A mixed-use route of about 30 km alternating sections of combined cycle and pedestrian path with stretches on low-traffic roads, from the banks of the Chiese River to the waters of Lake Idro
The path follows the course of the Chiese River, tributary of Lake Idro, in a beautiful rural setting, sometimes approaching, sometimes moving away from the river. It alternates stretches of combined cycle-pedestrian path with stretches of low-traffic asphalt roads without ever intersecting state or provincial roads. It has no particularly challenging climbs or elevation changes, making it suitable for everyone, including children. Especially suggestive during the spring period when you can enjoy the spectacle of various blooms. It starts from Pra di Bondo, then passes through the small but charming Lake Roncone. It continues to Cologna, a hamlet of Pieve di Bono. At Cimego, you can visit the Rio Caino ethnographic trail, an open-air museum of popular tradition, while near Storo you can glimpse waterfalls, a charming footbridge, and welcoming playgrounds perfect for a well-deserved break. Then follow a series of cornfields until you reach the shores of Lake Idro in Baitoni. The final destination is the ideal place to relax before returning.
A perfect route for enjoying a day outdoors in complete tranquility. In Bondo, visit the Austro-Hungarian monumental cemetery and, near Lardaro, the Larino fort. But the valley surprises us with other sights visible from the path, such as the very large conduits and hydroelectric structures between Cimego and Pieve di Bono, documenting the intense exploitation of the waters of the Chiese carried out in the 1950s and extending to the foothills of the Adamello, crossing the side valleys of Daone and Fumo. You can also explore the many traces left by the Great War, an endless number of walkways, trenches, and positions. The path, through beautiful alpine landscapes, follows the Chiese River, touching the numerous settlements along the narrow valley floor that reveal unexpected historical gems and other curiosities. In Pieve di Bono, the Church of Santa Giustina is a true monument of history; in Condino, in addition to the buildings and churches of the old town center, the Parish Church of Santa Maria at the height of Cimego is worth a visit, as is the Rio Caino ethnographic trail, an open-air museum of popular tradition. Reaching the northern shore of Lake Idro, the end point of the cycle path, it is possible to follow the nature trail crossing the Lake Idro Biotope, an important example of the landscape of the large lakes of the Insubria region. It occupies the southern part of the floodplain of the Chiese River and is what remains of the vast wetland that once covered the northern part of the lake, largely reclaimed starting from 1848. The biotope environment presents remarkable vegetation and floristic aspects; rare plant associations are found here, some reported for the first time in Italy, and one even new to science. Numerous rare plant species of wetland environments are present; some of these are disappearing from Europe precisely due to the reduction of their suitable habitats. On the top of a rocky spur overlooking Lake Idro, the Chiese Valley, and Rocca d’Anfo stands Castel San Giovanni, the ancient fortress of the Lodròn Counts dating back to the 12th century, visitable in summer months. Numerous picnic areas and refreshment points are present along the route.
