Between Pian Muné and Sant'Anna di Bellino – 52 km with +1580m elevation gain – Weekly Single-Workout Technique

 

 

I planned this walking adventure from Pian Muné to Sant'Anna di Bellino in preparation for a future project taking shape this summer.

So, I set off at around 6:30 AM on Sunday, May 11, 2025, heading toward Rifugio Bertorello, which I reached shortly afterward by following the beautiful mule track accessible to vehicles.

The route begins with a gentle incline that stretches for about 2 km, then continues along the ridge of the mid-mountain toward Pian Pilun for another 4 km. At one point, the ascent becomes steeper as it passes through a dense pine forest.

 

 

 

Heading toward Col del Prete, after the junction with Gilba, I kept to the right and continued along a new, continuous gentle incline for several kilometers.

Upon reaching the curve near the road to Becetto, the ascent remains fairly steady, with an elevation gain of several hundred meters—though the difficulty remains relatively moderate.

 

After reaching Col del Prete, I took a quick break for a snack.

Then began a steady descent toward Becetto, stretching several kilometers, which cost me all the elevation gain I had achieved. Upon arriving in Becetto, after traversing mule tracks, trails, and paved roads, I treated myself to another short snack break.

At this point, I still had several hours of walking ahead, and fatigue had yet to set in. My body felt fresh, but hunger was starting to become persistent. I tried to keep my appetite in check, knowing that a rushed digestion could potentially impact my journey—perhaps a hasty breakfast that morning before setting out was partly to blame.

 

 

 

I continued descending toward Sampeyre and stopped for my first coffee in the town center.

At the counter, I had the pleasant surprise of running into an old friend with whom I collaborated years ago at the Paesana swimming pool—good times!

Step by step, I had already covered 18 km, but the remaining distance was still significant. So, I resumed my journey along the mule track running beside the Varaita stream, which flowed wild and fast, as I made my way toward Casteldelfino.

Once in Casteldelfino, I headed to the Libreria Alpina of Fusta Editore, but unfortunately, it was closed for lunch break. So, I took another coffee break at a unique mountain bar, a place with a multifaceted soul—gas station, café, grocery store, and newsstand all in one! Absolutely fantastic, just the kind of spot I love.

 

 

 

Meanwhile, the weather was changing, and a little farther ahead toward Bellino, the sky grew increasingly darker.

As I ascended toward Bellino, the landscape unfolded into a breathtaking spectacle—high-altitude mountains, abundant snow, isolated hamlets, grazing cows, and countless flowers.

The climb continued relentlessly between Pian Muné and Sant’Anna, making the pace rather slow. A long and steady ascent still separated Casteldelfino from the 30th kilometer and Sant’Anna di Bellino from the 40th.

At this point, I decided to stop at Rifugio Melezé, where last year I had given a PNRR school conference on astronomy alongside my friend Sergio. Here, I indulged in a small snack—an exquisite chocolate and raspberry cake paired with a cappuccino, the perfect reward for the journey’s efforts.

At the Rifugio, they asked me where I was coming from, and, in disbelief, they listened to my story about the route I had taken.

 

 

Just under a kilometer, and I reached Sant’Anna—I had finally arrived at the final destination.

A place rich in memories of summers spent in the mountains with my daughters when they were still little, staying at the colony, which each year hosts dozens of children and teenagers, sponsored by the Church.

A few drops of rain mixed with hail on the return, but nothing concerning. Shortly afterward, I took the opportunity for a car ride back home, beyond the town of Casteldelfino.

 

 

 

 I conclude by saying that the pace was truly calm (slow), with stops for photos, videos, snacks, and long gazes at the breathtaking mountain landscapes between the Po Valley and the Varaita Valley.

It was almost entirely an uphill route, interrupted only by gentle inclines—except for the descent between Col del Prete and Sampeyre.

 

 

 

The choice to maintain a slow pace proved wise, driven by energy conservation.

Overall, I covered just over 52 km in 11 hours and 25 minutes, with 1,580 meters of elevation gain. The route was highly scenic, with few opportunities for running due to the continuous ascents.

For this outing as well, I followed the guidelines of the Weekly Single-Workout Technique, described in the book UltraTrail con il Monoallenamento, published by Fusta Editore.

