We Are All Transhumants – A Gathering of Great Walkers

A journey through land, community, and slow tourism

We Are All Transhumants – A Gathering of Great Walkers is the event that concludes and celebrates the Transumè project, an initiative dedicated to promoting transhumance, born in the municipality of Boca, in the Province of Novara, in the heart of Piedmont. The initiative stems from the idea that walking is not just a way to get from one place to another, but a profound way to know and inhabit a territory: the village of Boca, at the foot of the Fenera Park and overlooking the green corridor between Lake Orta and Lake Maggiore, thus becomes the starting point for rethinking the relationship between humans and the rural landscape.

The conference: A Saturday of ideas and stories

The first day is dedicated to a conference hosted in the Congress Hall of the Municipality of Boca. It is a moment of community reflection on the meaning of traversing places, during which the new Rural Loops are officially presented: routes designed to tell the authentic and rural soul of the territory, branching off from the ancient transhumance corridors to reveal hidden corners of the Novara region. Experts in the field of walking, researchers, local institutions, and shepherds share their direct experiences at the table. Special attention is also paid to accessibility, ensuring these trails can be enjoyed by diverse audiences.

The inaugural walk

Sunday is the day for the actual hike: an inaugural walk of about nine kilometers in the Fenera Park, starting from the Sanctuary of Boca. A route suitable for everyone, with a gentle elevation gain, crossing woods and countryside before a delicious stop at a local winery, where the morning concludes with a visit and a tasting of local products. It is the perfect opportunity to experience firsthand what was discussed the day before: the pleasure of slow walking, the beauty of the Novara countryside, and the taste of Piedmontese food and wine.

The Transumè project

The event is the natural culmination of Transumè, a project launched by the Sportway ETS association with the support of the Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo. After months of fieldwork, including interviews with shepherds, community events, group walks, and mapping, the project returns to the territory a network of paths and a new awareness of the value of transhumance, understood as an economic, cultural, and environmental practice of the Novara Plain, the lakes, and the Ossola Valley.

Why participate

• Discover the new Rural Loops and the transhumance trails in the Novara region.
• Attend a free conference with experts, researchers, and shepherds.
• Experience a hike immersed in the Fenera Park, between nature and history.
• Conclude with a tasting of typical Piedmontese products.

An event that speaks to those who love the mountains, sustainable tourism, and rural traditions, making Boca and the Province of Novara a small capital of slow walking in Piedmont.