Ciclovia del Taro
Taro Fluvial Regional Park
The bike path Taro is composed of two different routes, which are physically distinct but complementary. If desired, they may be ridden one after the other. You start from the Collecchio railway station and, after crossing the centre of town, you go south along the old Cisa State road for a couple of kilometres, turning right onto secondary roads up to Corte Giarola, a monumental complex of great historical and architectural charm that also represents the park headquarters and visitor centre, that offers the possibility to rent bikes.
The first route is rather easy, all on flat terrain, along quiet rural roads that wind their way south (upstream) touching the monastic building of Oppiano, an ancient resting site for pilgrims crossing the valley floor towards Fornovo, along the Via Francigena to Rome. Beyond the village of Villanova you reach Ozzano Taro, back on the Cisa State road, where you turn left to close the ring passing through Gaiano. Here, possibly, you may connect with the ciclovia dei Boschi di Carrega (bike path Carrega Woods). The environment is always rural, without traffic, between hedges, with rows of mulberry trees and isolated oak or walnut trees among the fields.
The second loop also starts from Corte Giarola but winds near the Taro and the ancient canals that branch off from the main water body, in a characteristic river environment (woods, thickets, rocky environments of gravel bed), on a path with natural ground, which is flat, yet pleasantly varied and more “adventurous”. You’ll need to pay attention to some sudden changes of direction, some relatively narrow passage or with a slightly rough bottom (rocks, roots, puddles sometimes), and a few small fords.
ELEVATION PROFILE
Download the elevation profile (JPEG - 105.6 KB)
CARTOGRAPHY
Download the map of the route (JPEG - 1.8 MB)
