Easy hikes and walks around Parco Rile Tenore Olona

A smooth route with no significant elevation changes, suitable for everyone. The connection with the Lanza Valley cycle path is under construction, but unfortunately, there is a lot of asphalt.

You approach the route of the former Valmorea Railway, with its disused station and enter the cycle path that heads towards the real Gurone Dam, a structure 12 metres high above the river level and 156 metres long, built between 2004 and 2009 and capable of generating a reservoir of more than a million cubic metres. The construction was necessary because this stretch of the valley has always been subject to flooding from the Olona (around 70 have been recorded since the 15th century), such as the most recent ones in 1995 and 2002. The cycle path now climbs along its embankments with an almost linear route and a gradient of almost 12%, built in this way so as not to interfere with the structure of the dam and its hydraulic characteristics. Once you reach the top, be careful on the descent. After reaching the closest point to the river, you start following the railway again, of which you can see sections of tracks in the woods. Now on the right we have the Pedemontana motorway and you cycle in one of the tunnels created during its construction. You can now reach the small public garden equipped with a rack with e-bike charging and a self-repair kit or, keeping to the left at the roundabout and crossing the provincial road, you head south. We are in the Lozza plain, which you cross on the side of the railway embankment with a long straight stretch before arriving at a narrow peninsula formed on the left by the Olona and on the right by the Selvagna stream. After crossing the stream, the path goes to the side of the provincial road to enter Castiglione Olona. On the right, the railway system of the former station opens up, where you can still see some carriages. At the crossing, keep left to continue on the cycle path, while instead you will go to the right to reach the historic village.

Beautiful cycle path along the Olona river

Milanello sports center where AC Milan train

sports center where AC Milan train

Humble country church, completed in 1680 in the place where tradition has it that ten cases of miraculous healing occurred. The place is much loved by the local population, it overlooks a beautiful clearing in the woods.

The Valle Olona cycle/pedestrian path extends for approximately 20 kilometers from Castellanza to Castiglione Olona, running alongside the Olona river and following the route of the ancient Valmorea railway (built at the beginning of the twentieth century to serve the industries located along the river. It connected Castellanza to Lonate Ceppino and was then extended to Mendrisio). The cycle path, inaugurated in 2010, is protected by fences and is equipped with benches, baskets, and illustrative panels.

A real pond, with placid waters that reflect the forest... in which - if you look carefully - a little turtle lives!