Monastero Santa Maria Assunta and a Visit to the Onsernone Valley

(Hike on Dec.9, posted Dec.23...)

December 9, 2017 -- In winter there are still places South of the Gotthard to explore (even though sometimes they also get snow here) like the hillside near Bellinzona where is perched a very old monastery (Santa Maria Assunta sopra Claro) that we see every time we ride past here. The hike up there takes only an hour so that was the plan for this excursion, and from there we continued North along the hillside past a couple of mountain hamlets, and back down to the valley for our standard 10km 4-hour hike.

After climbing on the steep and windy cobblestone mule trail we were somewhat disappointed to find that the monastery was a closed one, not open to visitors (except the church) as the sisters live here in seclusion. The sisters make and sell their own jams, cookies and honey, but we must have caught them at lunchtime because no one answered the bell.... So after a short peek at the interior of the very old church (Anno 1300) and a quick glance across the valley from this lovely perch, we headed into the cold North wind (but we had sunshine!) along the road and through the forests past a couple of settlements and back down the steep trail into the valley, in order to complete our "requisite" 10 kms... 

Without the wind it would have been a perfect winter hike...

***UPDATE:  One week later this area had about 20 cm of snow, and with this cold weather, not about to melt soon. See further down for photos from the trip we took a week later...

When we travel through this valley we always see the monastery perched on the hill, and I always wanted to walk up there. There is a steep mule path on the far side of the promontory.

The hike starts in Claro in the valley, past the Church in Claro, then up along the mule track.

Monastero Santa Maria Assunta

Here starts the old mule track up to the monastery.

This part was open to the public. The little shop is in the building to the right, but no one answered the bell.

There is a nice view North along the Riviera Valley, but there was a COLD North wind blowing.

We thought we might be able to visit inside the courtyard, but the gates are closed.

So we just continued on our walk along the hillside heading North. This is a view southward.

It took us an hour to walk up to the monastery, and then another almost 3 hours through the forest and back down to the next community

A pleasant surprise was this large open clearing with a scattering of small stone homes: Moncrino

A pleasant surprise was this large open clearing with a scattering of small stone homes: Moncrino

Just before descending into the valley we came across another cluster of homes, where we pulled out our thermos coffee and enjoyed the last rays of sunshine. A goatherd approached us and asked if we had seen some goats. They roam free in the forests and he was collecting them for the winter. We then heard their little bells tingling above us, then to the South, so we called out to him that they were coming... and there they were, whipping along the hiking trail following the sound of his call....

Just above Cresciano (the next community to the North) we headed back down into the valley. By about 2:30 p.m. there was no sun in the valley any more.

Heading back down along the steep forest path to Cresciano the Leventina Valley.

 

UPDATE: Shortly after this excursion it snowed in the Ticino (caused a bit of chaos as it's not usually so cold here) so no more hiking here for a while. We came this way again eight days later with our Aunt Ruth for a bus excursion and lunch in the Onsernone Valley. Here are a few photos of that excursion. This is one of the wildest Ticino valleys, 22 km long from Intragna, steep and narrow, with hundreds of curves on a very narrow road connecting just 8 small villages which hang precariously on the steep mountainside.

This is one of the curviest roads in Switzerland. We went about half-way to the back of this steep and wild valley and had lunch in the Ristorante Posta in Russo, before heading home again.

Last glance eastward from Intragna along the Melezza River toward Locarno, before heading into the Onsernone Valley.

Bus ride along the curvy road in the Onsernone Valley, heading toward Russo for lunch.

This is Russo, one of several small villages glued to the steep mountainside. This is where we stopped for lunch.

A glance westward to the back of the Onsernone Valley (that mountain is in Italy).

Ristorante Posta in Russo where we had lunch (at the triple-window next to the palm tree)

Lunch at the Ristorante Posta in Russo

Heading back by bus. The juxtaposition of palm trees and snow is always intriguing in this area.

The bus has no problem passing through these narrow passages, but other drivers were not so adroit.

And when you meet head-on along this road, the bus always has the right of way, and the car must find a place to give way....

The road from Intragna to Spruga is 22 km long. We went only as far as Russo.