COLMEGNA - DUMENZA - SVIZZERA
COLMEGNA – DUMENZA - SWITZERLAND
41km - 3 hours - difficult
A rather difficult route connecting Lake Maggiore to Lake Lugano, through the Northern valleys of Varese, across the border into Switzerland.
A long (41 kilometers) and harsh route, with a lot of up-and-down hills and, moreover, two long uphill stretches which will put any cyclist to the test, although we can always count on the trusty assistance of our electric Fressbee bicycles.
A few meters after leaving the Camin hotel in Colmegna, in the direction of Luino, we must turn left towards Dumenza. We will immediately start to feel the harshness of this particular hill, as the first section of the route is probably the hardest. Soon, thought, we will be rewarded by stunning views over Lake Maggiore.
The route gets easier, but is a constant climb until we reach Dumenza, the main center of the homonymous Valdumentina valley. The small village, embellished by a monument to the Fallen and the small church of the Immacolata, is welcoming for a short break. Just outside the center, in the direction of Luino, before the crossroads leading to the Swiss border passes, we cannot fail to notice the beautiful church of Santi Nazario e Celso, towering over the valley to our left (its well-tended, wide esplanade is unfortunately impossible to reach by bicycle).
A side street, on flat ground (finally!) will lead us to the customs house of Palone. From here on we will be cycling amidst the beauty of Switzerland: wide, well-tended fields, vineyards sucking up the sun on the southern hillsides, cows at pasture, tiny villages clustered around the parish churches.
The villages we cross in this brief incursion in Swiss territory are quaintly named (Suino, Sessa…), peaceful and tranquil, almost untouched by modernity. There is little traffic and, for a few kilometers, we can safely pedal along a small cycling lane, relax and enjoy the landscape.
A steep downhill road, thankfully graced by perfect paving, leads back in the direction of the main Cantonal road, running along the riverbanks of the Tresa, down into the valley. We turn right, in the direction of Italy, and continue on until we reach the customs house of Ponte Cremenaga, crossing it to make our way back into Italian territory. Turning left at the crossroads and then taking the first turn right (in Via Vittorio Veneto) me must start climbing up a long, steep hill, on a secondary street in the direction of Avigno, a tiny village half-way up the mountain, part of the Municipality of Cadegliano Viconago.
The road here is really tough but we can sometimes stop to take a break and enjoy the vista over the mountains facing us (Monte Lema, in the Swiss Alps).
Just after the sign pointing to the centre of Avigno, the route gets easier. Here and there, we can catch a glimpse of Lake Lugano or of the mountains beyond, rising higher and higher into the distance (the first peak is Monte Generoso).
We will soon reach the town of Cadegliano Viconago, a beautiful natural balcony over the Ceresio district. It certainly is worth taking a short tour around town, losing ourselves in a maze or archways, alleys, shrines and buildings of rural heritage.
The sunny valley called Valmarchirolo, leading from the lake banks towards Varese, via the well-known Valganna area, is a welcome respite for our legs, now pedalling at a leisurely pace, crossing the quiet residential areas of Marchirolo, Cugliate and Fabiasco. From here on, the landscape changes: we are now facing the Valcuvia and the distant massif of the Campo dei Fiori, as we cycle in the woody shade of chestnut and beech trees
Arriving to the town of Montegrino-Valtravaglia we will carefully traverse the narrow lanes of the hamlet of Bosco, full of arches and mural paintings evoking the ancient roots of the Christian Catholic tradition. The next section is the descent down to Grantola, which we will reach in just a few minutes. A short stretch of the main road and we will find, to the right, the beginning of the pedestrian and cycling lane leading all the way to Luino.
To our right, the lazy waters of the Margorabbia river, its wide curves feeding rural pastures of great beauty. The road from here to Luino, crossing the bridge over the river Tresa, requires no effort at all.
The first impression is the captivating majesty of the lake. Now that we are at water-level, its grandeur cannot but make us feel helplessly small. The lakeside of Luino, full of cafés, and its port, are perfect for a rest (if you feel like taking a detour along the town center, you will certainly find it worthwhile). When we are ready to make our way back to our starting point, we must take the SS394 route in the direction of Switzerland, a heavily trafficked main road, and carefully cycle along it for a few minutes.
