After the holiday break, the maintenance walks of the Via Francigena resume. The group of volunteers of the Friends of the Via Francigena Association of Santhià in Piedmont, offers a rich calendar of excursions led by Marcello Vallese staring 22 January 2020.

The main novelty of this year will be the execution of some two-day walks, necessary both to continue the stages towards Rome and to walk the Way of Oropa. “From 22 January, compatibly with the ground conditions, the working walks on Wednesday will resume to check the official routes verified last autumn. There will be a total of 10 outings – explains Marcello Vallese – In March the first two stages of the Way of Oropa (Santhià / Roppolo and Roppolo / Torrazzo) will be walked during a weekend, an initiative that will also be repeated in a second edition. In April, the other two stages will be explored (Torrazzo / Graglia Santuario and Graglia Sanctuary / Oropa), then repeated towards the end of the month for those who could not participate in the first occasion.

In the meantime – continues Valais – we will continue his journey along the Lombard Via Francigena (from Belgioioso to Chignolo Po). From here on outings will be organized over two days and the calendar will be prepared in the coming weeks. There will be traditional Saturday morning walks, which will allow us to spend a few hours in the woods of our moraine hills, which we have gradually discovered over the years.

We will meet at the info point, armed with pruning shears and similar tools (no motor mowers or other motor tools), thick leather gloves and lots of good will. We will begin cutting of branches and brambles to make the Way passable in complete safety. We will also take care of renewing the signs and tidying up the existing one,” – explains Valais.

The calendar:

• Wednesday 22 January: on the Via Francigena Biellese and Vercellese. Meeting at the Info point of Cavaglià – Via G. Gersen, 6. Meeting at 8.45 am. Departure at 9 am. Return between 12pm and 1pm.

• Wednesday 29 January: on the Via Francigena Biellese and Vercellese. Meeting at the Info point of Cavaglià – Via G. Gersen, 6. Meeting at 8.45 am. Departure at 9 am. Return between 12pm and 1pm.

• Wednesday 12 February: on the Via Francigena Biellese and Vercellese. Meeting at the Info Point in Cavaglià – Via G. Gersen, 6. Meeting at 8.45 am. Departure at 9 am. Return between 12pm and 1pm.

• Wednesday 19 February: on the Via Francigena Biellese and Vercellese. Meeting at the Santhià Hostel – Corso Nuova Italia, 134. Meeting at 8.45 am. Departure at 9 am. Return between 12 pm and 1pm

• Wednesday 26 February: on the Via Francigena Biellese and Vercellese. Meeting at the Santhià Hostel – Corso Nuova Italia, 134. Meeting at 8.45 am. Departure at 9 am. Return by train from San Germano, between 1 pm and 2 pm

• Wednesday 11 March: on the Via Francigena Biellese and Vercellese. Meeting at the Santhià Hostel – Corso Nuova Italia, 134. Meeting at 8.45 am. Departure at 9 am, travel by train. Descent to San Germano, ascent to Vercelli. Return between 2 and 3 pm. Recommended packed lunch. Only expert walkers.

• Wednesday 25 March: on the Via Francigena Biellese and Vercellese. Meeting in Roppolo – Church and Town Hall Square. Meeting at 8.45 am. Departure at 9 am. Return between 12 pm and 1pm.

• Wednesday 8 April: on the Via Francigena Biellese and Vercellese. Meeting in Zimone – Piazza del Municipio Meeting at 8.45 am. Departure at 9 am. Return between 12 pm and 1 pm.

• Wednesday 22 April: on the Via Francigena Biellese and Vercellese. Meeting in Magnano (parking of the Monastero di Bose). Meeting at 8.45 am. Departure at 9 am. Return between 12 pm and 1 pm.

• Wednesday 6 May: on the Via Francigena Biellese and Vercellese. Meeting in Torrazzo (parking of the Torrazzo campsite) Meeting at 8.45 am. Departure at 9am. Return between 12pm and 1pm.

Rules, conditions, details of the equipment to participate in the excursion will be sent by e-mail or telephone to the interested parties.

E-MAIL: viafrancigenacavaglia@gmail.com – cell. 338 6980535

The initiative, supported by the European Association of the Via Francigena Ways (EAVF), falls within the scope of the “Trail Angels” project. The “Trail Angels” are local associations that have made a commitment to control a section of the Via Francigena route, checking its safety and maintenance and, where necessary, intervening on the official signs, replacing the bad ones and improving their effectiveness. These activities are complementary and supportive of the actions carried out by the municipalities in the individual territories.