From village to village with views of Lake Orta

The route unfolds in several stages for about 31.80 km to be covered in 1 - 3 hours: Pogno – Cremosina – Valpiana – Madonna del Sasso – Alzo di Pella – San Maurizio d’Opaglio – Pogno.

Starting from the main square of Pogno, just past the parish church, you head along the road of Cremosina continuing on a slight uphill to the S. Bernardo tunnel.

After exiting the tunnel, after about a hundred meters, turn right following the signs for Zuccaro and Valpiana. The road climbs quickly and on the left you encounter the turnoff for Oraldo. Continue straight on until you reach Zuccaro, a hamlet of Valduggia. Continuing uphill, you pass the hamlets of Seula and Orsanvenzo until you reach Valpiana. Here the road climbs sharply with a series of hairpin bends and special attention must be paid to the very damaged road surface. You continue through woods of beech and birch to then cross the Sabbioni area, white blocks of decomposing granite.

At the entrance to Boleto, turn right, following via Monte Avigno and reach the Sanctuary of Madonna del Sasso, with the panoramic square overlooking Lake Orta. Retracing via Santuario, at the stop sign turn right along via Riotti, at the next stop turn left and then follow the signs for Artò and Centonara.

Passing the sports field and crossing the small hamlet of Artò, on the left you reach the parish church of San Bernardino to start descending towards the village of Centonara and Alzo di Pella: at the end of the descent, at the stop sign turn left and then at the next stop turn right towards the center of Alzo. After the parish church and a roundabout, turn left downhill following the signs for Pella, until the church of S. Filiberto: at the stop sign turn right and continue towards San Maurizio d’Opaglio. After the climb, you reach the traffic light and turn left along via Roma towards Gozzano, continuing on a long flat stretch until the area of the Gozzano sports field: at the roundabout keep right towards Pogno and, after a last steep climb (called “the kilometer”), you return to Pogno.

Adequate equipment is recommended, with a windproof jacket and a change of clothes if needed, as well as a good supply of water.

Rest and refreshment points, with bars and restaurants, along the route, especially near the Sanctuary of Madonna del Sasso.

To see, the Sanctuary of Madonna del Sasso, the Church of San Filiberto of Pella. On the flat, Orta and San Giulio Island.