Join us for a pleasant day of hiking in the mountains on paths and mule tracks, to slow down our frenetic pace and take a step back in time, rediscovering how life in the mountains was until the beginning of the 1900s. A SLOW excursion, at a slow pace to admire the mountain landscapes of woods, pastures, and streams, and to discover the ancient techniques and mountain traditions of preparing cheeses and building with stones.
In fact, we will visit an ancient mountain pasture and, with the help of Elisa, a young farmer, we will discover how the slow pace of life of the “margaro” was marked in the preparation of butter and cheeses. We will observe the places and traditional tools that have characterized the type of work in this area for centuries. Finally, we will discover what has changed in the modern production of dairy products by tasting Elisa’s cheeses. We will also visit an ancient former mountain monastery, today an Ecomuseum of the stone building tradition, to understand the construction techniques that for centuries have allowed our ancestors to build houses, stables, factories, and monasteries with the few materials at their disposal. We will also delve into the curious and troubled story, still a little mysterious, full of secrets, twists, and turns, which led to the construction of this monastery at an altitude of 1100 meters, starting from the “bizarre” idea of a single person. We will conclude with a lunch at the Trappa dedicated to mountain products and the network of producers of Slow Food Travel Montagne Biellesi.
Places of interest: Sordevolo, La Trappa, a former Trappist monastery from the 1700s. Church of San Grato, Alpeggio Fontanelle
Characteristics of the route: about 12 km in loop, 450m ascent, 4-5 hours plus breaks, hiking
Starting and finishing point: Parking in via C. Vercellone 2 in Sordevolo (BI)
Hours: 9.30 – 18
Maximum number of participants: 20 people
Total cost: 40 euros per person
Add-ons:
– Accompaniment with a guide: 20 Euros (10€ from 7 to 12 years, up to 6 years free)
– Cheese tasting in the mountain pastures: 5 Euros (€2.50 for children aged 7 to 12, free up to 6)
– Lunch at the Trappa with polenta concia and outcrop butter (Slow Food Presidium), upper Elvo lean toma, 1/4 of wine, dessert and coffee: 15 Euros (10€ for children up to 12 years old)
Contact and reservations
