Ring of Lake Sirius and the Ballerina Lands

Access

At the Ivrea exit of the A5 motorway, take the SS565 towards Ivrea. After travelling along Via Pavone and Via Jervis, turn left onto Corso Nigra just near the Ivrea train station. After about 600 metres, turn right and follow Corso Re Umberto I along Dora Baltea. Further on the road turns left and becomes Corso Botta. At the traffic lights proceed straight ahead towards Via Circonvallazione. Near the market square turn right into Via Monte Stella and then follow Via Lago Sirio. Just before Lago Sirio turn left onto Strada Vicinale della Turca. After about 600 metres turn right onto Via San Pietro Martire until you reach the Chapel of the same name.

Introduction

The route runs along the north-western shore of 'Lake Sirio' and in a wide loop leads to 'Terre Ballerine', at the bottom of an elastic peat bog created where 'Lake Coniglio' once stood. The route then passes just above the southern shores of 'Lago Pistono' and closes again to the south to the Chapel of St. Peter Martyr.

Description

From the Chapel of San Pietro Martire (309 m), take the tarmac road (green signpost) on the right, which between high walls leads near the entrance to the "La Perulina" agritourism (and honey farm). The road goes around an old house, with beautiful views of "Lake Sirio" below, and continues to "Canton Marchetti", turning right and immediately left to skirt the lake. Where the asphalt road crosses the hamlet of Prelle (267 m), turn left onto the track that starts next to a fountain. The mule track bends immediately to the right and diagonally to the north-east to cross, on the right, the entrance to the "Anello del Lago Sirio e delle Terre Ballerine" from the Bacciana region. Keep to the left on the cobbled road to the junction with the itinerary "In search of Rabbit Lake" (it is advisable to go straight on for a couple of minutes along the link between the "Anello del Lago Sirio e delle Terre Ballerine" with the "Anello di Montresco" up to the Roman aqueduct of Eporedia). Turn left to cross the "Lago Coniglio" (Rabbit Lake), now "dead". The dirt track, bypassing the modest Monte di Prelle, leads successively to the "Il bosco planiziale" board, to a ruin followed by a votive pillar, to the "Gli uccelli del bosco" board and to the next one of "Le Terre Ballerine" (305 m, 0h35'). It is suggested to descend to the right towards the area where the 'Terre Ballerine' phenomenon, i.e. the sensation of walking on a mattress lying on water, is very evident. A little further on, at the intersection on the right with the turnoff for "Lago Pistono", keep to the left and walk along the "Lago Pistono" with wide views of the "Castello di Montalto", past the "I mammiferi" board to the Cappella di Santa Croce (another information board nearby). Continue along the road on the left (initially paved and then dirt) to cross the houses of Collere inferiore and superiore. When you come to the crossroads just before the "Pilone della Cruseira", keep to the left and climb, amidst some mountainous boulders, up to Borgata Trucco (334 m), the highest point of the hike, and then descend in a short time to the starting point at the Chapel of San Pietro Martire (309 m, 1h05').

General Information

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