This outing was near the front of the valley along Lake Vogorno, a 6-km long reservoir lake created by damming the Verzasca River. Our starting point at the famous "Ponte dei Salti" in Lavertezzo was intentional, as the location is a popular "Must See" on almost every tourist's agenda, as advertised in most popular tour guides. And justly so: the water is an uncomparably clear turquoise colour, rushing over unusually-shaped and striped rocks. And the area around the bridge is popular for swimming (cold cold water) and some even attempt the jump off the bridge (as my son had, four years earlier).
There are hiking trails all the way along the river from the very back of the Verzasca Valley at Sonogno, right to the Contra Dam, popularized by the James Bond movie "Golden Eye". Our plan: First along the easy western trail to the bridge at Corippo, lunch in a typical Ticino Grotto (homemade porcini risotto with braised pork hocks or beef pot roast) and then on to the East side of the lake, a less-traveled and sometimes challenging trail that took us through several typical Rustici villages to the mighty dam, where unfortunately there was no bungee jumping going on this day. That would have been fun to watch.
13 km in about 5 hours and Josh did mightily well, and says he rather enjoyed it. Notwithstanding his jet lag....
**Pour mes amis du Belgique: Un jour dans la Vallée Verzasca avec mon neveu Josh de Toronto, qui était ici pour deux jours. La vallée, avec ses montagnes abruptes, eau uniquement transparente et turquoise, répendu de grosses roches striées, villages typiques rustici, et le barrage Contra présenté dans le film "Golden Eye" (James Bond) est une destination populaire, et comme toujours il y a avait beaucoup de gens, sauf sur le chemin que nous avons choisi, plutôt à l'Est du Lac de Vogorno, en tout 13 km et cinq heures du "Pont des Sauts" à Lavertezzo jusqu'au barrage.
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| Our day starts in the village of Lavertezzo, location of the well-known Roman Bridge "Ponte dei Salti" |
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| Ponte dei Salti (name of the bridge) across the Verzasca River at Lavertezzo |
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| Ponte dei Salti (name of the bridge) across the Verzasca River at Lavertezzo |
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| Ponte dei Salti (name of the bridge) across the Verzasca River at Lavertezzo |
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| Our 13-km hike started with an hour walk (4 km) on the West side of the river Verzasca, then lunch at the Grotto near Corippo, then across to the East side above Vogorno Lake to the Contra Dam |
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| Verzasca River |
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| The river has carved out a hole in the rock. Maybe there was a boulder in there once, creating this rock basin. |
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| We saw another legless lizard, but it was barely moving. Maybe it had been stepped on. |
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| Verzasca River shortly before it heads into the lake |
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| This is a typical Ticino Grotto, a local tavern where you can get good home-cooked meals, usually with Risotto and Polenta. |
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| At the Grotto Al Bivio near Corippo, in the Verzasca Valley. |
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| Our Porcini Risotto with braised pork hocks for Josh and beef pot roast for Urs. |
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| Grotto Al Bivio near Corippo in the Verzasca Valley. |
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| The second part of our hike on the East side of the lake was a bit more challenging, lots of up and down sections. |
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| Across the lake is the little village of Corippo hanging on the mountainside. |
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| Below us the road into the valley. We walked through several typical Rustici villages |
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| Lake Vogorno in the Verzasca Valley |
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| Town of Berzona on Lake Vogorno, Verzasca Valley |
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| This little hamlet called Fontöbbia was hidden in the forest and we would have missed it had we not been following the trail on the map |
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| Some of the trail was more challenging and would not have been good to do right after last week's heavy rains. |
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| Close to the dam now, across the lake is the town of Mergoscia. We have been there several times, most recently when we walked down from the saddle at the back of this side valley (called the Mergoscia Valley) |
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| And then we got to the dam, our destination for the day. Top left: View North across the reservoir. Bottom Left: View out of the valley with the turbine building. |
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| Contra Diga (Verzasca Dam). I was last on this dam 30 years ago. There is a contraption in the center for Bungee Jumping, the venue is called "007 Golden Eye Bungy Jump". The dam features in the opening two minutes of the James Bond "Golden Eye" movie. |
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| (Typically the lake is this low. Photo taken April 2017) |
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| We spend a lot of time in this area! Three times in the Verzasca Valley this year, twice in the Mergoscia Valley |
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