The first stage starts from Monte Fenera in a mountainous-hilly environment and then becomes flat. Starting from the hamlet of Castagnola in Valduggia, located east of the summit of Monte Fenera, one follows the paths that lead to the municipalities of Maggiora and Boca in a clockwise direction, from here the route continues with a flatter profile descending gently touching the territories of Cavallirio, Prato Sesia, and Romagnano Sesia until reaching the center of Gattinara, the endpoint of the first stage. Note that there is also a variant 1A that starting from the hamlet of Castagnola, moving anticlockwise this time, allows reaching the sanctuary of Boca passing through the territories of the municipality of Grignasco.

Initially, the path winds through a portion of the natural park of Monte Fenera, an area mainly wooded whose slopes are marked by streams and brooks, along the route one can catch glimpses of the Novara and Vercelli plains in addition to wide views of the alpine arc on clear days, in this regard upon reaching the locality of Soliva, the hiker will find a totem positioned to frame the most significant landscape views.

From here the itinerary proceeds descending to cross the Sizzone stream and then ascending to cross the ridge of Monte Ovagone, this stretch is among the portions of the itinerary most immersed in nature and away from inhabited centers and forms of anthropization, highlighting the features of the Park of Monte Fenera, which has an important value from a geological, paleontological, archaeological, and also floral-faunal perspective. After crossing Monte Ovagone, the itinerary continues descending at mid-slope until reaching the village of Maggiora after passing the off-road racetrack of the town. In the town center, there are bars and pizzerias where one can find comfort and refreshment. The walk then resumes towards Boca, passing through the vineyards of Boca production, the route has slight elevation changes before reaching the Sanctuary of the Crucifix of Boca, where one can rest in its shade. The sanctuary of the Holy Crucifix of Boca, established around 1600, is now an important place of worship for the faithful, and since 1987 it has been included in the Natural Park of Monte Fenera.

In 2012, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments proclaimed the sanctuary a minor basilica, and subsequently, the bishop of Novara made the solemn proclamation.

Leaving the sanctuary behind and proceeding north on the S.P, one takes the paved road that turns left to reach the end of the paved road and the beginning of the dirt forest track among the Novara vineyards. The track now enters a wooded area descending towards the inhabited center of Prato Sesia, where taking the local road of the Castle, the hiker can reach the ruins of the Sopramonte Castle, then descend and reach Viale Antonelli which, passing through a small inhabited nucleus, will go near Villa Caccia, a historical ethnographic museum of lower Valsesia. Continuing, one reaches the village of Romagnano Sesia, crossing the bridge over the Mora canal and alongside the ruins of an ancient medieval bridge leading to the park of the Zen area, where an information point will be found. Departing, one must pass over the level crossing and cross the bridge connecting Romagnano to Gattinara over the Sesia river, one can then continue until arriving in Piazza Generale Paolotti, where, in front of the Municipality of Gattinara the first stage of the itinerary ends, at this point, inside the municipal building, there will be an information center able to present the tourist offer of the area, starting from the nearby Villa Paolotti; Regional Enoteca of Gattinara and the Lands of Nebbiolo in Northern Piedmont. In Gattinara, a stop point, the hiker will find places for refreshment and accommodation.