Nature park
Bosco delle Sorti della Partecipanza
Trino · Vercelli
Among Trino’s rice fields survives a woodland that tells the story of an old form of communal management. Pedunculate oaks, hornbeams and alders accompany paths, clearings and small waterways. Walking here reveals a landscape unlike the open farmland, with changes in vegetation noticeable even along a single route.
Woodland in the rice-growing plain
The woodland lies in the Vercellese plain north of the Po, within Trino. It is one of three areas forming Parco naturale del Bosco della Partecipanza e delle Grange Vercellesi, whose name therefore covers more than the woodland walk alone. Conditions change between the plain and the low ridge known as La Costa. The southern slope is warmer and drier, while springs and wet soils to the north support vegetation associated with water.
Oaks, hornbeams and wet habitats
Oak and hornbeam woodland makes this surviving lowland forest valuable amid the farmland. Black alder grows in wetter areas; elsewhere the understorey, clearings and mature trees offer different things to observe. Spring flowers include lily of the valley and daffodils, to admire without picking. Woodland birds include goshawk, sparrowhawk and honey buzzard. Enjoying the wood does not require seeking a particular species: pausing on the paths and listening reveals contrasts between open spaces, tree crowns and wet ground.
Woodland as a shared resource
In 1275, the Marquis of Monferrato granted a large woodland area to the people of Trino. The community of participants maintained a collective relationship with this resource, helping preserve it as the surrounding countryside became a rice-growing plain. This continuity between use and protection distinguishes the Partecipanza from an ordinary public garden. Regional protection dates to 1991, and the park’s organisation was expanded in 2019. Its paths reveal both this social history and the diversity of habitats.
The loop from Cascina Guglielmina
The reference loop begins at the southern access near Cascina Guglielmina, reached from Trino along a gravel road through rice fields. It crosses Canale di Rive and links Rifugio Crocetta, Strada di Mezzo and the spring area. The route is 10.5 kilometres, with an indicative duration of five hours: it is not a short circuit of the picnic area. Carry a map and identify names at junctions. Stay on open paths, avoiding shortcuts through marshy ground and respecting any forestry closures.
Places to discover
Open a place on the map to find your bearings. Follow permitted access routes and signs on site.
Accesso di Cascina Guglielmina
Southern woodland entrance and reference for the loop. The name identifies walking access, not a visit inside the farm buildings.
Open in Google Maps · Accesso di Cascina GuglielminaRifugio Crocetta
A clearing with a picnic area and path junction. A useful landmark, without assuming catering or overnight facilities.
Open in Google Maps · Rifugio CrocettaIngresso del Ponte d’Assi
One of the woodland entrances, linked to the Rifugio Crocetta area. Check the path map before choosing your loop.
Open in Google Maps · Ingresso del Ponte d’AssiTrails in the park 1
Asti, Alessandria and surroundings
Ring of the Bosco della Partecipanza di Trino
Before you visit
Does the loop cover the entire Grange Vercellesi park?
No. The 10.5 km loop explores Bosco della Partecipanza at Trino. Today’s park contains three separate areas; its total area is not the area of the woodland covered by the walk.
Can I refill drinking water at the springs?
Fontana del Cappello and Fontana dello Zolfo are historic route landmarks. Bring drinking water for your walk. Carry your supply and use only refill points explicitly marked as potable.