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Valle Brembana cycle route from Ponteranica to Ambria |
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A very pleasant cycle and walking path departing from Zogno and arriving in Piazza Brembana. It allows the user to see the vast cultural and natural heritage of the Val Brembana. The route has been partially laid in the old, unused railway track, which stopped being used on 17 March 1966 after 60 years of service. It offers some really incredible views of nature. Alps and Alpine foothills offer wonderful landscapes, then the itinerary crosses villages and towns with a remote beauty, often located in isolated spots such as Oneta or Cornello dei Tasso, where time really appears to have stopped. In the lager towns there is the opportunity of visiting im-portant artistic monuments, including the lovely Art Nouveau buildings in San Pellegrino Terme. Over and above the wonderful scenery, the beauty of this lovely route per se is worth mentioning, it follows the ancient path of the railway and its historical tunnels. The tunnels have been beautifully restored and light up as people pass through; an unforgettable experience. From the middle valley the route becomes even more attractive as the lighting from here on is from the bottom up.
Valle Brembana cycle route altimetry
The itinerary that allows the cyclist to reach the Val Brembana cycle route, which today begins at Zogno and separates from the provincial road ex SS 470 in the suburbs of Ponteranica. From here follow the road Strada al Mulino to reach the cycle and walking path that runs inside the Parco dei Colli. After the horse riding school the path becomes a reserved path and continues for a few hundred metres inside a wood at the foot of a hill along cultivated fields. At the crossroad turn left into the branch of the path that leads uphill. After a short time the path reaches the top of the hill continuing towards Sombreno, a district of Paladina, and passes behind villa Agliardi. At the stopstreet turn right into the narrow road until you reach the cycle and walking path that runs parallel in the opposite direction. Pass below the ex SS 470 dir. The itinerary continues until you reach the crossroad with the very busy provincial road SP 14 which you take going downhill.
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The Parco dei Colli (Hill Park)
The area enclosed within the perimeter of the Parco dei Colli offers different landscapes, from pure hillside to mountainous terrain. This area has a rather disparate collection of physical and morphological characteristics encompassing natural beauty and architecturally prestigious attractions such as the Giongo nature Reserve or the historical centre of Città Alta (Upper City). There are many walking or cycling paths that cross the park leading to the discovery of wonderful environmental treasures and breathtaking landscapes. |
 We take the road SP 14 downhill to the bridge on the Brembo River, from where we continue uphill until the detour to the right towards the Imagna valley. At Almeno Basso we turn right into the peaceful via Ospedale, Cimaer and Teodolinda to reach the Clanezzo Bridge. From here many uphills and downhills will lead us past Ubiale to Ponte di Sedrina.
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The “dancing” bridge
The suspended bridge was constructed in 1878 and erected to replace a ferrying service. It is part of a connected series of infrastructures that were set up around the Attone bridge since the tenth century, Attone bridge is one of the oldest in the area of Bergamo. This complex of structures guaranteed a link with the Brembana valley and connected the castle, customs station, the buildings of the port and the mill, with Veneto region. The unusual nickname is due to the swaying movement of the bridge when it is crossed either on foot or by bicycle. |
Cross the Sedrina bridge being very careful because of heavy traffic and keep right to take the old abandoned road which is now closed to vehicular traffic and open only to cyclists, to the entrance to the Grotte delle Meraviglie. Then take the provincial road SP ex SS 470 and continue along this road until you reach the centre of Zogno. The cycle or walking itinerary starts in the market square and follows the Brembo River, along the whole valley. The first part of the route ends near the small unused station near the start of the residential area of Ambria. Pedalling alongside vehicular traffic, turn right and take the bridge that crosses the Val Serina road perpendicularly, the cycle path continues after about one hundred metres.
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The Grotte delle Meraviglie (Caves of Wonder)
This collection of caves does not extend very far but they are still rather interesting in order to understand the geological events that led to the creation of the caves, and the many karst phenomena that can be seen here. The geological formation contains many corals and formations that can be seen to be “Zù Limestone” and therefore dating to the Lower Rhaetian period. They are well-known thanks to Ermenegildo Zanchi of the Gruppo Grotte San Pellegrino (San Pellegrino Caves Group) who turned it into one of the first cave complexes open to tourists in Italy in 1939. |
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