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Looking at the dark rocky promontory in the direction of Cogoleto, you can see various indications of the old sea level: - an “abrasion platform”, i.e., an almost level rocky platform (at times interrupted by fractures) placed between 5 metres and 6 metres above the current sea level which corresponds to the abrasion surface formed by the movement of the sea when it was at that level; - an overhanging deposit of white pebbles (1.5 metres in depth) which was the beach at that time. The elements described above were only partially covered up to 14 metres
to 15 metres by scree from the slope, formed by pointed rocks fragments, immerged in soil with finer granulometry and of a reddish colour.
Observing such deposits in different sections of the trail has enabled us to derive the
level of the ancient shoreline which must have peaked at approximately 7 meters higher than the current sea level. This stretch of the coast, between Varazze and Cogoleto, now equipped with a beautiful trail, was used as the original railway track starting from the end of the 19th century, taking advantage of the flat lay of the land 7 metres above sea level, corresponding to the sea terraces formed in this part of the coast. At the same site you can appreciate the phenomenon of the upthrust of the relief which, together with fluctuations in the sea level (glacial eustasy), led to the formation during the Quaternary age (the last 1.8 million years) of sea terraces and the corresponding sea-cliffs. Various sea terraces can be grouped together depending on the level: between 70 metres and 105 metres, gently sloping towards the sea, between 5 metres and 8 metres, and between 1 metre and 1.5 metres, made up of small promontories, stretching towards the sea for a few dozen metres, in a sub-horizontal leaning. At times we can still see the ancient sea deposits on these surfaces. These are made up of sand and round, often flat, pebbles.
