On the Sunday, the final hike of the vacation week, we decided to return to Canton Tessin for the first time since the Corona Pandemic, having been there on Feb.23rd for the Bellinzona Carnival, when we first heard the news that the virus had caused cluster infections in small villages near Milan. After that, the locals went into lockdown for over two months, and we from the North were encouraged not to vacation there, especially not over Easter where people usually flock down for the nice weather to their vacation homes.
The Canton is very large, and we decided to stay further North and to do one of our two remaining stretches of the classical route called "Strada Alta", a 50-km continuous trail from Airolo at the entrance of the old North-South Tunnel through the Alps all the way to Biasca, on the left side of the sunny Leventina Valley (The "Strada Alta" is also part of National Trail no.2: "Trans-Swiss Trail").. The 11-km stretch we did last Sunday started at Cavagnago where we had left off October 2018, and this time we completed the descent to Pollegio. On the trail markers it was claimed that the section should take 3 hours, but even walking at a decent pace, it would not have been less than 3.5 hours! (It does become discouraging sometimes when you have walked 20 minutes and the next trail marker tells you you've only gone 10!)
(Photos of the most recent section we did in October 2018, from Rossura to Cavagnago, can be found AT THIS LINK)
As usual, the views from up here into the Leventina are indescribable, the steep chestnut-covered hillsides currently a lavish green (we are used to this area in winter when it's brown!) and always the most interesting villages and hamlets along the way, whose houses are either constructed out of dry-stone, or the dark wood of the usually typical Valais houses.
Highlights were the village of Sobrio, which is called the "Village of Music" (Villagio della Musica) and each house is dedicated to a different classical composer... and three separate sightings of the Western Green Lizard, the largest and most beautiful species of lizard in Switzerland, and a rather rare variety which we are always thrilled to see. (They are listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List). Furthermore, we ran into a local in one of the mountain villages, who was SO happy to see us, said it's wonderful to finally get out of lock-down and see the Swiss-German tourists again. Everywhere people were in their gardens having loud and happy conversations over their fences...
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| First we took a train to a station on the valley bottom (Lavorgo) followed by a steep and winding 25-minute ride in a small van-bus to the start of our hike, a village called Cavagnago. This photo shows how high above the valley bottom we are traveling |
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| And still higher along the road, looking across the Leventina Valley to the mountains on the West side |
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| We got off in Cavagnago, and started with a look around at the pretty houses, before continuing South along the Strada Alta High Road (We have been to this village before, so not new) |
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| Leaving the village of Cavagnago |
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| A look back at the church and village of Cavagnago. We had gone into the church to look for Art, there were a couple of beautiful frescoes of the Last Supper, but lots of spider webs too. I guess not a lot of people went into the church in the last couple of months |
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| It's still early enough in the season for there to be lots of nice greens in the forests |
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| Always some interesting houses to look at along the way |
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| Walking along the high road along the Leventina Valley |
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| San Lorenzo Church belongs to Sobrio, but before visiting this, a short detour up the hill to the small village of Ronzano, just 500m from Sobrio |
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| In Ronzano we met a local who was thrilled to see us, and showed us the "cellar" of a house where animals were housed 300 years ago. |
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| St.Lorenzo Church, on the way to Sobrio |
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| We spent a long time in Sobrio, walking back and forth along the little roads, looking at all the different houses, and especially the names of the composers on little tags on each house |
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| This sign informs us that there are 50 homes in Sobrio, each one dedicated to a composer. Villagio della Musica = Village of Music |
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| More houses in Sobrio |
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| The trail had a lot of variety, so even though it took longer to walk than expected, it was not tiring |
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| As we walked into a small ravine, we got a view of another village perched on the hillside (below Sobrio) |
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| A sighting of an endangered Western Green Lizard |
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| A glance back along the trail as we entered the little hamlet of Corecco |
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| A climb up the hill near Corecco gives us this fantastic view southward into the Leventina Valley, toward Bellinzona (Biasca is on the left) |
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| Panorama view of the Leventina Valley at Biasca |
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| Corecco |
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| Steep descent down the hill to valley bottom to Pollegio. We caught the bus here, didn't want to walk into the city of Biasca |
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| Most of the descent was steps, makes it easy |
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| Church in Pollegio seen from above |
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| We had a quick look into the church before heading to town center for the bus, because that's what we do. It wasn't particularly noteworthy on the inside |
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| All in all we walked over 12 km, and even though the sign said 3 hours, it would take 30 minutes longer at a good walking pace |
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| Another 12+ km hike, 4 hours of walking time, with lots of extra time for looking at the villages! (As usual, we made it to the bus stop with about 5 minutes to spare. We are pretty good at judging the time!) |
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| These are the sections of the Strada Alta that we have already walked. We are missing the piece from Altanca to Osco. It is hard for us to plan this section, because for the way back down we only have two bus options: 13:30 (too early), and 17:30 (kind of late in the day) |
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| This is the region where we walked (near Bellinzona) |
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