Hike to the historic trenches of the Cadorna Line and Forte di Bara

The itinerary starts from Punta di Migiandone, also called “Muntagnet” (little mountain, in dialect), where some pieces of artillery introduce the history of Cadorna Line. This here is the narrowest point of Toce’s plain: just 700 meters divide the Muntagnet’s peak from the high Corni del Nibbio of Val Grande, making this place a strategic point for the creation of a massive military work. The Cadorna Line was the Italian defensive system on the northern border towards Switzerland. Its building started in 1899 and was strengthened during the First World War. It’s made up of 72 kilometers of trenches and hundreds of kilometers of roads and mule tracks, covering a very large territory from Ossola to Bergamo’s Alps.
The feared invasion of Central Powers through Switzerland never happened and the Cadorna Line was never a war theater, so much that today the massive effort of many men and soldiers that took part in its building can still be seen intact.
Thanks to Gruppo Alpini di Ornavasso, in 1985, the mule track, the walkways and the gun emplacements were restored, making this work, which reaches Forte di Bara trench after trench, mostly intact, available and visitable. The fort had warehouses and small lay-bys that could shelter troops, vehicles and weapons, plus a small chapel.
From this point the itinerary proceeds through the woods reaching the pastures of Alpe Villa, then going downwards to Gabbio and back upwards to the Sanctuary of Madonna di Oropa of Migiandone. According to tradition the sanctuary was built in 1820 by Gaspare Bessero, to thank Virgin Mary for the recovery of a gold vein.

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