Bussoleno: the project "Towards the Top, Inclusive Mountain"

The Natural Reserve of the Orrido di Foresto and its Via Ferrata, in the Municipality of Bussoleno, have significant tourist potential and, at the same time, an equally relevant responsibility. After necessary closure orders for the Via Ferrata due to safety issues and excessive water present in it, the municipal administration evaluated targeted interventions and, above all, worked towards a safe reopening of the path, with an inclusive perspective, allowing access from all angles.

With the aim of a more conscious use of the Reserve and its Via Ferrata, the project “Towards the Top – Inclusive Mountain” was indeed born, which is taking its first steps during these summer weeks.

The project, desired and managed by the Municipality of Bussoleno, and supported by the Piedmont Region, involves many local entities including sports, cultural, civil protection associations, the Park Authority, and the Municipal Social Assistance Consortium.

"The intent of the project," explains the Municipality of Bussoleno, "is to develop paths, itineraries, experiences, events, and moments of reflection on how the experience in the mountains can be valuable in creating formative and growth opportunities for everyone, including disadvantaged and/or disabled individuals, implementing social integration projects in the area. But that's not all. Often, a lack of knowledge about the mountains can prove dangerous. Just think of the dozens of calls for rescue from unprepared hikers facing the planned itinerary, in addition to inadequate or even non-existent equipment, a lack of attention to weather conditions, and insufficient knowledge and communication regarding the level of preparation necessary to tackle the scheduled route."

Operationally, the project has focused attention on the Via Ferrata path of the Orrido by equipping it with a information point (at the entrance), to carry out awareness activities about potential dangers, aimed at everyone, with initiatives and informative and educational materials.

For the enjoyment and promotion of the place, a detailed calendar of initiatives for civic participation has been organized and is being proposed, in a spirit of intergenerational collaboration, widely publicized through a new dedicated website: www.orridoforesto.it and via social media @Ferrata - Orrido di Foresto.

All events will take place on Saturdays and Sundays, throughout August, September until October and will resume in the spring of 2026 and include:

• more or less challenging walks, daytime or evening, accompanied by Park Guards or Naturalistic Guides from the Alpi Cozie Parks or by the CAI volunteers,
• demonstrative moments of traversing the Via Ferrata by the volunteers of the Alpine and Speleological Rescue,
• accompaniment on the Via Ferrata by Alpine Guides,
• walks with birds of prey and activities with donkeys and other mammals, organized by the Bim Bum Baaam Association,
• guided and inclusive walks in safe and accessible natural contexts for people with disabilities and autism or families in distress.