Muanda Alpine pastures, from the Sanctuary of Oropa

Access

Exit Carisio (if you're coming from Milan) or Santhià (if you're coming from Turin) of the Turin-Milan motorway and follow the state road to Biella; in Biella, follow the signs for the Santuario d'Oropa, which can be found everywhere. If, on the other hand, you are already in Pollone for a visit to the Burcina, you can climb directly to Favaro, taking a road to the north, before the entrance to the Burcina Park, to the right of a small chapel. The path is hairpin bends; once out of the woods and you reach the first houses of Favaro, descend to the right and then immediately turn left onto the Biella Oropa state road, near a bend; once at the shrine, pass in front of the gates and cross the next road, heading towards the cemetery; continue for about 3 km, until several antennas and repeaters appear at the top, on the right. The path starts before the bend near a ruined hut, where you can park.

Description

Park your car near a dirt track (1180m), take it, climb up to the repeater area, and follow it northwards, between the pine forest, on your right, and a dry stone wall, on your left. Beyond the little wall, the spectacle of blossom begins; continue northwards, joining path [D2], passing a whole series of mountain pastures, the Casinet (1284m), the Sgnora, (1323m), and lastly the Dama (1423m). We climb up behind this farmstead and take path [D34], which crosses the Muanda slopes to the west, arriving at Alpetto Superiore (1484m); the latter is served by a farm track, which we take downhill, our path is now path [D41], it descends to Alpetto di Mezzo, and then part by traces between the meadows, arriving near Alpetto Inferiore and the magnificent narcissus blossoms of this area. In the crossing between the Dama and the upper Alpetto, if the sky is clear, you can see the recently flooded rice fields, the church of San Gaudenzio in Novara, the two cones of the decommissioned Trino nuclear power station, the Superga hill and Monviso. Descend along the road, which is partly asphalted, to the track, and follow it to the left until you get back to your car (a couple of kilometres on foot, for the total round trip 2h30').