Ghirla: Lake, Hiking Trails and Industrial History

Ghirla offers several distinct points of interest for planning a stay: Lago di Ghirla, the historic Maglio Pavoni hammer mill and hiking trails connected to the landscape and military history. The hamlet of Ghirla lies in the northern part of the lake; to the south, Lago di Ghirla borders the area of Ganna. Depending on whether you want to focus on the lake, a hike or industrial history, your stay can take shape around different themes.

Lago di Ghirla and its history

Lago di Ghirla is a small lake of glacial origin. A cycling and walking path runs along the shore, allowing you to make a circuit of the lake. This makes it possible to plan your visit around a continuous route by the water. This sets the lakeside path apart from the hiking trails, where particular places and historical traces along the route take center stage.

The lake also has a specific connection to sports history: in 1914, Lago di Ghirla hosted the first national speed skating championship, won by Giuseppe Peck. Alongside its glacial origins, this small lake has a chapter of sports history to its name. If you are interested in the area's history, you will find not only a connection to the landscape here, but also a dated event.

Hiking between Ghirla and Mondonico

The Sentiero Ghirla-Sass Ciucheta-Madonna Alpini-Monte Scerrè connects Ghirla with Mondonico. The hike is rated moderate to moderately challenging. This rating helps you assess it as a hiking option in its own right, distinct from the circuit around Lago di Ghirla: here, the focus is on a route between two places, with other historical points of interest along the way.

At Monte Scerrè, at an elevation of 796 meters, the hiking trail includes a section of a former military road. Along the way, there are also two forts built in the Barbetta style, part of the Cadorna Line. Historical traces therefore shape the character of this hike as much as its route between Ghirla and Mondonico. If you are choosing based on the theme that interests you most, the former military road and the forts are the main features that distinguish this route from the lakeside path.

Another route through the region

The Ganna–Cunardo–Ferrera di Varese route starts at the Maglio di Ghirla in the municipality of Valganna. From there, it passes through woodland in the municipality of Cunardo and near the Cascate Fermona waterfalls by Ferrera di Varese. Its route differs from that of the Sentiero Ghirla-Sass Ciucheta-Madonna Alpini-Monte Scerrè: while the latter connects Ghirla with Mondonico and passes the forts of the Cadorna Line, the Ganna–Cunardo–Ferrera di Varese route crosses woodland and passes near a waterfall. As route conditions may change, it is a good idea to check them before setting out.

The historic Maglio Pavoni hammer mill

The historic Maglio Pavoni hammer mill operated on the Margorabbia stream from the 18th century onward. This adds a distinct connection to industrial history to the history of the lake and the military traces along the hiking trails. Its location by the stream recalls the hammer mill's former use of water. The lake, trails and hammer mill thus represent different aspects of Ghirla: the formation of its landscape, historical events and built traces along the hiking trails, and the industrial past on the Margorabbia.

Discover more destinations: Mercallo, Casciago, Comerio, Casalzuigno, Busto Arsizio, Brissago-Valtravaglia, Castellanza, Bregano.

For the broader travel overview: Varese.