Santa Maria Maggiore–Valle del Basso–Bocchetta di Vald Nature Trail

This route takes you into the Val Grande National Park, passing through a ‘gateway’ steeped in history: the Bocchetta di Vald. A significant part of the route winds through one of the most beautiful and extensive grazing areas in the Vigezzo Valley: that of the Valle del Basso, known as the ‘munt da Britegn’ (Monti di Buttogno).

It enables visitors to appreciate the geomorphological features (valleys, lakes and glacial landforms) and their relationship with geological resources along a route that explores various aspects of both the natural environment (vegetation and wildlife) and the human environment (historical land use).

The nature trail can be accessed either from the pine forest of S. Maria Maggiore or from the clearly signposted turn-off on the Valle Loana road, in the municipality of Malesco. The length of the route should be taken into account, as should the possibility of walking sections of it in opposite directions; it has been divided into themed sections marked on the map and indicated in the legend. The 25 information boards and 6 display stands situated along the route – most of which are located near a rest area equipped with a wooden table and benches – are designed to illustrate, through images and short texts, some of the characteristics of the location you have reached.

The routes are as follows:

A journey back in time
Pranero – Praudina
A short and easy walk (30 minutes / negligible elevation gain)

Through the woods
S. Maria Maggiore (800 m) – Larecchio Chapel (1690 m)
Moderate difficulty with a significant elevation gain (2 hours and 15 minutes / approx. 900 m elevation gain)

The beauty and hardships of living at high altitude
Larecchio Chapel (1,690 m) – Al Cedo (1,560 m)
Moderate difficulty (40 minutes / approx. 130 m elevation gain)

The Rhythms of Nature
Al Cedo (1,560) – Laghetti del Geccio (2,100 m)
excluding the detour to the outcrop known as ‘il castello’ (1,870 m)
Moderate difficulty and a fair amount of elevation gain (1 hour 45 minutes / approx. 540 m elevation gain)

Settlement, abandonment, revival
Patqueso (1,100 m; A. Crotte 990 m) – Bocchetta di Vald (1,820 m)
Moderate difficulty and significant elevation gain (2 hours and 40 minutes / approx. 830 m elevation gain)

To the A. Erta intermediate route (1,270 m)
Moderate difficulty and moderate elevation gain (1 hour / approx. 280 m elevation gain)

Link: A. Erta (1,270 m) – Al Cedo (1,560 m): this allows you to move easily from one section of the route to another, depending on the route you choose.
Moderate difficulty and moderate elevation gain (30 minutes / approx. 290 m elevation gain)

Information material: Video
Link: A walk in the park: along ancient paths… with fresh eyes | Val Grande National Park