• Bike: trekking
  • Difficulty: ***
  • Distance: 30 km
  • Altitude difference: 231 m
  • Total ascent: 588 m
  • Total descent: 587 m

The route begins from Piazza Castello in Pontestura. Follow the track in front of the sports field and after just a few metres begin the first climb almost to the top where you turn right and continue straight on until you reach a road. Turn left here and go past the Cascina Fietta farm, crossing the tarmac road that leads to Rocchetta, a village near Pontestura.
A steep descent starts here. After about 600 m, turn left and go up to Solonghello. Go right past the sports centre and head straight onto the slightly uphill track. Before taking the grassy downhill path, turn right to visit the lovely mural located about 800 m on your right. After your visit, go back and turn right to go down through the vineyard.
When you reach the tarmac road, turn right at the chapel and then turn left onto the track going up then down to reach the farmhouse on your right. From here, go straight up to cross the SP 9 and begin a descent on the track. This turns into tarmac and goes to Pozzengo, a hamlet of Mombello Monferrato. Following the track for 5 km, you arrive at Gabiano, which is worth visiting for its wine cellars and its castle with a park looking over the Po valley.
Begin your return journey at this point, following the tarmac road in the direction of Cantavenna. You will be on the SP 5, known as the Monferrato scenic road. Go on to Zoalengo and stop to take in the view, then leave the village on the left where you'll find a small playground.
On the return journey, you will reach the village of Cantavenna, which boasts a suspended view point with a spectacular prospect of the entire Po Valley and the rice fields around Vercelli, all the way to the Alps. You can fill your water bottle up ahead in the town square, near the wine shop. Afterwards, go around the cemetery in front of the little church to take in another extraordinary view. Back in the main square, take Via San Carpoforo in the direction of Brusaschetto. After about 1 km, pass the junction then turn right onto a track that goes uphill and becomes a path towards the end of the climb. Take this path until you reach the tarmac at the hamlet of Roncheisa near Castel San Pietro.
The route continues to Camino, which you have already passed and is recognisable for its crenellated castle. Going quickly downhill, you will get to the square. Cross the square and enter Cantone Cornale. Once you're past the small abandoned church of Santa Maria, you will arrive at an open space with a fork in the road. From here you can see the old village oven, now restored. Go down on your right among the houses on the old Pontestura road and take a few minutes to visit the Mulino Marello factory. On your way back, when you get to the fork, turn left to go up to the Serra neighbourhood. At the end of this, you will find the birth home and museum of the painter Enrico Colombotto Rosso.
Once past the houses, take the track along the ridge and scenic route, then continue going up and down to your starting point in Pontestura.