A Hike up a Mountain in Valle Verzasca, Ticino

Tuesday July 30th -- This was an unusual pick for us on this the nicest day this week, a trip to the hot South (30 degrees forecast for later in the day) instead of a high trail in the Alps, which I prefer. But the weather in the mountains was unsure, and the last thing I want is to hike inside the low clouds that sometimes hang in the mountains.

So instead we went where we were sure of nice weather, and selected to climb 600m directly up a mountain so that we could have a nice meal in a Ticinese Grotto in a relatively large village (Monti di Motti) surrounded on all sides by thick forest. And that was the key, the THICK forest. Plus the sun hadn't yet reached the side of the mountain where we started, so the climb was cool and pleasant on comfortable zigzag trails. We like to hike like this, because we gain altitude quickly. And even though we only once in a while caught a glimpse down the ever-stunning Verzasca Valley, we did pass through several groups of stone houses on the 2-hour climb, and these never get boring to look at.

After our lunch we discovered a look-out point where we got a wide open view of Lago Maggiore and the Maggia Delta on which lie the cities of Locarno and Ascona. And then all that was left was the 600m descent to the Verzasca Dam, also always an impressive sight when you come up this valley....

(THREE Post Buses went up into the Verzasca Valley at 9:30, each jam packed full, and NO ONE got out at the Dam. They were surely all going further up the valley to the ever popular town of Lavertezzo with its double-arched bridge and clear blue water, or perhaps to the very back of the valley, to start walking back... but NOBODY ever gets out in Fontöbbia where we started our hike... there is nothing here but the road. To the West a steep drop to the lake, to the East an equally steep mountainside with no indication of a trail, not even on the map. But we knew there MUST be a trail, because the bus stop was called "Fontöbbia", and the village 60m above the road was called "Fontöbbia", so there had to be a trail, which was what we wanted to find out. But all those people in the bus, they were probably thinking: "Why would ANYONE choose to get off the bus here?")

After using our orientation sense and GPS to find the right path (not marked on the map) from the road below, we did find the pretty little village of Fontöbbia after about 10 minutes

Early in the morning this section of the mountain was in shade and it was comfortably cool (here in Fontöbbia)

As we climbed higher through the sun-dappled forest, we caught a couple of glimpses of Lago di Vogorno, the lake behind the Verzasca Dam

Here and there along the zigzag paths are individual stone houses called Rustici

Since we are pretty close to the mouth of Valle Verzasca here, we can see out the valley to Lago Maggiore

Here we arrived at the "larger" community of Lignasco where we were going to take a coffee break, but there was a fellow mowing a large meadow with a weed-wacker, a very nasty noise that showed no indication of stopping soon, so we continued on.

Quick photo in Lignasco

On the other side of the valley, across the lake, is the very large community of Mergoscia, where we have been often. 

I'm testing my zoom lens by photographing the houses in lower Mergoscia across the valley....

The only bench along the way, so this is where we did our coffee break (couldn't hear the weed-whacker from here)

This was the view from our bench. Pretty neat to look at from way up here. (We have traveled this landscape many times)

The stone houses are always interesting to look at, there are always lots of little details

This is another community of stone houses called "Corte di Sopra". Our 600m steep ascent was finished here. The rest of the way to the restaurant was along a fairly level forest trail

After a good two-hour hike we got to Monti di Motti, a large sprawling community up on the mountain (accessible by vehicle on a long, narrow, winding road), and the first order of business was to have lunch

Urs had a rather non-Italian Cordon Bleu, I opted for home-made Raviolis with a Lemon Sauce, more in keeping with the area we were in!

The location here is kind of on a ridge where to the North is the Verzasca Valley, and to the South is the Magadino Plain and Lago Maggiore

Pretty

To the North a view into the narrow Verzasca Valley

A fountain so large you could actually take a bath in it.

This is on the way to the look-out point, which we didn't know about beforehand, but we following the trail markers

Fantastic view from the look-out point 5 minutes to the West of the village. Below is the Maggia Delta with Locarno on one side and Ascona on the other.

We then headed back to the village and walked through it before continuing on the descent to the Verzasca Dam

The next grouping of stone houses below "Monti di Motti" is "Monti di Metri".

In Monti di Metri you see down on Lago Maggiore to the South

Quick walk in the alleys between the houses to look at all the hard work done to make the houses liveable. Some are pretty modern as well

On this little plateau you can look down at the Magadino Plain between Bellinzona and Locarno

We are always surprised by some very special detail, like these religious fresco paintings on structures that were built about 400 years ago (and still standing, even though the rocks are actually laid without mortar)

This little house was built in 1645, the painting added in 1787.... and it (the house) just kind of stands all by itself in the forest, alongside the trail

Now THIS is a great location for a property (this place is called Vertum)

Some old barns along the trail near Miescio, about half-way down the hill

We were trying to get to the Dam for the 15:44 bus, so we didn't have time to sit on this bench in Miescio!

