Easy hike for the whole family with a touch of magic thanks to the fairy tales of the Smiley Forest

Access and parking

From Rosazza or Trivero, take the panoramica Zegna to Bocchetto Sessera, where you can park in the large area available.

Route

The hike starts from Bocchetto di Sessera, where there are several car parks near the inn of the same name. Leaving the tarmac road of the Panoramica Zegna behind you, pass by the inn and arrive at some benches and educational panels at a viewpoint. Now go left, along a wide, uphill gravel road slightly. A few steps further on and you leave it for a smaller dirt track to the right, which passes a wooden gate and proceeds on a gentle and pleasant descent. In this way, we cross the Smiley Forest along which small stone cairns provide interesting information. Children will find the wooden books on which they can read the 'fairy tales of the forest' fascinating.

Continuing on a gradual incline, you reach the wide meadows surrounding the small building of the Hermitage of Santa Maria, which overlooks a spectacular panorama. Once you have caught your breath, continue past the building on the level dirt track, but pay attention at the first fork in the road: continue straight ahead on the level, still in the woods. A short climb leads you to cross a stream and then turn right to reach an area of meadows and scattered rocks, just below the buildings of Tegge Artignaga. All that remains is to look for the best spot to stop and play with the boulders and streams of water that run through the area.

For the return journey, walk uphill in the direction of the houses (white/red markings) and then keep to the left to reach a dirt road. From here, simply follow the road, initially downhill and then gradually uphill, passing by Alpe Montuccia, where you can buy typical products and have a traditional snack. Continue along the farm road with vast landscapes until you return to Bocchetto di Sessera.

References

Passeggiate sulle montagne del Biellese di Corrado Martiner Testa - Blu edizioni