Vallone di Gilba - Brossasco - Isasca - giro orario

Departure from Brossasco and after 2 1/2 km the climb begins to the hamlets of the municipality of Melle, which with 4 km of asphalt and another 2 1/2 km of dirt road lead to Madonna della Betulla. Among the hamlets particular is Borgata Chiesa San Eusebio with an ancient church already mentioned in documents of 1386, named after the founder of the first diocese in Piedmont in Vercelli and with frescoes including St. Christopher protector of travelers.

And again Perot di sotto with a losa in which the owner of the house, Oddone, expresses in pictures and words an eternal greeting to Monviso.

The church of Madonna della Betulla is still a landmark for Melle today; religious services are held on the second Sunday in May and September in memory of the apparition of the Madonna. Continuing on, we cross the chapel of San Bernardo delle sottole, another ancient shelter for wayfarers on the Melle trade route where there were mills, forges and beaters for hemp. Still on dirt road, descend to asphalt at km 13, continue to the left of the Gilba stream and turn right toward Borgata San Sisto and Chiabrandi, dirt road again (challenging in places) for 3 km to the chapel of San Bernardo di Gilba.

Descent: first section on narrow path, easy, but full of low vegetation that probably becomes inextricable in summer and fall.

Then stretches of nice single track alternating with wide dirt tracks and again sections in the woods never of excessive difficulty. We (with members found fortunately in the fog of the terminal hilltop, namely Massimo and Piero) came out on asphalt at Isasca from which to Brossasco.