THE TOUR OF LAKE ORTA – Ready to explore Lake Orta in all its many facets?

This itinerary will introduce us to Lake Orta’s many souls and, at the same time, will be a joy on two wheels, passing through an easy, pretty cycle path as well as challenging mule trails, fun downhills in single-track and some quite difficult paths and hills, through evocative woods and lakeshore borgos and the surrounding hills with their ancient flavour.

A LOVELY AND CHALLENGING ROUTE

This is not a route for beginners, it requires discreet technique and good physical preparation due to the length and the difference in altitude during the tour. We depart from the Lido di Gozzano riding towards Pella

Once out of the carpark, we take a little untarmacked road leading into a nice cycle and footpath which develops in the shade of the trees while skirting the waters of the lake.  More than half of the route is untarmacked or gravel, with a few stony little up and downhills.

We ride through the village of Lagna with its pretty houses, passing little bays, beaches sheltered by pine woods and glimpses of the water’s edge on our way, with a lovely view of the eastern shore of the lake and the Island of San Giulio.

SIDE BY SIDE WITH THE RUSHES

In the last stretch, you have to pass over the main road, meeting, on a field on the left, the complex of San Filiberto, the most ancient of all the chapels (11th century) on the western shore of Lake Orta, decorated with fourteen pretty little chapels of the Way of the Cross going back to the 18th century and an interesting Romanesque bell tower (11th and 12th centuries). From here it is an easy ride to the peninsula on which the ancient borgo of Pella was built, overlooked from behind by steep granite cliffs.

In the heart of the village we can admire the parish church dedicated to Saint Albino with its valuable canvases, frescoes, and paintings, and the old wash-house in Piazza Ravedoni, which in times past allowed the women of Pella to do their laundry even when conditions on the lake were prohibitive.

MOVING AWAY FROM THE WATERS

From Pella’s little square we head towards the old Roman bridge and then we take the old mule trail to Egro, coming out at the belvedere and, once past the borgo, we reach the little Cappellania Church, where an enjoyable mule trail (itinerario T0) goes downhill as far as the village of Grassona.

EVERYWHERE THE SCENT OF WOOD AND GREENERY

Staying on the itinerario T0, we go through Colma, crossing the main road which links Alzo with Cesara and we take the untarmacked road in the wood passing through Vanzera and coming out at the cemetery in Nonio with its little lakes, where a sunny picnic area is ideal for our lunch break.

A little further on we get back on the T0 with three downhill variants, also of varying difficulty: the first is the left-hand one with a few stretches which are quite technical going towards Cireggio; the second, the one in the middle, is the easiest and also goes to Cireggio;

lastly the third, to the right, is well signposted, leading directly to Brolo, on the high slope with a few points that are quite exposed and a fun final bit going downhill.

VARIATIONS TO CHOOSE FROM

In case you opt for one of the first two variants, just before reaching Cireggio, you have to go right into Via Varallo to go up to Brolo and find the track again for the Church of Saint Anthony. Once you reach the tiny village of Brolo you go down towards Prà della Marta.

The enjoyable mule trail leads as far as Omegna, passing through the area of Bagnella, from where the cycle/footpath starts and skirts the lake shore.

GIANNI RODARI AWAITS

After the hospital we get on to Via della Repubblica, keeping the railway on our right and we get to the village of Borca. Here there is a good stretch of single-track, some up and downhill and a few streams in the wood of chestnut and oak trees, until you come out at Crabbia and then after Crabbia, Pettenasco.

At this point we leave the lake again, going uphill towards the railway bridge, and carrying on uphill  on the mule trail and then untarmacked road leading through the wood until you get to the cobbled roads and historical houses of Carcegna, arriving at its parish church, Saint Peter’s, which is characteristic because its façade was never finished and its bell tower leans slightly to one side.

ORTA SAN GIULIO AT LAST

From Carcegna we set off again for the village of Miasino and, along another mule trail, we get to “the painted village” of Legro. From Legro we head for the peninsula of Orta San Giulio, cycling the whole stretch on a narrow cycle/pedestrian path (about 1 metre wide) requiring a certain amount of caution.

Once you reach the church porch, you can face the lake once again and look at the enchanting view of the Island of San Giulio. We are plunged into the almost unreal peace and quiet of the downhill section of mule trail leading towards Bolzano Novarese and from here we take the path back to the Lido di Gozzano. The tour of lake Orta.

THE TOUR OF LAKE ORTA

TYPES OF ROAD
Singletrack: 11.0 km
Path: 5.45 km
Bike path: 1.70 km
Minor road: 7.84 km
Asphalt road: 12.6 km
State road: 190 m
Unknown road: 1.02 km

SURFACES
Natural: 9.50 km
Unpaved: 2.72 km
Dirt road: 1.43 km
Paved area: 10.2 km
Asphalt: 14.3 km
Unknown: 1.63 km

EXPLORE THE TERRITORY BY FOLLOWING OUR ADVICE