The Caves Trail on Mount Fenera

On the western slope of Mount Fenera, there is a themed trail that offers an insight into the geology of Mount Fenera, as well as the characteristics of the caves found there.

Along Trail 769, there is an educational trail comprising 12 information panels. The first seven focus on geology and, as well as describing the rocks that make up Mount Fenera and its bedrock (ranging from the oldest, dating back 280 million years, to the most recent, which outcrop at the foot of the mountain), they explain the environment in which it formed and its geological structure, characterised by major tectonic lines (faults). Two of these panels are devoted to describing a karst system – specifically that of Mount Fenera – and the concretions that have formed within it.

Information panels describing each individual underground cave have been placed at the entrances to the most important caves: these detail their extent, speleological and biological features, and include images of the cave interiors and of the species adapted to underground life that live there or find temporary shelter there.

A display board detailing the archaeological excavations carried out by the University of Ferrara has also been installed at ‘Ciota Ciara’.
Enthusiasts and walkers can therefore draw on the information provided on the display boards to learn the most significant facts about these underground environments, which are as unique as they are fragile.

Information leaflet: 2023-depli-sent-grotte.pdf
Link: The Caves Trail (western slope of Mount Fenera) – Valsesia Protected Areas Management Authority