THE BRENTA AND THE SILE RIVER SPRINGS

(Piazzola sul Brenta – Treviso, 47 km)

The stage of the Green Tour that takes us back to the March of Treviso starts in Piazzola sul Brenta, and mostly covers the cycle path created recently on the disused Ostiglia-Treviso railway. However, it does not overlook the remarkable natural features of one of the richest areas in northern Italy in terms of rivers and springs, including rivers like the Brenta and Muson, and the forest where the Sile bubbles up from groundwater in the flats near Treviso.

From the magnificent villa Contarini in Piazzola sul Brenta (km 0.0), one of the largest and most famous Venetian villas, built in the mid 16th century, you soon hit again the cycle path on the former Ostiglia-Treviso railway (km 0.9) and shortly after (km 2.4) cross the Brenta over the spectacular new footbridge, rebuilt in place of the old railway bridge, which had been bombed in WWII. The bridge over the river Brenta is but one of the many pleasant experiences you can have on the “Ostiglia”, as it is affectionately called by the residents of the towns and municipalities crossed by the cycle path, who use it as often as they can to take a relaxed stroll or ride, just like the whole Green Tour idea suggests. Indeed, spending time in the linear forest of the Ostiglia, an actual natural tunnel, lined by trees, is like entering an enchanted, dreamlike dimension. This dream is interrupted once (km 12.0) at the gates of Camposampiero by a section on low-traffic roads and streets that goes past the hospital (km 13.6), past the conveniently located railway station on the Padua - Castelfranco Veneto line (km 13.9) and through the town centre (km 14.3). However, you soon hit the Ostiglia path again (km 15.0), and cross the embankment of Muson dei Sassi (km 15.9). Apart from a little detour at the old Loreggia train station (km 17.3), one of several service buildings bearing witness to the history of the former railway line, you continue pedalling along the Ostiglia railway, except for a small detour in Badoere (km 28.7), a charming hamlet in the municipality of Morgano, to look at the fine porticoes in the centre (km 30.1) in the monumental Rotonda, the round square, built by the Badoer family for the local market. From the Rotonda square, you ride over a compact gravel track through the lush Sile Natural Park, and take one of the many, well signposted itineraries around the Sile springs ("fontanassi"). Past the centre of Morgano (km 32.7) you ride on a low-traffic road to the back gate of the Oasis of Cervara (km 36.0), an important nature area on the river Sile, and through the hamlet of Santa Cristina (km 36.7), in the municipality of Quinto di Treviso, where you get back on the Ostiglia cycle path. You ride for another 5 km until (km 41.7), thanks to the redevelopment of the so-called "Last Mile", completed in April 2019, you reach the old end-of-the-line station of Porta Santi Quaranta (the "Gate of the Forty Saints") and finally, come to the very heart of Treviso, piazza dei Signori (km 47.0).

Possible detours

• If you take an approximately 7km detour on the Ostiglia, west of Piazzola sul Brenta, to the municipality of Grisignano di Zocco (VI) you come across the interesting Media Pianura Vicentina cycling and walking loop, which is about 45 km long (see www.percorsomediapianuravicentina.it).

• In Piazzola you cross the Brenta cycle path, which you can ride north towards Cittadella, Bassano del Grappa and Valsugana (only short stretches of the embankments in the province of Vicenza are rideable) or south towards Limena (where the Brentella canal branches off, to form part of Padua's Anello Fluviale, the river ring) as well as Padua itself (Pontevigodarzere), then ride on towards Stra, Dolo and Venice along the Naviglio Brenta canal.

• In Camposampiero you cross the cycle path on St. Anthony's Way along the Muson dei Sassi river, which takes you to Castelfranco Veneto if you travel north (and from there, on the Path of the Ezzelini along the Muson, all the way to Asolo) and to Padua if you head south (Pontevigodarzere).

• A cycle path which makes it possible to get to Venice Mestre in approximately 32 km via Scorzè-Martellago-Maerne-Chirignago is in the pipeline. It should go through some pleasant sights such as the Dese Park in Scorzè, and from Mestre it would exploit some 4 km of the disused railway line to Bassano. If the project goes through, it will be possible to make the detour from the hamlet of Silvelle di Trebaseleghe (km 24.3).

• As already mentioned, the Sile Natural Park has set up many, well signposted itineraries around the Sile springs ("fontanassi"), see www.parcosile.it.

• Treviso lies on regional cycle touring itinerary I4 Dolomiti-Mare (Dolomites-Sea, which is also part of the Munich-Venice cycle route). It starts in Dobbiaco, goes over the Cimabanche Pass and follows the "Lunga Via delle Dolomiti" route through Cortina d’Ampezzo down to Calalzo di Cadore. It then continues on to Longarone, Belluno, Vittorio Veneto, Conegliano, the Montello hill, Treviso and Quarto d'Altino, crosses the Boschi di Mestre reforestation project and finally reaches its destination, Venice.