VALSESIA | The Ara Caves: Excursion in the Fenera Park

Hiking in the Hills

The Caves of Ara and the Fenera Park

The Fenera Mountain through its temple of the Sibyls

From the center of Grigasco, the itinerary develops within the Natural Park up to the summit of Mount Fenera, a karst mountain rich in cavities and caves, some of which are the subject of internationally significant archaeological excavations.

Activity

Hiking

Period

all year round

Difficulty

hiking

Duration

2:45h

Departure

Grignasco (346 meters)

Arrival

Bastia Summit (899 meters)

Elevation Gain

553 meters

The caves we encounter along the way have a charm and a story of their own, making them almost magical: the Garden of the Caves of Ara, where the dolomite arch that once formed the entrance to the main cave stands out, the ceiling of which collapsed in ancient times, leaving room today for a glimpse of sky. This place, due to the flow of the Rio Magiaiga, has been in ancient centuries a sanctuary of waters, tied to various ritual practices, as well as a place for collecting the "sass bianc", quartzites that according to popular belief provide protection to those who carry them. Entering this fairy temple and place of the sibyls, it still feels like diving into an enchantment today.

From the Church of San Graziano in Grignasco, take trail 781 to reach the Garden of the Caves of Ara. From here, follow for a short stretch trail 779, then turning left at the junction with path 772, which you follow until Colma. Continue turning left and then take the last stretch of trail A106 that leads to the Bastia Summit (899 m), the main peak of the mountain, with its characteristic cross. From here, a panorama opens up that looks towards Valsesia on one side, with the sturdy Monte Barone in the foreground and Monte Rosa not far away, and on the other, the plains of Novara where, on clear days, we can recognize the profile of the Cupola di San Gaudenzio in Novara.

On the way back, one can choose to take trail 772, a more direct route to the town avoiding the Caves of Ara.

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Credits © Davide Morello

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