Nature's Pyramids in the Furna Ravine

We don’t usually spend a night in a hotel within Switzerland because most of the excursions we do can be done as day trips, but we had a good deal on a nice Gasthof (Inn) and the weather was supposed to be gorgeous on Sunday, so we treated ourselves to an overnight “on site”.

Gasthof Sommerfeld in Pragg-Jenaz, included the breakfast

After a great breakfast we took another of those little bus-vans up another steep windy road on the other side of the valley for what we thought was an easy, fairly level walk through the shade of the forest to the ravines near Furna, which we had read had some pretty nice pyramid formations created by erosion of the ravine walls.

Pyramid formations in the Furna Ravine

What we didn’t expect was that the entire 6 km there (and another 6 back!) were along a wide hard-surface forestry road with no shade at all, and steep slopes on either side with no option of resting in the woods somewhere. AND IT WAS HOT! Locals told us it was unusually hot that day.

Reminded me a lot of hikes I had done in the Okanagan Valley.

Not my favourite hike by far. Rather monotonous. But I got the views I didn’t get the day before, have to say that. 

View East toward the Schesaplana Alps which form the Swiss/Austrian border. That middle green clearing was where we had been the day before.

And when we got back to the bus stop, there was a nice mountain restaurant where we enjoyed the shady terrace for an hour and a half before heading back home. 

Refreshing Radler on the cool Terrace

More photos of the great views we had! It was a hot day but when there was shade it was very pleasant.

Looking South down the Landquart Valley as we head up to Furna.

As we start our walk toward the ravines, we can see the Alp (meadow) where we walked the day before (center of photo).

Along the way is a smaller ravine, also with interesting erosion formations.

View backwards toward Furna, a village perched on this hillside.

Approaching the Furnabach Ravine

Natural pyramids formed by erosion of the ravine walls.

Natural pyramids formed by erosion of the ravine walls.

At least the views were beautiful

Heading back down to the Landquart Valley.

First we took the bus up, then walked 6 km to the ravine and 6 km back. It took us 3.5 hours.