Hermitage of Vercio, from Bracchio

Introduction

This simple hike, although practicable all year round, is suitable for periods, such as the current one, when there is still snow in the mountains, the spring full of flowers (azaleas and rhododendrons bloom in Vercio in May) and the beautiful colours of autumn; the view of Lake Maggiore and Lake Mergozzo will accompany us throughout the route.

Description

 We climb up in the middle of the group of houses (fountain on the right), turn right, towards the church, and then take the beautiful stone mule track on the left, which climbs steeply through the beech woods; impossible to miss! About halfway along the path there is a beautiful chapel, with a bench and, nearby, a spring. After a few more steep hairpin bends, the path softens, crosses a couple of small streams, passes close to an alpine pasture under renovation, while other alpine pastures appear among the trees, and shortly arrives at Vercio, an alpine pasture that was bombed by the Germans during the Second World War (1h20').

 The shrine is dedicated to the Madonna, and the feast is celebrated at the end of July; to the right, above the church, there is a fountain and a building that serves as a refuge; all around, more huts. Climbing the hilltop to the left of the hut, the view is spectacular, sweeping over the valley floor where the River Toce flows lazily, the quarry of the pink Candoglia marble used for Milan Cathedral, and the surrounding peaks. Lake Mergozzo and Lake Maggiore are omnipresent, and the three islands, Madre, Isola Bella and Isola dei Pescatori, are also clearly visible. For the return journey, we choose an alternative, the carriage road, which we take to the west, descends steeply and then comes out in an enclosure that is supposed to house horses the route is much longer than the mule track, but also very scenic; we take an hour or so to descend to the level at the crossroads, straight ahead until we skirt a ball field; here we enter the houses of Bracchio, until we come to a small square to the right of which a centuries-old magnolia tree peeps out from a garden; we return to the main road and follow it to the car. We met some very friendly people in Bracchio who were happy to exchange a few words with 'exploring' hikers...