busy SS 76:

You turn left, heading towards an underpass that allows you to pass beyond the road, and 100 m further on, as soon as you exit the underpass, you turn left:

You follow the curve on the right of the dirt road, and after about 500 m you come across Strada Contrada Serralta, which you take to the left:

You continue for 2.1 km, initially along a canal,

up to the town of Bruscara, walking along Via Bruscara,

and reaching the intersection with Via Cesare Pavese, where you turn right:

If you want to visit the Abbey of St. Helena, 30 m later you turn left. Otherwise you follow the road for 700 m, after which you will find a crossroads where the abbey variant meets, and continue straight on.

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Towards Sasso

You continue for another 1.4 km, following the curves of the road:

On the left, on the top of a hill, you can see Rosora:

A small road bordered by a row of cypress trees branches off on the right;

you take it and follow it for 350 m, passing the cemetery:

Looking back, beyond the green expanses of the surrounding countryside, you can still see the profile of Monte Murano in the distance:

Then the small road re-joins the main road, you continue to the right, reaching the village of Sasso, 260 m further on,

where you pass the square,

following the main road with a short "S".

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Towards Cupramontana

About 300 m further on, at a crossroads, you keep left,

and continue for another 700 m without deviating from the road, until you reach the town of Palombare, where at the crossroads you continue straight on:

Continue for another 1.1 km until you reach a crossroads where you keep left, following the road,

and 190 m further on, before reaching the town of Castellaro, turn left, deviating from the road, following the signs for Fontegeloni, Contada Ammorto:

You proceed downhill, now on a dirt road, for almost 900 m:

Near a farmhouse, the road bends to the left:

You continue further for 2 km, while the profile of Cupramontana appears towards the north-east,

and you pass a couple of farmhouses:

You reach and cross the bridge over the Esinante, and continue for 340 m,

bypassing the Famar factory, then you cross the SP 9, taking Via Eremo della Romita:

After 260 m you will find a crossroads, where you have the opportunity to turn left, to head towards the Eremo dei Frati Bianchi:

Otherwise, continue along the road, which leads towards Cupramontana, with a varied slope, sometimes pronounced, for 1.1 km:

You reach a crossroads, where you keep right,

unless you want to take the detour to the Sanctuary of Blessed Giovanni Righi, in which case you turn hard left, and walk for about 250 m, reaching the sanctuary:

After the visit, you go back to Via Eremo della Romita, and head uphill, towards Cupramontana.

You continue slightly uphill for almost 700 m, reaching the outskirts of the village,

where you turn right to take Viale Marche:

You proceed for 560 m, going straight at the intersections, including the one with Via Lazio:

Then you leave Viale Marche to take Via Annibaldi, on the left at a crossroads:

After 160 m you go straight across the intersection with Via Battisti:

and 130 m further on, you turn left onto Via Bonanni,

and after just 50 m you turn right into Via Matteotti, where you continue for 240 m until you reach the Palazzo del Comune:

Passing through the portal

you have access to the central Piazza IV Novembre:

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Variant of the Abbey

In Bruscara, 30 m after the right turn at the intersection between Via Bruscara and Via Pavese, you turn left, according to the signs for the Abbey of Sant'Elena:

You proceed straight for 950 m, on level ground,

until you reach the abbey:

On the closed entrance door, there are instructions on how to ask to visit the interior:

Once the visit is over, you retrace your steps for 190 m, but at a crossroads you turn left, slightly uphill:

After 320 m, you come across the standard route and take it again, turning left:

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Variant of the Hermitage

At the crossroads located 260 m after crossing the SP 9, you turn left, following the signs for the hermitage and the La Distesa farm; the road immediately curves to the right:

You climb gently for 900 m, until you reach the hermitage:

After the visit, you exit the hermitage area passing through the portal on its north side:

and follow the path called "blue route" for 600 m:

Then at the crossroads you turn right, and after another 90 m, you turn right again into Contrada Eremiti.

After 200 m, you ignore the road on the left and continue straight, and 480 m further on, you turn left, into Via Mandriole.

670 m further on you come across Via Garibaldi, and take it on the right.

After another 90 m you continue straight, along Viale Marche, on the standard route.