Hiking – Antronesca Route: from Villadossola to Antrona

Seppiana was the religious reference point until 1500 for the whole valley; the area of Viganella, Rivera and Ruginenta was famous for the working of iron, while in the upper part up to Antrona gold from various mines was worked. In Antrona Piana, in the 17th-century church, some of the most beautiful works of the wood sculptor Giulio Gualio are preserved. Antrona Valley is the valley of the “Autani”, ancient processions that have their roots in the 17th century, after the Plague. Today the best known processions are those of Montescheno, known as Autani dei Set Frei, and Seppiana, the Autani ad Sant Jacam.

DISCOVER THE OTHER STAGES OF THE STRADA ANTRONESCA:
Stage 2 – From Antrona to Cingino Camping Barn
Stage 3 – From Cingino Camping Barn to Saas Almagell

Sector C “Historic Routes” C00

Villadossola, Noga, Boschetto, Cresti, Seppiana, San Rocco, Viganella, Rivera, Ruginenta, Prato, Madonna, Prabernardo, Locasca, Rovesca, Antrona

• Arched bridge over the Ovesca river in Villadossola
• Noga church
• The lever press in Noga
• The historic centre of Noga
• The stone staircase to Casa dei Conti with the old houses
• The Megalithic site of Varchignoli
• The Brevettola mills with the ancient forge
• The village of Cresti
• The “d’Arvina” chapel
• The mule track
• Seppiana church
• The anthropomorphic cross
• The houses in Camblione
• The terraces of Viganella
• Vanni House in Viganella
• The millstone
• The village of Viganella
• Church
• The Viganella Mirror
• The “della Bosa” chapel
• The Oratory of Rivera
• Ruginenta with its oratory, houses and ruins of a mill
• The village of Prato
• The church and former hotel of San Pietro
• Madonna with the Oratory and the Gold Mines Visitor Centre
• The village of Prabernardo
• The village of Locasca with the remains of the gold working plant
• The village of Rovesca with the fresco of San Cristoforo from 1669 placed on the façade of the 1627 oratory
• The 17th-century Via Crucis in Antrona, on the perimeter of the old church buried by the 1642 landslide (all chapels frescoed by Vigezzo painters, the 14th chapel by G.M. Borgnis in particular)
• The village of Antrona Piana
• The church in Antrona with the valuable works of Giulio Gualio (17th-century sculptor)

Accommodations: B&B, camp site and hotel Lago Pineta (Lago di Antrona)

Transport: Domodossola FS International Railway Station (from Bern and Milan). From the BUS terminal, take the Villadossola bus route
Contact details: Municipalities of Villadossola, Montescheno, Borgomezzavalle and Antrona
CAI contact details: Villadossola Section
Refreshment areas: Seppiana “Da Monia”

Easy route. The majority of the route is along mule tracks.

15,5 km

Ascent 718 m / Descent 88 m

4 hrs 25 min

Walking boots

C00

Map no. 7 scale 1:25,000 of the Geo4Map/CAI
Digital maps on the following apps: ViewRanger – Avenza Maps