Parco La Mandria Forest and Meadow Circuit

Parco La Mandria is a large fenced regional park of woods, meadows and wildlife at Venaria Reale and Druento, north-west of Turin in Piedmont, Italy. It lies beside the Reggia di Venaria and preserves the landscape of a former royal hunting estate. The Ponte Verde entrance is at Viale Carlo Emanuele II, 10078 Venaria Reale, next to the Reggia; a gravel parking area there is free, while Saturday and holiday parking along Viale Carlo Emanuele II is paid. GTT bus 59 serves the Druento entrance (timetables at gtt.to.it). The park is managed through the Parchi Reali authority, and visitors should check its website for current access rules. Walks here are variable loops of 8 to 20 km on wide flat tracks, taking 2 to 5 hours depending on the circuit, with under 100 m of total ascent. This is why the route is classed as easy in terms of terrain, although the longer loops require stamina. Surfaces are gravel and packed earth tracks through forest and open meadow, with generous shade in the woods that suits hot summer days, and open sections across the meadows. There is no technical exposure. Landmarks include the forest areas, the open meadows, wildlife that can be seen in the estate, and the historic hunting-lodge buildings of the estate. Bike rental is signposted from Cascina Prato Pascolo (a phone number of +39 011 4993381 is listed, but availability should be confirmed before relying on it), which makes cycling a practical way to cover the longer loops. Because the tracks form a network, walkers can shorten the route by turning back at any junction, and the entrances provide simple bail-out points. No mountain huts exist, but water and refreshments should be carried or confirmed at the entrance facilities. A park map or offline route is useful for planning, and insect repellent helps in summer. Spring and autumn give the best forest colour.