Shade and Chestnuts in the Morobbia Valley

Wednesday October 12, 2016 -- It got cold here recently, and it snowed down quite low, but this Wednesday proved lovely and sunny but cold most everywhere, so we headed South in the hopes of slightly warmer weather. But the tour we had planned was on the North flank of a mountain, and until you get there and see the dark dark shadiness, you don't realize how narrow the Ticino Valleys are and how the sun doesn't reach very far into the valley already in October....

We tackled it anyway but it was depressing to hike in the cold dark chestnut forests whilst admiring the sunshine on the opposite side of the valley, so instead of finishing the hike on the North flank, we crossed over to the sunny side and finished our three-hour hike out of the valley much happier.... It did mean hiking down into the valley and back up the other side, twice. It was a good exercise to test out my new hiking boots (no sore feet, yeah!).

(Note: We were in this valley for the first time in June of this year. Those photos are HERE.)

Heading into the Morobbia Valley by bus, you get a superb view of the Magadino Plain toward Locarno with the snow low on the mountains, and all that sunshine!

The starting point of our hike in Vellano, looking South to the shady forests that we are heading to, after first descending into the valley to the dam.

Vellano in the Morobbia Valley, Switzerland.

Vellano in the Morobbia Valley, Switzerland.

The Piazza in Vellano in the Morobbia Valley, Switzerland. From here we head to the bottom of the valley.

At the bottom of the valley is the dam. The lake was completely in shadow. Looking West you can see how steep the valley is, and the South is all in shadow.

Back up on the hill are the summer homes, they can only be accessed on foot. Each little cluster of homes had a telephone booth. This was so they would not be totally cut off from the outside.

We are hiking Westward back to Giubiasco in the Magadino Plain, on the shady side!

This is the only little piece of sun I got in 1.5 hours of hiking!

 

Right about here I said "enough"! I want to go back across to the sunshine! Which meant hiking back down to the river again.

Half-way down we found a sunny plateau for our lunch. Looking Eastward, the dammed lake is right about center of the photo.

This little cluster of homes also has a phone booth!

This area is chestnut forests, and the chestnuts are ripe and falling as we walk. I stuffed my pockets full....

And this is what I brought home. Just have to figure out what to do with them.

Back down at the river we are in shadow again, before heading back into the sunshiny village of Pianezzo.

And finally back in the sun, not regretting leaving the dark side of the valley.

Last couple of kilometers to Giubiasco where we catch the train back home.

Looking North to the next community, this is one of the three beautiful castles of Bellinzona.

Looking North to the next community, this is one of the three beautiful castles of Bellinzona.

Looking North to the next community, this is one of the three beautiful castles of Bellinzona.

Our 10-km hike from Vellano in the Morobbia Valley to Giubiasco.