Wandering through the Woods of Carrega Regional Park by bike
- Travelling time: 3 hours
- Difficulty: Easy
- Why we love it: Circular path to discover the Carrega's woods
- Length: 20 km
- Total Elevation Gain: 200 m
- Way to travel: By bike
- Cost: 0 €
- Our Advice: Open year-round with the right equipment
An easy route for biking to spend a day in the silence of the woods to admire specimens of local flora and spot some deer.
The Carrega woods are a unique natural setting and its history is related to past hunting then "holiday" of the Farnese and Bourbon families and finally the Carrega family.
The trek starts from the train station of Collecchio and you get on the old SS62 Cisa. On the left, take Via Conventino that goes right into the park boundaries. Exceeded The Seraglio (with a large lawn and parking) and continue along the narrow asphalt road that crosses a wooded and shaded valley, with the Wood of Capannella.
After you come to a long straight, flanked by a mixed forest of oak and oak that in the spring presents spectacular blooms (dog tooth, snowdrops, anemones, periwinkle). About half of the straight, turn right, at the entrance gate to the Concierge of the Green Bridge, built in the early '900 with appearance of "cottage-style Tyrolean". A gravel driveway, well traveled, it forward in what was once the grounds of the Casino of the Woods, ancient and magnificent residence of the Dukes of Parma made for hunting and summer resort.
Suddenly, with spectacular sight, it will come out in front of the Casino of the Woods of them being the long colonnade, built between 1819 and 1826 by architect Nicola Bettoli as access to the premises for the ducal court. The Casino of the Woods, huge complex partially restored with surrounding buildings abandoned, currently hosts in the central portion of Casinetto exhibition spaces of the park. At Casinetto you can stop and visit the Museum of the forests and land including exhibition routes such as the permanent exhibition dedicated to the forest and local traditions, the historic xylotheque and mycological exhibition.
The route of the cycle path continues alongside the buildings on the right where you can visit the ancient ice.
Further down the road we come to the seat of Cras (wildlife rescue center) and road Olma. At the junction turn right and after 1 km you arrive at the Center Get up with services and water point; here you can leave the bike and take a short walk to visit the remains of the "baths" of end '700 built by Maria Amalia of Bourbon and immersed in a unique beech forest, planting artificial, created in 1828 by order of Marie Louise d'Austria.
Continuing the route of the cycle path down towards the valley of the Scodogna river intersection turn left and then take the first right to reach the impressive Romanesque church of San Biagio in Talignano (XII century.). From the church, continue along the road traveled so far to take the path that runs along the old SS62 Cisa that right back in Collecchio.
The circular route length of about 20 km has a minimum altitude (200m) also suitable for inexperienced cyclists and open year-round.
The route is also accessible from the station of Parma passing by Sala Baganza.
An ecofriendly stay near the trek:
B&B Il richiamo del bosco, A house in the woods. 1100 hectares of trees and meadows. Ecological architecture and contemporary creativity. For a b&b definitely out of the ordinary.
Cover photo: Hills of Parma, Collecchio. Photo by Alberto Bizzini, via Flickr