The Confluence of Cuneo

CNKAW | 01 | en |

'The Confluence of Cuneo'

LANGUAGE

• This is the Dutch version (description in Dutch) of this route.

• For the English version (description in English) of this route see: 'CNKAW | 01 | en | The Confluence.

• Per la versione italiana (descrizione in italiano) di questo itinerario vedi: 'CNKAW | 01| it | La Confluenza.

THE KEY FIGURES OF THE ROUTE

► Length: 7.2 km.

► Ascent: 84 m with max. 6.3% and a single steep staircase at the end; average 1.2%.

► Descent: 84 m.

► Walking times:

→ RouteYou: 1:30 hours;

→ DIN 33466: 2:00 hours;

→ realistic time (+20% for short breaks etc.): 2:25 hours;

→→→So allow 2½ hours for this walk to be able to walk leisurely and also to be able to look better at some of the sights.

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION

The walk mostly runs through the 'Gesso and Stura River Park' that encloses Cuneo. The walk starts at 'Piazza Galimberti' and the route quickly descends after the start to the long nature park themed around the two rivers that converge northeast of Cuneo. The first part goes downstream along the right bank of the 'Stura', up to the 'Confluence' where the 'Stura' and 'Gesso' meet. The second part follows the 'Gesso' a few kilometers upstream along the left bank. The end of the walk is again at 'Piazza Galimberti' in the heart of Cuneo.

There are four points that deserve extra attention:

► directly after the underpass under the ramp to the 'Ponte Vecchio' at the beginning of the walk (km 2.3; Cn01.1) there is a very narrow informal path along and between the allotments included. The entrance is immediately after the tunnel under the ramp and easy to miss. In 'wet' weather the path may be unusable. An alternative is to walk straight ahead and left for the cemetery. You will then come naturally to the end of the allotments (left) and the cemetery (right) back on route;

► the path to the left, directly after the underpass under the old railroad (km 3.5; Cn01.2; left along the sewage treatment plant), is also narrow and, depending on the season, partly overgrown. It also runs very close to the water for about ten meters, without fencing (situation spring 2024), further on there is even a 'natural tunnel' in summer and autumn. The path is however always passable. An alternative is to go straight ahead immediately after the underpass under the railroad and walk right along the sewage treatment plant. At the end of this path (just past the sewage treatment plant) you will be back on the described route;

► at km 4.3 (Cn01.3) we take a look at a dam in the Gesso. Here a part of the water from the Stura (in dry periods even almost all the water from the Stura), the purified water from the sewage treatment plant, and the water from the Gesso are channeled to a canal. In very dry periods, all the water goes through this canal. In those periods you can cross the dam to the part of the park on the northeast side of Cuneo. Be careful if you go exploring there: 'over the dam' is not an official path and part of it is very narrow. In periods when the water is (very) high or very high has been, large portions of the dam may be completely gone. The dam is repaired almost every year;

► returning to the city there is just past the premises of the CAI, the Italian Alpine Club (km 6.65; Cn01.4; on the left side of the route opposite a parking lot), a steep staircase upward on the right. At the end, a busy road must be crossed ( !! there is a zebra crossing, but still watch out !! ) and the path continues via a second staircase upward into the city center. The steep staircase can be avoided: a little further on there is a less steep approach to the city and even a 'sloped lift' that makes it even easier to get to the endpoint of the walk at Piazza Galimberti.

For more information about the 'Gesso and Stura River Park': https://www.parcofluvialegessostura.it.

Buen Camino!

Have a pleasant walk and enjoy the park.