Remarks (valid for all the treks):

  1. walking times are estimated based on adequately trained and equipped walkers, and do not include stops.
  2. the routes and the relative height differences are approximate and may vary even significantly at the essential judgment of the professional guide or, where not present, of the SERVAS guide, based on various factors such as the actual conditions of the terrain and meteorology.


“Easy” trek:
Max altitude: 1600 m
D+ total: 650 m / D- total: 1100 m
1st day: D+ 450 m / D- 600 m / time: 3 h 00’
2st day: D+ 200 m / D- 500 m / time: 3 h 00’
Trek leader: volunteers SERVAS
Unlike the others, the easy trek covers only two days allowing a full rest day on Monday. Starting from Oropa, we reach the sanctuary of San Giovanni di Andorno with its large guesthouse and its good restaurant. It will be decided whether to climb through Colle della Colma or to shorten the route by going through the lower Galleria Rosazza, a historic tunnel built in the 19th century by the local philanthropist Federico Rosazza. The second day is dedicated to the Cervo valley and its old villages: from the sanctuary we reach Passobreve following the track of the multi-day trek “Grande Traversata del Biellese”. From Passobreve we’ll go back to Oropa by bus with a stop in Biella.
                              

 

Trekking “medium minus”:
Max altitude: 1446 m
D+ total: 1650 m / D- total: 1650 m
1st day: D+ 550 m / D- 800 m / time: 4 h 40’
2st day: D+ 600 m / D- 450 m / time: 3 h 30’
3st day: D+ 500 m / D- 400 m / time: 3 h 45’
Trek leader: professional guide
This trek leaves the Oropa basin and brings us to the adjacent Elvo valley. On Monday we climb to the pastures near the Elvo / Oropa ridge and then we reach the sanctuary of Graglia, following partially the route of the Grande Traversata del Biellese. First overnight stay in the sanctuary guest-house. On Tuesday the track passes through the old peasant village of Bagneri, which hosts a part of the eco-museum of the Biella territory. After crossing the Salvine meadow area, we get to the Trappa of Sordevolo, a fascinating 18th century building located about a thousand meters above sea level, which offers us accommodatin and another of the “museum cells”. The third day is dedicated to the return to Oropa via Muanda, or, if the group feels like to, via the more panoramic but more challenging Poggio Frassati.
                              

 

Trekking “medium plus”:
Max altitude: 1370 m
D+ total: 1650 m / D- total: 1250 m
1st day: D+ 850 m / D- 200 m / time: 5 h 00’
2st day: D+ 350 m / D- 650 m / time: 4 h 00’
3st day: D+ 450 m / D- 400 m / time: 4 h 30’
Trek leader: professional guide
It is a wide-ranging route, but with not too high gradients. On the first day we ride by bus to the village of Favaro and then on foot we reach at first Sagliano, the birthplace of the Piedmontese war hero Pietro Micca. Later we climb to the Bocchetto di Sessera, historic crossing point between Biellese and Valsessera, still frequented by the local shepherds. Possibility of climbing to Monticchio. After spending the night in the inn next to the Bocchetto, we go down to Campiglia, passing by several hamlets of the Banda Solia (the best exposed side of the Valle del Cervo) and then go up to the sanctuary of San Giovanni d’Andorno, where we spend the night. The third day is dedicated to the return to Oropa passing by the ridge that connects Monte Cimone, Monte Becco e Monte Cucco.

                             

 

Hard minus trek

Max altitude: 2311 m

Total height difference: +/-2100m

1st day: +1100m / -250m; time 5h 15m

2nd day: +650m / -900m; time 5h

3rd day: +100m / -1200m; time 4h 10m

Trek leader: professional guide

The “Hard minus“ trek takes place across the border between Piedmont and Aosta Valley. On the first day, going back along the historic route of the Fontainemore-Oropa procession, we cross the Barma pass and reach the Barma refuge, a modern hospitality facility located near the lake of the same name. On the second day we go further into the Aosta Valley descending to the green Pian Courmarial and then climb to the Coda Refuge, located astride the Cervo / Lys watershed and the regional border. For those who wish, there is an easy and short climb from the refuge to the Sella Peak, where the view expands even further than the already splendid one that you can enjoy from the refuge. The third day is dedicated to the return to Oropa passing through the Bocchetta del Lago and the Mucrone Lake.                               

 

Hard minus 2 trek

Max altitude: 2257 m

Total height difference: +/-2500m

1st day: +1100m / -750m; time 5h 45

2nd day: +1150m / -650m; time  6h 00

3rd day: +250m / -1100m; time: 4h

Trek leader: professional guide

It is the most challenging trek of this edition of Sentierinsieme. From the Oropa basin we go into the Cervo valley and then pass into the Aosta Valley. On the first day  (Oropa - Madonna della Neve refuge, in locality Selle di Rosazza) we pass through the Colma pass and then reach the San Giovanni d’Andorno Sanctuary which,  together with Oropa and Graglia constitutes a kind of triad of the Biella devotion. After crossing the peculiar and quite interesting historical centre of Rosazza the stage ends at the panoramic Selle di Rosazza (overnight stay). The main interest of the second day is without any doubt the track that passes through the Gragliasca pass and which then leads us to the Barma refuge through a dramatic high mountain environment. We get back to Oropa following the final portion of the historic route of the procession,  that every fifth year reach the Oropa Sanctuary starting from the village of Fontainemore, in the Aosta Valley.