Val Grande National Park
The Val Grande National Park extends in the heart of the province of Verbano Cusio Ossola, among precipitous ridges and solitary peaks, and is part of the Sesia-Val Grande Geopark, a larger area of geological interest that has become part of the world network of geoparks, sponsored by UNESCO.
It is the largest wilderness area in Italy, a wilderness just a stone's throw from civilization. A unique valley, where nature is slowly recovering its spaces, where endless woods, clear waters and uncontested silence accompany our every step. A sanctuary of the environment, to be visited with absolute respect. But Val Grande is also history. The long story of a mountain civilization narrated by the places and people of the villages surrounding this area between Ossola, Verbano, Val Vigezzo, Valle Intrasca and Cannobina.
From Malesco it is possible to access the Val Grande Park from the north. By car you can reach Loana Valley, a side valley characterized by a rich flora and fauna, and from here in about two hours of walking you arrive at Alpe Scaredi which marks the entrance door. Here there is also an unattended but always open bivouac.
Walking along the paths of Val Grande we can discover the signs left by man in the past centuries when the valley was the destination of shepherds and woodcutters, traces of a hard and poor life that arouses interest and admiration for the ability to adapt to such an impervious and inaccessible territory. And even those who are content to arrive at the threshold of such a wild area, stopping in one of the centers that surround it, have the opportunity to capture the sensations of a wilderness area. Because Val Grande, even before being a Park, is a valley of great emotions.
More info: www.parcovalgrande.it
Photography ©Christian Guerra
