It is a very diverse varied itinerary that extends partly in Val Sanagra Park and partly in Lago di Piano Nature Reserve on the cycle-pedestrian path that follows the route of the old railway between Menaggio and Porlezza, suppressed in 1939.
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- Itinerary: Menaggio – Piamuro – Codogna – Gonte – La Casa della Riserva – Porlezza
- Length: 12 km
- Difference in altitude: 250 m
- Technical difficulty: medium c
- Physical commitment: medium
Path
From MENAGGIO (alt. 200 m) follow the road in the direction of Lugano or, if you want to avoid the main road, you can carry your bike by hand through the historic center; Those who follow the state road in the direction of Lugano, after two hairpin bends, turn right into Via N. Sauro following the signs for LOVENO.
On the other hand, those who cross the historic center with the hand bike follow Via Calvi from Piazza Garibaldi, cross the state road to take Via Caronti on the left side of the S. Stefano church, then turn right into Via Leoni and after 40 m left into Via C. from Castello that comes out in Via N. Sauro. After approx. 200 m turn left taking the continuation of Via N. Sauro. We are in the Loveno hamlet, a place historically a destination for patrician families who built important residences there.
This is the case of villa Bel Faggio on the left as soon as you take the road, and 200 m ahead of Villa Garovaglio, and of Villa Mylius Vigoni owned by the Federal Republic of Germany, now the site of the cultural association Villa Vigoni, Centro Italo-German, which organizes high-level conferences. The park can be visited by appointment tel. +39 0344 361232 on Thursday afternoon. You pass in front of the church of San Lorenzo with its Baroque façade and the Sports Center and then arrive at “Piamuro” (alt.350m.), A large pasture.
You always go straight, on following the trail marker for route 4 of the Val Sanagra Park and, upon reaching the Artus Chapel, you begin to descend until you reach the Sanagra River in the Mulino della Valle area. Do not cross the bridge but take the path that leads, passing the Galli furnace, to the Vecchia Chioderia, now trout farming and agritourism. Here you turn left passing in front of the farmhouse, and after crossing the bridge over the river, go up the very steep asphalted road that leads to the village of CODOGNA (alt. 450 m.). At the end of Via Mulini you come out on the road that goes up from Grandola to Naggio and turn left passing in front of Villa Camozzi, seat of the Town Hall and the Val Sanagra Ethnographic and Naturalistic Museum, open every second and last Sunday of the month from May to September and every last Sunday of the month from October to April (tel. 0344 32115). The villa was built in the eighteenth century and looks like a classic residence of that era. From the Piazza Camozzi descend along Via Roma for approx. 600 meters and then take Via Gonte on the right.
After approx. 400 m, take Via Cascinello Rosso on the left which after 400 m comes out on the main road. From here, after crossing carefully, continue along Via Binadone for about 1.5 km .. At the crossroads, keep right and continue along Via Artigianato e Industria. At the end of this street, take the cycle-pedestrian path on the right towards Porlezza. We are on a stretch of the former Menaggio Porlezza railway which was suppressed in 1939; a series of interventions by the local mountain community has transformed the route into a cycle and pedestrian path, for now viable from Bene Lario to Porlezza, through the Natural Reserve of Lake Piano.
Pass behind the Ranocchio campsite and, immediately after entering, continue along the beautiful lake. You reach the CASA DELLA RISERVA with a picnic area, information office, small eco-museum and the possibility of renting rowboats and mountain bikes tel. 0344 74961. Continue on the track to pass the beautiful wooden bridge over the river Cuccio. Following the banks of the river you will come out in Via per Osteno where you turn right. Arrived at the traffic lights, turn left to arrive in the center of Porlezza