Saddles of Rosazza

Access

From Biella take the Valle Cervo road, direction Andorno - Piedicavallo. After Sagliano Micca continue on the main road, passing the various hamlets and the village of Campiglia Cervo; after Campiglia, instead of going up to the panoramic Zegna, continue straight on, cross the bridge over the Cervo on the left, which has recently been tampered with by Anas under the pretext of making it safe (instead of the beautiful stones, metal guard rails ..) and immediately after the bridge continue to the right towards Rosazza: cross the whole village, with its beautiful stone houses, and when there are no more houses on the right, continue a little further until you find a very narrow road on the left, one-way to the south-west: follow it to the end; on the right is a large car park; leave your car here.

Description

Leave the car (882m) and head west, path , , along the beautiful footpath that leads to Desate; this is the mule track that also leads to Colle della Gragliasca, an important pass from which access was gained to the Lys valley, and in particular to Fontainemore and Lillianes. The path is about 3 km long, winds through the forest, and every now and then we find seat-shaped stones at the sides: They were used to support the pannier when all the transport was done on the shoulders, from wood, to beech leaves, to the "siun", a small grass for the cattle that the women (the men mostly emigrated) climbed up to cut with the faucet (small circular scythe) on even steep slopes, wearing the "scapin", homemade shoes made by overlapping many layers of old fabric; the upper was reinforced by passing the hemp through with a needle, and the top was stitched with finer threads; the sole was wetted before use to prevent slipping on even exposed slopes where little grass grew. The mule track climbs gently in steps, into the forest, while to the left, below, the torrent rumbles; along the way, on a stone, a bas-relief with a curious phrase When we reach allle Desate (1133m, about 1h00'), we find a real village with a small church where the Assumption is celebrated on 15 August, and a numerous group of huts, many of which have been saved from certain ruin by a providential restoration that has transformed them into second homes. Here, pay attention to the path: continuing straight on, you climb up to the Colle della Gragliasca, bordering the Val d'Aosta; we turn right, following the signpost [E32], [GTA], for the Selle di Rosazza, which is also a stage stop on the Gran Traversata delle Alpi. Our path climbs up through a forest of mostly beech trees, with a few glimpses of the valley below, until we come out of the trees when we can see the Vernetto alpine pastures, and just above, on a very scenic knoll, the Selle di Rosazza (1447m, two hours from Rosazza). At Selle there is a small chapel dedicated to Our Lady of the Snow, which is celebrated on 5 August, and a private refuge. There is a beautiful view of the upper Cervo valley and the surrounding mountains, Monte Bo and Cresto, to name but a couple... Below the refuge is an interesting group of huts, unfortunately half ruined. From Selle descend northwards along path [E40], [GTA], as far as Piedicavallo, with a long traverse; in less than an hour you arrive at the beautiful stone bridge over the Cervo stream, cross it, and follow the tarmac road in a southerly direction until you return to Rosazza, crossing the Cervo stream again after a few hundred metres, this time over the Pinchiolo bridge, and from here descend to the first houses of Rosazza and then to the car (approx. 4h00').