General features:
The "Via dei Torchi e dei Mulini" is a hiking route that winds on mountainside from Villadossola to the Sacred Mount Calvario (Unesco Heritage Site) and continues up to Bognanco Terme. It is a journey on historic stone roads that allows you to read the landscape of the ancient mountain agricultural economies.
The route:
From Bognanco Fonti take path D0 (Via del Monscera) towards Ca’ Monsignore, which can be reached after passing the ravine of the Brook Rabianca on a beautiful stone bridge. The path continues first on mountainside and then descends steeply to the stream which is crossed over a stone bridge and soon goes back to the Oratory del Dagliano. Keep going up passing to the left of the church and passing through a group of huts. Continuing on a beautiful mule track reach Monteossolano. After leaving the church dedicated to San Gottardo, continue on a stretch of asphalt reaching Pregliasca. From here, first on mountainside on a firebreak road, then on a steep mule track in the woods, go down to Cisore. On a good mule track reach Mocogna and then, on the asphalted road, Castanedo, located on the opposite side of the valley. From here reach Vagna (Maggianigo) on a wide mule track. Around Vagna many chapels and oratories scattered in the woods tell of the local popular religiosity, remembered today on the occasion of the Procession del Bambin (in June) with the traditional "cavagnette". Then climb rapidly to Croppo and, continuing first on a path in the woods and then on a dirt road, reach Motto and the Marisch Chapel. Finally, on a beautiful stepped mule track, go down to the Sacred Mount Calvario (Unesco World Heritage). Along the shady Via Crucis go down to the historical center of Domodossola and quickly reach the railway station.
Area: Bognanco Valley
Notable Items along the Track
Fountains of Bognanco, traditional rural architecture, press of Monteossolano, Sacro Monte Calvario di Domodossola, Borgo di Domodossola
Accesso con mezzi pubblici
By train: Domodossola station, Ferrovie dello Stato. Timetable: http://www.trenitalia.com/; www.rail.ch. By bus: bus to Bognanco Fonti, Domodossola-Bognanco line. Timetable: www.vcoinbus.it By car: A26 motorway towards Gravellona Toce, from here SS33 del Sempione, exit Domodossola. Follow the signs for Val Bognanco to Bognanco Fonti
