La Foppaccia, from Verceia

Access

From Milan to Verceia along State Road 36; in the centre of the village turn right in the direction of Hotel Saligari: near the hotel and a little further on, in Via del Mulino, there are two parking spaces.

Introduction

Short hike that after reaching through ancient chestnut groves the Foppaccia alpine pasture - which has been somewhat renovated and is now reached by a forest track - enters the dark and steep northern slope of the Valle dei Ratti. Wonderful views of the wetlands of the Lake Mezzola Nature Reserve and the Piani di Spagna.

Description

From the small car park in Via del Mulino 200 m, take the marked mule track and, between the houses, reach a fountain: the mule track continues to the right and immediately enters the chestnut grove. A few regular hairpin bends and you reach an asphalt road near the shady Crotti di Sceglio in contrada Zocche about 400 m. The route continues to the right of the buildings and begins to climb again in the forest; you cross the carriage road twice and on a nice cobbled, sometimes stepped road, you arrive at the abandoned huts of Pecendrèe 800 m approx. Another series of hairpin bends, a crossing of the carriage road and you come out on the Foppaccia meadows 1044 m near the church. Turning left towards the centre of the village, you pass a refreshment point (Rifugio Chianova) and, at a fork that is not very evident, you turn left again to begin the long up-and-down traverse (with prevalent loss of altitude) that leads to the entrance to Valle dei Ratti. The track here is very narrow, in a damp and very steep forest, at times assisted by handrail railings and chains. Having forded a small stream that descends the Priasca Valley (there is a dangerous active landslide nearby), you reach the ruins of the huts of Monte del Drogo 942 m: a little further on, you come to a junction marked in paint on a boulder. Choose the left direction and begin a steep descent to the bottom of the Valle dei Ratti; ford the waters of the Val Priasca again and, after an artificial rockfall tunnel, continue with a traverse at altitude until reaching the Crotti di Sceglio. From here, it is a short walk back to the car park along the outward route.