The Fontanili Trail
Route / Bike
MTB
FONTANETTO PO – il cavone – roggia fonna – torrente stura – riserva naturale palude di san genuario – fontanili – FONTANETTO PO
The tour is designed to showcase the natural treasures of Fontanetto Po: its springs. Surrounded by the peace and quiet of the countryside, we cross the San Genuario Marsh and its biotope, a wetland designated as a Special Protection Area (SPA) for birds.
Interesting facts about the route
The water supplied by springs is water that filters through permeable layers of soil and accumulates on an impermeable clay layer encountered underground, thus forming an underground aquifer (or groundwater zone).
These permeable layers alternate with an equal number of clay layers, so that they form various aquifers which stagnate if they lie on horizontal layers or flow if they rest on sloping layers, naturally gushing forth when the sloping aquifer comes to the surface, giving rise to a “spring.”
When the water does not emerge naturally, it can be brought to the surface using drilled wells equipped with electric pumps.
This area, rich in biodiversity, is home to the only significant colony of purple herons in Piedmont, as well as various reedbed birds.
The water demand for the area is currently 38 Italian modules (1 module = 100 liters/sec).
Difficult: easy.
Accessibility: year-round
Terrain type: 10% asphalt, 90% dirt road
Other routes
recommended
The Vercelli area by bicycle has so much to offer!
Explore all the pleasant loop routes and set out to discover the Vercelli rice lands on two wheels.
