Mountain Hike in the remote Calanca Valley. Destination "Santa Maria in Calanca"

Sunday November 29, 2020 -- Final hike of November, and possibly final mountain hike, as we got some real snow on Dec.1.

The mountains flanking the remote and lesser-known Calanca Valley (South of the Alps where the weather is usually milder) form the Canton boundary between Ticino to its West (Leventina Valley, where we have done many hikes) and Canton Graubünden in the East, creating an interesting scenario in that the inhabitants of the valley speak Italian, one of only three small regions in Canton Graubünden/Grisons where the culture is closer to that of Italy or Ticino. We discovered this valley in November 2017 (photos of that trip are HERE), so at the same time of year, but at that time, after taking the Arvigo Cable-Car to the sunny Braggio plateau 500m above the narrow valley bottom, we walked northwards along the hillside. This time we headed southwards, with the goal of Santa Maria in Calanca, a mountain village with a historical Church and Tower on a sunny plateau high above the Mesolcina Valley. 

At this time of year there are places that get no sunshine, and we were worried about a wet or icy trail, but the forest was Larch, and the trail surface a dry soft bed of needles (no thick layer of oak or chestnut leaves) and only one short icy piece before reaching the chapel of Sant'Antoni de Bolada, the highest point of our hike 900m above the valley bottom.

"Santa Maria in Calanca" was a bit of a let-down: Although the building itself is first documented in 1300's, the art inside is mostly kitsch, except for the dark wood-paneled ceilings. Of much greater interest was the tower next door, which we could inspect all alone: A dark and narrow stone staircase with high and uneven steps, two rather smallish living chambers, and a roof-top with fantastic views. And the timing was perfect. We caught the 15:45 bus servicing this mountain village, just as the sun was setting in the region....

Heading up the wild and lonely Calanca Valley by bus to the village of Arvigo, where we can catch a cable car up the steep mountainside.

There are only a handful of communities in this valley, especially here at the South end where the valley is narrow and there is lots of shade in winter. This is Arvigo, from where the cable car ascends to the sunny plateau called Braggio.

Heading up into the sunshine to the sunny plateau called Braggio

This cable car is modern and holds eight people. You buy the ticket at a machine below, then operate the cable-car yourself when you are ready. Mostly it's the locals who live up here all year round that use this.

Watching the Arvigo Cable Car head back to the valley bottom.

Above us the rough crags, and yellow larches. When we were here the first time, we walked up to those cabins, then headed to the North (to the left).

A local lady runs this little grocery store and operates it year-round. We need some snacks for our hike!

The little church below the village of Braggio

From here we head South, about 400m uphill to the chapel called Bolada, the highest point of our hike, and then down on the Mesolcina side to Santa Maria 

Looking down the valley to the South. Our hike is along the mountain flank on the left, which at this time of day has less sunshine than later on. 

A few pretty residences before we start the uphill climb through the larch forest.

The Arvigo-Braggio cable car saves us 500m of ascent. We were alone on the trail until the chapel, where about half a dozen people reached the chapel at exactly the same time, having climbed up from Santa Maria. They looked way more exhausted than we were, but had more sunshine on the rest of the trail to the North.

Heading uphill high above the narrow valley, with a mixture of sunshine and shade for the ascent, but on a very nice and soft trail mostly composed of larch needles.

There was only one small tricky section where the cliff fell steeply away, but it was secured with a chain handhold

Looking across the Calanca Valley at the mountains to the West which form the border of Canton Grisons (where we are) and Canton Ticino on the other side. There is a trail which crosses over from the other side, almost straight ahead. Something we'd like to try in summer soon! (A total of 6 hours between two cable cars on each side, but with a mountain hostel for overnighting if necessary!)

Here along the narrow path used to be a chapel built right to the edge of the vertical drop!

A short section was icy (a few meters of ice along the trail as well, but passable) shortly before the highest point of our hike. We were lucky that we could pass. Otherwise, it would have been unfortunate to have to turn back at this point!

We arrived at the Chapel "Sant'Antoni de Bolada" at 1 p.m. (started the hike at 11:20). There was less sun up here than I had hoped for, and we had lunch on a bench on the other side, it was cold!

After our picnic lunch at the chapel, a quick look up the Calanca Valley before descending. The town of Arvigo below is already almost in full shadow (at 1:30 p.m.). Just behind me is the sunny Braggio Plateau where we started.

Zoomed view of Braggio where we started. There is lots of sunshine up here, and about a dozen people live up here year-round. On the other side of the valley is another "famous" mountain village called Landarenca, the second town (after Zurich) in Switzerland which gave women the right to vote....

Our descent to Santa Maria was through pleasant sun-dappled forest like this.

Emerging from the forest onto the mountainside that is Santa Maria, and the view is to the Southeastern mountains of the Mesolcina Valley (continues northwards to the San Bernardino Pass)

The view to the Southwest (toward Bellinzona) is hazy because of the afternoon sun.

A private chapel on private property

Our first glimpse of the church and tower of Santa Maria

Zoomed view of the church (Santa Maria Assunta, ca. 13th century building) and the residential tower from an ancient fortress. The best part of the day was climbing to the roof of that tower!

An incredibly nice day and a good trail for this 29th of November!

Last stretch before reaching the town of Santa Maria

First stop, a look into the church building to see if there are special frescoes or other interesting works of art.

The best piece of artwork here was the archway above the main door!

The beautiful wood ceiling was very dark and made the whole interior rather somber.

The building was very old, the ceiling of interesting wooden panels. 

The tower was of most interest to us. This was the residential tower of what used to be a fortified complex dating from the 13th or 14th Century

Making our way up the narrow, dark and uneven stone stairway to the roof-top of the tower.

From the roof of the tower we have 360-degree views. For one, the hill on the left is the forest we descended.

On the Northwest we look down at the village of Santa Maria in Calanca

And toward the Northeast, a look up the Mesolcina Valley. From here you can drive over the San Bernardino Pass (or tunnel), which is an alternate North/South passage in case the Gotthard Tunnel is closed.

Beautiful mountains to the Southeast, a region we are not at all familiar with, because due to the absence of cable cars, one must anticipate some very steep ascents to access the side valleys. These mountains actually form the border with Italy.

Looking down at the Santa Maria Church. Way below on the valley bottom is lots of frost, as the sunshine never reaches there for a few months in winter.

Checking out the living quarters in the tower (two or three such small rooms....)

Tiny living quarters in this small and narrow tower. It was truly not "romantic" to live in these old, cold, stone fortresses in the middle ages.

We caught the bus near the tower at 13:45. By the time we got down to the Mesolcino Valley bottom, the sun was also setting on this sunny hillside.

Waiting for the connecting bus at the entrance of the Calanca Valley.

Our 3-hour hike as mapped out in Google Earth Maps. Starting at the top of the Arvigo cable-way, lunch at the chapel, ending in Santa Maria in Calanca. In November 2017 we walked the green trails, starting with the cable car to Landarenca, walking down to Arvigo, then up again (with the cable car) to Braggio, and back down to the valley bottom at Cauco to catch the bus out.

In the red circle is the area of the Calanca Valley, which is Canton Graubünden. Bellinzona and the river to the North (Ticino River) are in Canton Ticino.