 

GPS route on Komoot, from Garmin Fenix 7:

https://www.komoot.com/it-it/tour/2235710694

Live video of the journey between Pian Muné and Sant'Anna di Bellino

Below is the detail of the reference links related to my ultratrail and trail articles:

Very long distances | Routes | Competitions | Solo adventures | TRAVEL TRAIL | Publications | Training strategy | UltraTrail eBook |

 

 

 

 

 

 

48.5 km from Envie, through the Saluzzo hill, Manta hill, Verzuolo hill, and back – Weekly Single-Workout Technique

After reflecting on which route to take during one of my free days coinciding with the Easter break, I decided on a hike through the hills of the Saluzzo area—also as a continuation of my previous walking trip in the historic part of Saluzzo's hill.

The departure was set for 8:15 AM on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, equipped with a backpack and trekking poles. My Garmin Fenix watch, with a GPS track for navigation, provided me with a clear path to follow.

The most "tedious" part was the approach to Saluzzo, but as soon as I reached the beginning of the first climb towards the hill, everything changed—the landscape became rich with details to observe.

I crossed the entire hill, passing in front of Casa Cavassa, and eventually emerged near the Palazzo di Città. My first stop for a quick snack was in front of Castiglia, where I paused for just under five minutes.

Continuing along the hill, I headed toward Manta, where at one point I merged onto the bike path. I reached the center of Manta and then made my way toward Via Santa Brigida, heading into a steep ascent.

 

 

I move forward step by step until I reach the Chapel of San Leone, where I pause for a quick exploration and to fill up my water bottle.

This is the first of the three "silent" chapels I come across on this hilly adventure. I continue for a few kilometers, suddenly finding myself deep in the dense forest! Dirt roads and pathways roll beneath my shoes until I reach the first major "obstacle" of the day—a private property. I manage to bypass it somehow and reconnect with the public trail.

A few more kilometers of climbing take me toward the Verzuolo woods, where I encounter another private property. I navigate around it once again, losing quite a bit of time in the process.

After overcoming this hurdle, I finally reconnect with the planned route. Along the way, I unexpectedly step over a small viper basking in the sun!

 

After a few kilometers through the forest, I spot the Chapel of Santa Cristina in the distance, standing alone in the greenery.

Here, I take another quick snack break and take advantage of a fountain to refill my water bottle—water is always a precious resource not to be wasted, as it can often be many kilometers before finding another source.

 

From Santa Cristina, a remarkable descent begins, leading me to the third significant chapel of this beautiful ultratrail journey: San Bernardo.

At San Bernardo, an absolute silence reigns. I explore the area, capturing a short video. What stands out is the presence of the religious house adjacent to the chapel—I wonder who was the last priest to have actually spent the night there.

Looking up at the small bell tower, I immediately notice a sundial with a Sun drawn to the side, a peculiarity I had never seen anywhere else before!

 

 

From this point on, it's all downhill to Verzuolo, where I take a coffee break at a bar (a little longer than usual!), before setting off again along the bike path toward Saluzzo, passing through Manta once more.

I find myself admiring the historic streets and houses, until I finally complete the crossing of Saluzzo.

 

  

The most "tedious" stretch remains the one through the countryside separating Saluzzo from Envie (both on the way there and back): long, monotonous straight roads, plus the extended section required to circumnavigate the Po River and reach the bridge that connects me to Via Vecchia Barge. Unfortunately, this adds quite a few kilometers to my route.

Throughout the journey, I was able to appreciate the details of the chapels I encountered, with special praise for San Leone and San Bernardo, without taking anything away from Santa Cristina, which I had never visited before.

This excursion is part of my new passion for the hills of the Saluzzo area and its historic center.

As for the numbers, it covered 48.5 km in 9 hours and 15 minutes, with a positive elevation gain of 800 meters—an adventure made possible by the Weekly Single-Workout Technique, described in the book published by Fusta Editore, Ultratrail con il Monoallenamento.

 

Video LIVE YouTube:

 

 

Below is the detail of the reference links related to my ultratrail and trail articles:

Very long distances | Routes | Competitions | Solo adventures | TRAVEL TRAIL | Publications | Training strategy | UltraTrail eBook |

 

 

 

 

 

 

Travel Trail of 40.2km in Brianza – From Lake Pusiano to the Stepped Pyramids of Montevecchia – Weekly Single-Workout Technique

 

 

While waiting to 'expand' my Travel Trail adventures abroad with the Weekly Single-Workout Technique, I propose this beautiful route in Lombardy...

Monday, 03-03-2025. I present to you this new Travel Trail-style walking adventure in Brianza, starting from Lake Pusiano (a satellite of Lake Como) to reach the "stepped earth pyramids" in the Montevecchia park. They are said to be the only ones of their kind in Europe, though many earthen mounds with burial chambers exist in northern countries. It is unclear whether these Lombard pyramids are truly pyramids or if they served a religious function in the distant past. However, they are fascinating, and I must say they sparked my curiosity so much that I had to go there myself to verify their authenticity firsthand!

