Natural Summer 2004

Guided tours at the Natural Park Lagoni of Mercurago (Arona) and at the Nature Reserve of Fondotoce (Verbania)

Italiano -

Natural Park "LAGONI" at Mercurago - Arona

(ponds, woods and archeological remnants)

1. Night in the park
   A walk through the woods at night: guided by the light of the moon and the stars we will listen the sounds of darkness... The astronomers of the observatory of Suno will show us the secrets of stars and planets with the help of a telescope.
   Meeting: 9:00 p.m. at the park's visitors centre at Mercurago (Arona), via Gattico
   Price per person: € 5,00
   
   WHEN?
   • Saturday, July 24
   • Monday, August 23
   
   
   
2. From the park and all around
   An easy bike ride through the woods to reach some villages in the surroundings and to visit their unknown beauties.
   Meeting: at 9:30 a.m. at the parking lot of Dormelletto, via Lagoni
   Packed lunch (on one's own) or at local restaurant
   Back at about 4:00 p.m.
   
   WHEN?
   • Sunday, July 4
   • Sunday, August 1
   • Sunday, September 12

Nature Reserve at FONDOTOCE

(the last reed thicket of the lake)

1. The light of the reserve
   Not the artificial ones, but the natural ones visible during the night… A walk in the evening through alder and chestnuts woods, up to the old village of Cavandone on the hills overlooking the lake. Dinner at a farm-restaurant and meeting with the astronomers of the observatory of Suno who will bring a telescope.
   Meeting: at 5:00 p.m. at the small parking lot of via Canale at Fondotoce
   Price per person (dinner excluded): € 11,00
   
   WHEN?
   • Thursday, July 22
   • Monday, July 26
   • Wednesday, August 25
   • Friday, August 27
   
   
   
2. From Park to park along the lake
   A motorboat cruise from the nature reserve of Fondotoce to the nature reserve "Canneti" at Dormelletto, during wich a naturalist will explain the modifications happened to the vegetation of the shores and hills around the lake.
   Departure from Fondotoce at 9:30 a.m. and arrival at Dormelletto at about 10:30; stop in Arona (market day) and free entrance to the Archeological Museum. Lunch at leisure. Return in the late afternoon.
   Price per person (lunch excluded): € 28,50
   
   WHEN?
   • Tuesday, July 13
   • Tuesday, July 20
   • Tuesday, July 27
   • Tuesday, August 10

The ringing center of Fondotoce

The Nature Riserve of Fondotoce lays around the mouth of river Toce flowing into Lake Maggiore. The main feature of this land is the cane thicket, that is a reproduction area for a lot of fish and above all the ideal habitat for the nest-building, the wintering and the stop of a great deal of migratory birds.
In order to study them better, a scientifical Ringing Centre was opened, where a 300-mts long net develops along a platform floating in the cane thicket.

By the end of the summer, in the early evening, hundreds of birds gather in flights in the sky, before starting their journey to their winter destinations, offering a marvellous show and an opportunity of catching and ringing them, after examining them accurately and taking note of all details necessary to their classification.
During the meeting with the skilful ornithologists, we will be able to admire this marvellous natural show and to follow the delicate steps of catching, ringing and following liberation of birds.

Indoor meetings with the ornithologists and operators of the ringing centre with slides projection - 8:30 p.m.

• Grand Hotel Bristol, Stresa - Corso Umberto I - Tuesday, August 17
• Hotel Il Chiostro, Verbania Intra - via F.lli Cervi - Tuesday, August 24 and Tuesday, September 7
• Grand Hotel Dino, Baveno - corso G.Garibaldi - Tuesday, August 31

Evening guided tours at the Ringing Centre
August: 7:15 p.m.
September: 7:00 p.m.
Meet your Naturalist Guide at the gas pump at the entrance road to "Isolino" campsite (Verbania Fondotoce - via per Feriolo)

WHEN?

• Thursday, August 19
• Thursday, August 26
• Thursday, September 2
• Thursday, September 9

INFO AND RESERVATIONS

• Meals are excluded from the price of excursions: € 15,00 per person
• Children up to 10 years old: 50% reduction
• Each excursion will take place only with a min. of 15 persons
• Tours are escorted by English-speaking-Natural Guides
• Associazione ProntoGuide is not responsible for any accidents occurred during the excursions
• Please wear comfortable dressing and shoes and bring a torch for the evening excursions
• Reservations not later than 3 days before the date of excursion:

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Last update July 20th 2004