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The Sentiero Bove (Bove Path) is one of the most iconic hiking routes in the Italian Alps, recognized for being the first via ferrata (iron path) and Alta Via (high-altitude trail) in the region. Located in the Parco Nazionale Val Grande, the trail is named after Giacomo Bove (1852–1887), an Italian explorer and navigator. Bove’s tragic death led to the creation of the path as a memorial to his legacy.

Geographical Location

The Sentiero Bove is located within the Parco Nazionale Val Grande, which lies entirely in the Piedmont region of northern Italy, specifically within the borders of the Verbano-Cusio-Ossola province. The path offers panoramic views of both the Pennine Alps and the Lepontine Alps. This protected area is recognized as one of the largest wilderness reserves in Italy .

The trail is surrounded by notable features:

To the south and southwest, the trail offers views of Lago Maggiore, one of the largest lakes in Italy on the north leads to the Val Vigezzo, also called the "Valley of the Painters" and the northwest side is bordered by the Valle Cannobina. To the west, the trail overlooks the Val d’Ossola, a major valley system that connects to the Simplon Pass and provides access to Switzerland.

History

History of the Sentiero Bove

In 1880, a fundraising event was held in Intra to support Bove’s planned Antarctic expedition. However, after Bove’s death in 1887, the funds raised were redirected to construct a memorial in his honor. The idea for the trail emerged in 1889, and in 1890, the CAI Verbano (Italian Alpine Club) appointed Antonio Garoni, a renowned local alpine guide, to design and construct the path. The trail was built along the ridges between Monte Zeda and Bocchetta di Terza, and the first section was completed in 1891. The final extension to Bocchetta di Scaredi was finished by 1892.

The Sentiero Bove was groundbreaking, as it combined mountaineering techniques with hiking. It featured the use of iron ladders and chains fixed to rock faces, aiding climbers in navigating difficult terrain. By 1892, it was recognized as one of the first multi-day hiking routes in the Alps, connecting the Verbano and Ossola valleys through a rugged, high-altitude landscape. The trail quickly gained attention, with Carlo Gabardini calling it "the prince of Italian paths" in 1899, noting its innovative nature as the first high-altitude trail and via ferrata in Italy.

Origins as a Pastoral Path

The origins of the Sentiero Bove can be traced back to ancient times when it was primarily used by local shepherds and farmers for the seasonal movement of livestock. The route, originally a network of pastoral paths, facilitated the movement of cattle from the Verbano region to the higher Ossola valleys in search of better grazing areas during the summer months. These paths were essential for the transhumance (seasonal migration of livestock) and were vital to the local economy, allowing the livestock to graze in the mountains during the warmer months and return to the lower valleys during the winter. The historical role of these pastoral paths contributed to the development of the modern-day Sentiero Bove, linking not just geographical areas but also the agricultural and cultural heritage of the region.

Decline and Rediscovery

After World War II, the Sentiero Bove fell into disrepair. Harsh weather conditions, lack of maintenance, and the passage of time led to the deterioration of the path, especially in its more challenging sections. By the late 1970s, only traces of the original trail remained, hidden in the rocky folds of the Torrione section. In 1977, members of the CAI Verbano-Intra branch, including Gualtiero Rognoni, began a concerted effort to rediscover and restore the trail. Over several years, they retraced the original path from Monte Zeda to Bocchetta di Terza, uncovering remnants of Garoni’s work, though parts of the trail, particularly in the Torrione area, were still concealed.

The major breakthrough came in 1983, when Achille Montani, another experienced guide, discovered the original iron anchors installed by Garoni on Monte Torrione. This discovery enabled the full restoration of the trail. By 1984, the Sentiero Bove was reopened to the public, fully restored and secured with chains. Further restoration efforts were carried out in the 1990s to mark the centenary of the trail and ensure its safety and accessibility.

Despite setbacks, including the removal of chains by vandals in 1987, local communities and the Parco Nazionale Val Grande remained committed to maintaining the path. In 2019, a final series of interventions were carried out to secure the section between Piancavallone and Monte Zeda, ensuring the trail’s continued longevity.

Modern-Day Status

Today, the Sentiero Bove remains a popular but demanding trail for experienced hikers. It is typically completed in 3-4 days and is considered one of the most challenging hiking routes in the Italian Alps. The trail includes sections that require both hiking and climbing, making it a combination of an alpine climbing route and a scenic hiking path.

The trail is maintained by the CAI Verbano and the Parco Nazionale Val Grande, with regular updates to improve safety and accessibility. Significant restoration work was completed in 2019, ensuring the Sentiero Bove’s place as a key hiking destination in the region. The trail is part of the Alta Via del Verbano, a long-distance hiking route that highlights the natural beauty and historical significance of the area.

Current use as hiking route

Stages

The hiking trail begins in the municipality of Cossogno, in the town of Cicogna, at an altitude of 732 meters. The town can be reached in several ways: on foot via a mule track, by bike or by car following a 10km road from Verbania, a tourist town near Lake Maggiore.

Day 1: From there, take the hiking trail to Alpe Pogallo. Follow this until, after crossing a river, you leave the path towards the ruins of Pogallo Dentro (865 m). Follow this path until you come to a path towards Alpe Cavrua, which you follow until you leave it to follow another path towards Bocchetta di Campo, where the ascent begins. The route leads to the ridge that separates Val Pogallo from Val Grande and is one of the most challenging sections of the route. Once you reach the main ridge, you can see the Bocchetta di Campo hut, where you can usually spend the night on the first evening.

