PARKS CYCLE PATH

After passing “Via Monti” and arriving at the roundabout on Via Zanfi, a metal sign (“Ponte Barchetta-Campogalliano”) guides us in the right direction. We therefore cross the bridge over the ring road (Km 4.1 - 25 min.) and continue straight ahead on the cycle path as far as the hamlet of Tre Olmi (Km 5.6 - 30 min.-). Go straight on along “Strada Barchetta” (signposted “Ponte Barchetta” “Campogalliano”), which crosses the Nature Trail shortly afterwards

Continuing on our way, we come to the ancient “Passo di Majagallo” (Barchetta bridge): since 1999 a large iron arch has supported a wooden footbridge ready to transport cyclists across to the opposite bank of the River Secchia (Km 6.5). After crossing the bridge (we are now in the municipality of Campogalliano), turn left and then left again at the next fork “Via Magnagallo Est”.

After passing the highspeed train line, keep to the right and you will soon come across two narrow, dark underpasses that will take you beneath the motorway (Km 7.8 - 40 min.). Further on, there are two options: the first is to the right for Campogalliano and the Museo della Bilancia (Scales Museum) (total diversion 4.6 km); our itinerary continues straight on, turning right at the sign for “Via Carrobbie”, while at the next crossroads (signposted “Via Bosco”) we need to turn left, after which we soon reach the oratory of the Madonna della Sassola (Km 8.7 - 45 min.). Keeping to the left (signposted “divieto di accesso eccetto residenti” [“no access except for residents”]), go under the highspeed train line again and over the motorway bridge, continuing straight on. Further on, having passed a barrier, the route becomes a dirt track (Km 10.6) and finally narrows to a mere path that begins to skirt the large water basins of the Casse di Espansione (Expansion Basins). During the next part of the route you will come across numerous signs for the permanent “Verde Laghi” circuit (for walking and running in nature) – the longer 10 km version corresponds largely to our route.

When you reach the concrete water regulation structure (dam on the Secchia), continue straight on until you are almost next to the railway line (14 km - 1.15 hours). Turn right here, at a large metal panel, and follow the signs for the “Verde Laghi - 10 km” route.

Continue along the grassy embankment, avoiding the two large dirt tracks that run lower down and return to the water basins. Further on (Km 15.7) we will have to descend briefly from the main embankment (keep this point in mind because this is where we will return after visiting the Corte Ospitale), so we turn left and take an asphalt road (“Via del Rivone”) that leads to the crossroads with the SP35 provincial road (Km 16.6 - 1.30 hours).

In the absence of pedestrian crossings, we take great care when crossing and enter a small asphalt road on the opposite side, which intersects a cycle path after 100 metres. Following the latter on the left, we come to the crossroads with “Via dei Chiaviconi” and continue straight ahead along the cycle track: when this ends we are on “Via Fontana”, which soon takes us to the ancient Corte Ospitale (Km 18.2 - 1.40 hours).

From the Corte Ospitale continue to the junction with Via Rainusso and turn right onto Via del Palazzo. After skirting the sixteenth-century building, we ignore the deviation on the left for Rubiera (only 1 km away) and turn right onto the cycle path (“Via S. Faustino”), thus beginning our return journey. After passing the cemetery, turn right again onto “Via dei Chiaviconi” and continue as far as the crossroads with the Via Fontana cycle path that you passed on the way up (Km 20.6).

At this point, we follow the route we have just taken, crossing the provincial road again and returning along “Via Rivone” to the main embankment of the Casse di Espansione (22.4 km - 2 hours). However, turn left here: the bank is well gravelled and can be cycled even after heavy rain. The route thus completes a complete loop of all the bodies of water and returns to the concrete barrier on the Secchia, which we passed on the way up (24.3 km - 2.10 hours). Turning left downhill, we retrace our journey for 400 metres and then turn left again onto a wide dirt track as far as a barrier near the Le Cinque Querce riding club. We are on the asphalted Via Albone, which we must follow as far as the Laghi Curiel parking area and restaurants (Km 26).

Here we take the cycle path on the right, which passes through the rowing basins and returns to the “Strada della Madonna”. Turn left to repeat exactly the same route as before and cross the motorway bridge again. Returning to the small shrine of the Beata Vergine della Sassola (km 28.2), we retrace our route along Via Bosco and Via Carrobbie to cross the motorway again. Back to the Barchetta bridge (Km 30.3 - 2.35 hours) and the next junction with the Secchia Trail (Km 30.8). The centre of Modena is less than 7 km away, if you are pressed for time and want to repeat the same route. However, if you’d prefer a different, off-road return journey, we suggest turning left and following the Secchia Nature Trail as far as Ponte Alto (Km 35.2 - 3 hours).

We ignore the signs for the centre of Modena and turn left, crossing the River Secchia to join the route in the direction of Concordia - Destra Po.

We continue on the left-hand river bank. 200 metres after passing under the link road to Campogalliano (SP413), we must need to leave the main embankment (no longer passable due to the presence of the highspeed railway line) and make our way down to the dirt road below. The route then crosses the highspeed line, immediately followed by a small metal bridge over the Secchia: we need to cross this bridge to return to the city (signposted: straight on “destra Po. Ciclovia del Secchia”. Left “Modena Km 4”)

We therefore turn in this direction and tackle a short dirt ramp that connects with the Modena-Villanova cycle path. Following the latter we cross the Secchia (Km 37.3 - 3.15 hours) and continue until the crossroads with Via Sant’Anna.

Here turn right and, at the next roundabout, right again onto the Stradello Razzaboni cycle path, which underpasses the Bologna-Milan line and leads to the San Cataldo cemetery (Km 39.5).

Continue straight ahead on the wide cycle paths that run alongside Via Breda, Via Paolucci and Via Montecuccoli.

After passing the Cialdini flyover, turn right onto the small cycle path that leads to the traffic lights on Viale Storchi. We then turn left onto the cycle path that takes us back to the junction with Via Emilia, from where we soon find ourselves back at the starting point (Km 42.2 - 3.40 hours).