I will write about my impressions later; for now, let's talk about the journey...

 

 

Wake-up call at 4:00 AM, though I actually rolled around in bed for a few extra minutes—it's been months since I finished my osteopathic studies, and I've lost the habit of early morning wake-ups.

Still, by 4:20 AM, I was already up and preparing the last few details, having breakfast, and jumping into the car for the trip to Lake Pusiano (the starting point). The drive included my usual stops at Autogrill, which I love. It took quite a long time, mainly due to the heavy traffic on the highway around Milan—I was crawling at a snail’s pace! Once the traffic jam cleared, I headed toward Brianza, where I spent another hour searching for a free parking spot near the planned route.

A quick on-foot survey of the first kilometer to align with the GPS itinerary, then back to the car to change into my sports gear. Changing in the car is always a struggle, and of course, someone always walks by at that exact moment! In the end, I just ignore it and carry on.

 

I set off from the parking lot at 9:50 AM near Casletto, following the lake's edge.

I then ventured into the small urban centers of Rogeno, Costa Masnaga, Borzago, Borzano, Sirtori, Lissolo (where the highest peak reaches 522m above sea level), and many more... The route was a continuous up and down across several moderately elevated hills. However, adding up the elevation gains, the total reached 890m of positive elevation—and just as much in negative elevation!

Overall, it was a smooth route, entirely on asphalt. In this Travel Trail, the various towns seemed to be connected by a dense network of secondary roads. In fact, I only had to cross the train tracks once and later a busy main road—fortunately, there was an underpass!

Once deep into Montevecchia Park, I began observing carefully, trying to spot these curious "stepped pyramids" from a distance. However, I couldn't make them out until I got much closer!

At one point, near the entrance of the path leading to the middle pyramid, I noticed a raised formation emerging among the cultivated fields. From afar, it truly resembled a real square-based pyramid with a triangular peak! The view from this spot was absolutely magnificent

However, as I climbed the path, I began to notice endless cultivated fields all around, each with their own terraces still used today for agricultural purposes.

Getting even closer, I saw that there were no substantial differences between the terraces of this supposed pyramid and those still actively used! It quickly became clear to me that this is not a true pyramid, as one might mistakenly assume by comparing it to Egyptian pyramids.

Rather, it may have been partially "built" by reshaping the pre-existing hill, modified over time by past agricultural communities. However, aside from its shape, it does not differ from the surrounding terraces located further down the valley.

 

 

In 2001, an architect—credited with bringing them to light—noticed this peculiarity and managed to clear one of them from the overgrowth.

Thus, the shape we see today, with its respective earthen terraces, emerged. However, this demonstrates that it was used for cultivation rather than for burial purposes, unlike the African pyramids (in fact, the true purpose of the Egyptian ones remains a mystery to this day) or the mounds found in Northern Europe, which contain inner chambers.

Here, in all likelihood, if excavation were carried out, I believe no internal chambers would be found!

Apart from the surprise of not finding any real pyramid comparable to the famous Egyptian ones, it was still a wonderful walking adventure—full of discoveries in Brianza, both on the way there and back.

I also note that these pyramids have an additional curiosity: their position aligns in all three cases, just like the African ones symbolizing the sword of the Orion Constellation. This is certainly an intriguing detail, though in this case, it may very well be just a rare coincidence!

In 7 hours and 37 minutes, I completed this walking adventure, covering 40.2 km with 890 meters of elevation gain. I didn't feel tired at the end, but I must admit that during the return drive, at one point, I had to make an unplanned Autogrill stop because the early 4:00 AM wake-up was finally catching up with me!

 

 

 

Perhaps on another occasion, I will challenge myself with a trek around the perimeter of the small lakes in this beautiful area near Lake Como.

It's a fairytale-like place that, with its rolling hills—aside from the lakes—closely resembles the Roero of Alba, a region I came to know well during my tenure as a professor a few years ago.

To conclude, I note that this walking adventure was carried out thanks to the Weekly Single-Workout Strategy, explained in the book published by Fusta Editore, UltraTrail con il Monoallenamento, which I authored.

LIVE YouTube Video:

  

 

Mappa GPS dal sito Komot:

https://www.komoot.com/it-it/tour/2079159122

 

Below is the detail of the reference links related to my ultratrail and trail articles:

Very long distances | Routes | Competitions | Solo adventures | TRAVEL TRAIL | Publications | Training strategy | UltraTrail eBook |