Valle Oropa

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The climb to the Sanctuary of Oropa has always had an incredible fascination, whether for Faith or simply for sport. In recent times it has been made even more famous by the exploits of the Giro d'Italia riders; in particular by Marco Pantani to whom the climb was dedicated and who has a monument in his memory along our route, on the spot where he stopped to set his chain. We will mainly climb along paths such as the evocative “Sentiero del Trenino” that led to the Sanctuary in the 1950s, and then head to the “Sette Fontane” huts: mountain pasture on the slopes of Mount Mucrone to return to the city by crossing the pastures of the Elvo Valley. Departure from Biella at the corner of Via Ivrea and Via Mantegazzi. From here bending to the left we will take via Golzio until, near a hairpin bend we will enter Bellone Park. We will follow it uphill to its end where, coming out at a crossroads, we will turn left onto strada della Nera until we cross the Garella road on our right, which we will follow. We will pass a sports field and bending to the left on Campo e Zampe road we will arrive on the provincial road where, going up to the left and always going straight, will take us to a crossroads at Via Santuario di Oropa. After 400 meters on our right we will see a steep concrete ramp where after a few meters our path (D1) will begin, and walking along it to its end will bring us back to the paved road. We will continue uphill to the village of Favaro. Here we will turn right after 250 meters near a curve with a fountain and take via Sordevolo until we find the provincial road again: we will turn right and go uphill until we see on our left a very short concrete ramp that will take us onto the path of the “Trenino” that led to the sanctuary (D6). Without ever leaving the very evident track, we will follow it to its end where we will come out on a wide dirt road. We will turn right and find again the road that goes up to Oropa. We will climb it until on our right, seeing a Votive Chapel, we will continue leaving the road, on the former railroad track that in a short time will bring us in front of the entrance to the shrine. We will continue on the provincial road of the Tracciolino for 5.6 km until we find on our right a very steep road that after 1.7 km of ascent near a hairpin bend to the left, in falsopiano will start the poderale that will take us to the Alpe “Sette Fontane”. We will return to the provincial turning right and continue until on our left we will find the road that descends to “Bagneri” on dirt road and later, “Graglia” on asphalt. At the crossroads turn left onto provincial road (SP500), we will proceed straight towards Occhieppo Superiore and at the fourth traffic circle turning left and continuing in the same direction we will find again via Ivrea and the starting point.

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