Stage 1 · Mater Ecclesiae → Bose
- Distance
- 83 km
- Elevation gain
- 780 m D+
- Difficulty
- Moderate-Challenging
- Surface
- 96% asphalt, 4% gravel · 29% on cycle routes
- Terrain
- Moraine hills, Lake Orta
- Hospitality
- Monastic Guesthouse
GPX 1.1 file with the track, elevation and the abbeys as waypoints. Tracks are calculated on real roads and cycle routes (OpenStreetMap): check them on the ground before you set off.
Gravel variant: 94 km · D+ 740 m · 32% unpaved (main track: 4%)
Calculated with a profile that prefers gravel roads and dirt tracks (BRouter on OpenStreetMap data): more natural surface and less traffic, sometimes slower. Check it on the ground, especially after rain.
Stage map
Map of the stage Mater Ecclesiae → Bose: track, start, finish, places to stay and abbeys
Hover the profile to see the spot on the map
Tracks calculated on real roads and cycle paths (OpenStreetMap); elevations from SRTM data — to be checked on the ground
Main climb: 4.8 km at 4.5% (up to 447 m)
This stage on Komoot
The same track is on the project's Komoot profile: save it in the app and ride it with voice navigation.
Overview
Setting off from the Isola di San Giulio on Lake Orta. The route climbs gently through the hills of the Biellese, past farmland and vineyards, easing into Benedictine monastic territory.
Notes from the road
The boat to the island of San Giulio runs from March to October. At most three bikes go on board, loaded last, with a €2.50 supplement each; the island is for walking, so leave the bike in Orta. Stock up in Orta or Gozzano before boarding, shops thin out fast after that. The climb toward Bose grows gentle through vineyards, then bites hard in the last five kilometres. The final wood leaves few services, but the guesthouse at day's end offers water and silence.
What to see
Island of San Giulio, Lake Orta, Biellese hills with vineyards, medieval villages of Orta and Magnano
Where to sleep
Foresteria del Monastero di Bose (donation-based); B&B Orta San Giulio (70-100€); hillside agriturismo (50-75€)
Where to eat
Alpine pasture cheeses (Biellese tome), porcini mushroom risotto, Biellese honey
Tips
Gradual but steady climb in the last 5 km towards Bose. Stock up on water and food in Orta before departure. The route crosses rural areas with limited services.
Water & supplies
Water and shops at Orta San Giulio and Gozzano at the start; a bar at Borgomanero halfway. Between the Serra morenica and Magnano the land turns rural: the last 15 km to Bose have almost no services, with a fountain waiting at the guesthouse. Phone signal stays reliable throughout.
Places to stay on this stage
- Camping Ortacampsite
Orta San Giulio (NO), Via Domodossola 28- Price:
- from ~€13/night (2 people, low season)
- Open:
- year-round (heated shower block)
- Facilities:
- water, hot showers, laundry, lake-view pitches
- Source:
- campingorta.it
The historic campsite on Lake Orta (since 1959), a few km from the start at Mater Ecclesiae.
Abbeys on this stage
- Start abbey: Abbazia di Mater Ecclesiae
- Finish abbey: Monastero di Bose
An amateur, non-profit project. The tracks are indicative: everyone rides independently, at their own risk.