Day 2: On the second day, the hike begins at the Bocchetta di Campo hut at 1996 metres. The trail first leads northwards below the Cima della Laurasca to the Bocchetta di Cortechiusa and back onto the ridge. On Monte Torrione, hikers can expect challenging passages such as slabs and steep couloirs, which are made easier by iron fuses. Below the summit of Monte Zeda, you have to be particularly careful not to miss the turn-off to Alpe Forna, where you can spend the second night at the Alpe Forna hut (1710 m).

Day 3: The third day begins at an altitude of 1710 metres. For the way back, do not take the same route, but the normal route via Pian Vada. From Monte Zeda (2156 m), which is also the highest point of the tour, follow the ridge southwards over Pizzo Marona, where the steep descent begins, which stretches for around 500 metres and ends at Colle della Forcola. Now begins a traverse in a westerly direction to Pian Cavallone, whose end is the location of a possible sleeping place for the last night.

Geology

Metamorphic Rock Composition

The Val Grande National Park, home to the Sentiero Bove, is primarily composed of metamorphic rocks, including gneiss and schist. These rocks were formed under high pressure and temperature conditions during the Alpine orogeny, the geological event that shaped the Alps millions of years ago. The rugged terrain and steep cliffs along the trail are a direct result of these intense geological processes.

UNESCO Recognition

The park is recognized by UNESCO as an area of geological significance, highlighting its valuable contribution to the understanding of Alpine metamorphism and tectonics. Along the trail, visitors can observe geological features such as folded rock layers, fault lines, and mineral veins, which showcase the dynamic history of the region.

Glacial Influence

In addition to metamorphism, glacial activity has also shaped the landscape. During the last Ice Age, glaciers carved deep valleys and left behind features like cirques and moraines, adding to the park’s geological diversity.

Historical and Cultural Significance

The Sentiero Bove is deeply connected to the cultural and agricultural heritage of the Val Grande region, particularly through its origins as a pastoral path used by local communities for transhumance, the seasonal movement of livestock between lowlands and high-altitude grazing areas. For centuries, shepherds from the Verbano area guided cattle along ancient routes to reach the rich summer pastures in the Ossola valleys, a journey essential to the local agricultural economy and way of life. This movement allowed livestock to graze in cooler, elevated areas during the summer months and return to lower, milder valleys as winter approached, a practice that shaped both the cultural landscape and the traditional practices of these communities.

Commemorating Giacomo Bove

The trail also stands as a living memorial to Giacomo Bove, an Italian explorer renowned for his polar expeditions in the 19th century. Following his untimely death in 1887, local organizations and supporters dedicated the trail to honor Bove’s adventurous spirit and his contributions to exploration, reflecting a blend of regional pride and homage to Italy’s exploratory legacy.

Legacy of the Sentiero Bove

Today, the Sentiero Bove embodies both the spirit of alpine exploration and the pastoral history of the Val Grande area, connecting present-day hikers with the agricultural and cultural roots of the region.

References

1. ^ Ferrari, Marco Albino (2017). La Via Incantata. Ponte alle Grazie.
2. ^ "Parco Nazionale Val Grande". Retrieved 2024-11-11.
3. ^ Pisano, Pietro (2016). Giacomo Bove. Un esploratore e un sentiero tra Verbano e Ossola. Magazzeno Storico Verbanese.
4. ^ "Il Sentiero Bove in Valgrande". CAI Verbano. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
5. ^ "Sentiero Bove: Un'Alta Via tra la Storia e la Natura". Parco Nazionale Val Grande. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
6. ^ Kürschner, Iris (2010). Klettersteige Westalpen: Frankreich - Italien ; die schönsten Klettersteige zwischen Comer See, Genfer See und Mittelmeer ; [81 Klettersteige] (in German). Bergverlag Rother GmbH. ISBN 978-3-7633-4393-5.
7. Parco Nazionale Val Grande. "Cicogna Information Center". Parco Nazionale Val Grande. Retrieved 11 November 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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9. Casarotti, Eleonora; Ribolla, Chiara (2021-09-30), "Itinerari del Romanico tra Verbano, Ossola e Golfo Borromeo.", Spring Archaeology: Atti del Convegno, Siena, 15-17 maggio 2020, Archaeopress Publishing Ltd, pp. 123–131, retrieved 2024-11-12
10. Aragona, Stefano, "LA STUPEFACENTE STORIA TRA ANTHROPOS E NATURA:", Il recupero dei siti di cava: strategie di scala vasta, Quodlibet, pp. 78–83, retrieved 2024-11-12
11. Pozzi, Antonia (2024). "The Path, and: Il sentiero". The Hopkins Review. 17 (1): 30–31. doi:10.1353/thr.2024.a918446. ISSN 1939-9774.
12. MINIATI, MARA (1994). "GIAMPAOLO GALLO (a cura di), Per una storia del vetro nel Valdarno. IVV 1952-92. Firenze, Ponte alle Grazie, 1994, 187 pp., fig". Nuncius. 9 (2): 897–898. doi:10.1163/182539184x01396. ISSN 0394-7394.
13. Müller, Olaf (2012), "7. Exil, Gender und Kanon in der nationalen Literaturgeschichtsschreibung in Frankreich und Italien", Literatur im Exil, Klostermann, pp. 419–434, retrieved 2024-11-12

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