Glimpses of the Verzasca Dam below

Almost down at the dam, there is a little collection of houses called Selvatica

And the magnificent Verzasca Dam

View from the Dam up into the Verzasca Valley along Lago di Vogorno. At this time the lake level is very low. We've been here before when the lake was so high it went right up to the tree line.

We have done many hikes aroung this area, especially along the dam, in Mergoscia on the West side of the lake, and also down the entire valley. This time was the first time going up the mountain on the East side of the Lake. 

Hike along the East side of Lake Alpnachersee

Saturday July 28, 2019 -- Just managed to get another short 10-km walk squeezed in before the weather turned stormy. For a change this one turned out to be the perfect choice, as the dark clouds moved in over the mountains around us while we still had a window of sunshine. Also, there was a very nice cool wind blowing, otherwise this hike would have been uncomfortably hot to do (air temperature is still pretty high).

We're working on completing the 115-km long "Waldstätter Trail" around Lake Lucerne, doing approx. 10-km stretches at a time. Based on webcams of the area early in the morning, we chose to do the section between Alpnachstad (where the world's steepest cogwheel train starts its climb up Mount Pilatus), through the large marshy and reedy area on the South side of Lake Alpnach (Alpnachersee), up through the lovely cool forest on the East side of the lake, and then down through the short Rotzloch Gorge back to the lake at the gravel factory, and then on to our destination at Stansstad. (Webcams showed low clouds and fog in other places along the lake, that's why we chose this section).

There was lots of variety, some pretty nice views, and not at all a difficult hike to do. I ended up enjoying it more than I thought I would, but I think the cool wind had a lot to do with that!

(Lake Alpnachersee is actually a separate lake from Lake Lucerne, but joined to it via a strait at Stansstad).

Near the train station and boat dock at Alpnachstad we had a picnic lunch before starting on our walk, as we kind of left late in the morning

 

I love frogs and how they just float. And the ducks, those aren't mallards, but probably what is called "Kolbenente" or Red-Crested Pochard (because the male has a red crest on his head).

Glancing North across the marshy area to the reedy shore, and beyond to Mount Bürgenstock. 

The first 30 minutes we spent discovering the pretty reedy shore of the South part of the lake. Straight ahead is the Rengg Pass, which we crossed earlier this year on another section of the Waldstätter Trail

The first 30 minutes we spent discovering the pretty reedy shore of the South part of the lake. 

The first 30 minutes we spent discovering the pretty reedy shore of the South part of the lake. This is actually a protected marsh and moor landscape of national importance.

On the East side of the lake, the trail crosses into a cool forest. Some uphill walking was required, but for at least 30 minutes we walked near the lake with glimpses of the lake through the trees.

Nearing the highest part of our hike on the East side of Lake Alpnachersee. On the other side, the peak of Mount Pilatus is in clouds (as happened the last two times I was on that mountain) but we below have sunshine still. 

A very nice look North at the end of the lake to Stansstad. The bridge spans the part where the two lakes Lucerne and Alpnachersee connect. All afternoon we could smell pig manure, and below is one of several farmers who was spreading the nasty stuff. 

Spreading pig manure on the pastures

For a very short piece we descended to the valley to the East near Ennetmoos, and got a good view of Mount Stanserhorn and the other mountains to the East, all looking very dark at this point

Some baby swallows under the edge of a barn roof (the mother had just been to feed them)

Then the trail made a sharp turn to the West again, where we entered the very short Rotzloch Gorge. 

 

It takes less than 10 minutes to walk through the gorge, which also includes a short tunnel, down to the gravel factory.

Very cool old steam roller displayed at the entrance of the gravel factory complex

The flat section to Stansstad train station goes past the Stansstader Ried, also a large marsh on the North side of the lake. The skies to the South are getting quite dark now.

There was a most fascinating large strip of lavender with HUNDREDS of bumblebees, but there was so much motion, it was difficult to photograph!

The last stretch to the train station is right along the lake, so it doesn't matter that it is flat and paved

The first drops of rain started just as we got to the train station. 

Just over 9 km, took us about 3 hours to walk. We started in Alpnachstad, and ended in Stansstad

We started in Alpnachstad and ended in Stanstad

We are working on completing the entire circuit of Lake Lucerne. Altogether approx. 115 km.

This is what the marsh area at the South end of Lake Alpnachersee looks like from the West side on the Mount Pilatus side (a hike we did in March)

In March 2019 we hiked on the West side of Lake Alpnachersee. This panorama view of the East side is what we hiked on Saturday