59 – (ITA STAGE 11) – Borgo Valsugana – Cismon del Grappa
| Place of Departure | BORGO VALSUGANA |
| Place of Arrival | CISMON DEL GRAPPA |
|
Length – KM
|
31,3 |
| Nation of the route | Italy |
| Region | Trentino Alto Adige-Südtirol/Veneto |
| Uphill Gap |
149 m
|
| Downhill Gap |
329 m
|
| CAI (Diff. Escurs.) | E |
| Praticability |  |
Stage 11 – Bogo Valsugana – Cismon del Grappa – Long but not demanding stage. Follow the Brenta with its cycle path, between the mountains. Valsugana has a charm of its own. This is the last stop in Trentino before reaching Veneto.
From the center of Borgo Valsugana, leave Piazza Alcide De Gasperi, passing in front of the Church of San Rocco, the Church of the Nativity of Mary; you enter the Brenta cycle path, which follows the river, passing under the SP 109 and the railway. Once you reach the sports facilities, take the cycle path to the left, up to Ospedaletto, where you leave the cycle path to cross the river and take a paved road that leads first to a beautiful wood, and then returns along the river and on to the track cycle lane. On this beautiful road at the foot of the rocky barrier, in the middle of the greenery, you reach the small center of Selva. We go alongside the biotope of Fontanazzo and arrive at a roundabout near a quarry. It is worth crossing the river, the highway, the railway and arriving in Grigno, to then leave the village by crossing the Grigno stream and climbing the path built above the Trincerone, which is a trench from the First World War. At the end of the path, continue along the Brenta up to the bridge which leads back to the cycle path. The track always runs at the foot of the mountains, along the right bank of the Brenta. You meet the hamlets of Filippini, Masi Ornè and Tezze, finally Martincelli, across the river: this is the last inhabited center of Trentino. You pass under the highway and walk along the river: this is Veneto. The route continues, now along the river, now in the woods up to the road junction for Enego and the Asiago plateau. At Martincelli, just under the viaduct of the highway, there is a sign prohibiting the transit of cyclists due to falling rocks. It is necessary to follow the indications for Primolano, for which it is advisable to go under the superhighway, the railway and get on the provincial road. This leads to the center of Primolano where you can find hospitality and then stop. Back to the cycle path. Later, in the narrowest point of the entire Valsugana, the cycle path wedges between the rock and the river (above, beyond the river, the fortification of Covolo di Butistone); then it widens slightly and we reach the refreshment area and bike service in Cornale. On the left, a suspended walkway allows you to cross the Brenta: passing under the highway and over the railway, you reach the center of Cismon del Grappa.
11 – Points of Interest
Grigno – This is the furthest point on the border with Veneto. There are numerous artisan activities in woodworking, marble, copper and wrought iron. The Marcesina Plateau is rich in forests, pastures and alpine meadows. Worth seeing: the caves of Bigonda and Calgeron, the Church of San Ulbarico, the Old Parish Church of San Giacomo Maggiore and the Church of St. Anthony from Padua, the Fontanazzo Biotope (a protected nesting site).
Trincerone Di Grigno – In May 1866, the border between the Empire of Austria and the Kingdom of Italy was set in Martincelli. At the outbreak of the First World War, the Italian army prepared the defence “system” on several lines of fortifications. The blockade of Grigno, a sort of Maginot Line, was composed of two belts, with a first open-air line, reinforced with sandbags and timber, and a second line formed by the socalled “trincerone”, or trench. The Trincerone di Grigno is extremely well preserved. It is a long emplacement covered with reinforced concrete, a system with rear access, blocked and protected with earthen walls.
The Covolo di Butistone – This is a very old military fortification that protected the Brenta Canal between Primolano and Cismon del Grappa until the end of the 18th century. It was built to defend one of the main communication routes between the Italian peninsula and Germany. The first historical documentation mentioning its presence dates back to 1004; it is mentioned in the Annales Stadenses. Today the remains of the cave fortification are still visible; the altar of St. John the Baptist, the crenellated balustrade, the well, the cistern, the positions for the culverins, the prison and the room for the troops are clearly identifiable
please, see the Official Guide of the Via Romea Germanica (www.guidaromea.eu)
Bold type for structures we already used
Red type for structures we have an arrangement (with Credential*)
(*) Prices might change for special situations: please book early and ask for confirmation
In some places it is difficult to find accommodation only for one night: we suggest you to take accommodation for more nights, using, for your movements, the comfortable and cheap local trains, route Brenner-Trento-Bassano del Grappa.
How to arrive
| From airport (BOLOGNA, VENEZIA, MILANO-ORIO, VERONA) to Padova FS Railway Station | TRAIN – (www.trenitalia.com) Padova FS Railway Station – Borgo FS Railway Station; Trento FS Railway Station – Borgo FS Railway Station — (https://www.virail.it/treni-trento-borgo_valsugana) Valsugana -Trento Railway line |
Where to eat
Where to sleep
Bike Service
| Cornale | Via Piovega di Sotto,7 – 36052 ENEGO (VI) | 0424-92554/340-1182158 | info@cornale.com | www.cornale.com Arrangement |
Pilgrim Service
| Pro Loco – Turismo Grigno | Via Nazario Sauro 25 – 38055 GRIGNO | 0461 776010 | prolocogrigno@gmail.com | www.prolocogrigno.it |
| Pro Loco Cismon (Riccardo Z.) | c/o Municipio – Piazza I Maggio,3 – 36020 CISMON | 333-3121704 | www.facebook.com/proloco.cismondelgrappa |
Photos from the Track
