Wanting to stay a bit lower than the tops of the mountains
today, we rode into the Safien Valley (off the Rhine Canyon) and walked along
the steep side of the valley through the Aclatobel Forest Reserve, 365 hectares
of untouched forest where trees may grow as they wish and many ecosystems
flourish. This reserve is home to a huge variety of trees including the rare
European Yew, which we probably didn’t see because we didn’t know what it
looked like.
The views into the steep gorge were fantastic.
Unfortunately to get out of the valley we had to walk an
additional 3 hours (on top of the 1.5 hours we had just walked) through a few
meadows but mostly forested areas, to the town of Rhäzüns , known primarily for its springs of
mineral water. Altogether we walked about 16 km, but there wasn’t a lot of
strenuous uphill involved.
Highlight of the drawn-out part were the masses of
butterflies in the meadows!
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| Town of Reichenau-Tamins at the entrance to the Rhine Canyon |
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| Traveling by train through the Rhine Canyon toward the Safien Valley |
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| Traveling by train through the Rhine Canyon toward the Safien Valley |
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| A bus takes you up the right hand side of the valley to a place where we crossed and walked back out on the other side. |
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| The start of our hike back out of the Safien Valley. |
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| Walking through the Aclatobel Forest Reserve |
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| Walking through the Aclatobel Forest Reserve |
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| This view is North toward the mouth of the Safien Valley |
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| Walking through the Aclatobel Forest Reserve |
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| From the back of a side ravine, we can see the road that goes South to the back of the Safien Valley |
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| Walking through the Aclatobel Forest Reserve |
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| Walking through the Aclatobel Forest Reserve |
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| Walking through the Aclatobel Forest Reserve |
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| On the right is the trail we are walking heading North. |
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| Walking through the Aclatobel Forest Reserve |
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| After the Reserve there are a couple of meadows, and then forest all the way to |
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| Lots of butterflies in the meadows here. |
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| Lots of butterflies in the meadows here. |
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| This flower seems pretty popular. |
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| After a couple of hours of steady forest walking, we are nearing our destination of Rhäzüns, whose castle is privately owned and we couldn't even get close! |
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| Location of the Safien Valley near the Rhine Canyon. |
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