From Hamlet to Hamlet on the Monti di Gambarogno Trail

(This post published on Jan.24, 2023)

Saturday September 17, 2022 -- Another instance of having quite bad weather in the North, but being able to escape to the sun in the south.... we headed to Canton Tessin once again, a nice change for us as we usually come here in winter when the forests have no leaves and the hills are all brown.

The air was clear and it would have been perfect to do the ridge hike from Monte Lema to Monte Tamaro, something I have wanted to do again since the first time we hiked this ridge in 2014. It is a five-hour hike, and I would only do this again if the view is impeccable, which it was on this day. BUT, as is often the case when the weather here in the North is bad, a strong wind blows in the south, and it would have been a cold hike, exposed to the wind.

So we settled for doing a hike along the flanks of Monte Gambarogno on the east side of Lago Maggiore, a walk mostly through forests, but passing through five mountain hamlets (called Monti) along the way. (Each hamlet has the same name as the corresponding community on the lakeshore below). This hike we had also done before (also in 2014), but I had only a few photos. I seem to remember this was because my camera battery ran out, but really, as it turns out, it's probably because this trail is about 70% through the forest, and therefore not a lot to see! But the trees did give us some relief from the wind, and views of the lake once in a while. 

The final hamlet (Monti di Caviano) at the very south end of the trail and near the Italian border is the most interesting of all. There are no power lines here, and the home owners each rely on their solar panels. Historically, rye was planted and harvested on the hillside, with which most of the roofs in the area were thatched, with 30 such houses still standing in the 1970's. In the meantime, there is only one such thatched building with its original roof, the last such building in Canton Ticino, now a mini-museum.

Bus ride along East side of Lago Maggiore, with a look into the Verzasca Valley (near Locarno)

Always love the palm trees here!

Heading up the long and winding road along Monte Gambarogno. Across the lake is the city of Locarno and the Maggia Delta.

We were the only people who got off here at the starting point of the hike along the flanks of Monte Gambarogno. The bus was FULL of people heading up to Indemini, or maybe even just the pass (Alpe di Neggia). In fact, there were about five bikes INSIDE the bus as well, and the bus driver had to leave two people behind when we got on down at the lake, no more room for their bikes. That would be a big disappointment, as the bus runs only every two hours!

The first hamlet we passed through was "Monti di Piazzogna", 10 minutes from this bus stop at the corner of the long and winding road to Indemini. From there we had the first nice views over Lago Maggiore. We are walking the equivalent of the distance to Dirinella, about four hours. 

A good look to the north to the Magadino Plain, and the Verzasca Valley on the left (you can just make out the Verzasca Dam)

Close-up view of the Verzasca Dam, made famous in the introduction scene of the James Bond movie "GoldenEye". There is a set-up on the dam to bungee jump. 

And this view is toward the West, to the Maggia Delta (Ascona on the left, Locarno on the right). 

The trail runs parallel to the lakeshore, and there are five hamlets along the trail, each corresponding to one of the communities 500m below, and also connected to its partner town by a trail. Back in 2014 we descended to the border crossing at Dirinella, this time we descended to Caviano. 

Starting out along the "Monti di Gambarogno" Trail. We started at 11 a.m.

At this time of year, there is already a lot of shade on this side of the mountain, even still at noon (we had hoped for afternoon sun). We love bridges.

Forest trails in the mountains are always interesting

By noon we were arriving at the third hamlet: Monti di Gerra, with another great view northwards to Locarno. By now we were desperate for a sunny spot to have our picnic lunch. 

A sample of the kinds of houses in these hamlets!

Finally found the ideal spot for our picnic lunch at 12:30. 

Sometimes places like this are actually for sale! (I think this one was, because we walked below it to check out the other side). Sometimes the buildings are heritage protected, and you can't even tear them down!

More homes in Monti di Gerra. There is actually a vehicle road to this hamlet, so a lot of homes up here. 

Heading out now to the next hamlet called Monti di San Abbondio, about another hour through the forest. 

We stopped here at Monti di San Abbondio at 13:45 for a break!!!

Filling up our water bottles at every possible fountain!

On the way to the final hamlet called "Monti di Caviano", it was another 40 minutes on a forest trail with some more interesting bridges!

Sometimes you wonder if these bridges don't just fall apart when you cross them.... 

Once in a while we had a view, this one to the Islands of Brissago on Lago Maggiore (Isole di Brissago).

That's a nice set of roots on that tree!

A look back at Monti di San Abbondio, where we took a break about 30 minutes earlier

Ahead of us we can now see down to the Italian border. This village is called Pino, and had we continued along the upper trail we were on, we could have crossed the border to the next mountain hamlet in Italy, aptly called "Monti di Pino"! The open clearing is called Cento Campi, and that's where they used to grow the rye for the roof thatching. 

Another look at Ascona this time, and the mountains of Maggia Valley in the back, over the Cento Campi clearing near Monti di Caviano

Some very nice stone houses in Monti di Caviano. Each one has solar panels for electricity. 

A bit of colour in the otherwise colourless hydrangeas, which we are used to seeing in purples, pinks and blues!

Every village has at least one stone fountain! It also looks like there is plenty of sun here for growing grapes. 

We never get tired of palm trees

This stone figure is cute!

Here is the building with the original rye-thatched roof, now a mini-museum with information on how these roofs were made. It is the last remaining thatched-roof building in Canton Ticino, although only about 50 years ago there were still 30 such houses here. Because they were a fire hazard, they were slowly done away with. 

Time for a self-timed photo in the building with the rye-thatched roof!

Another look into the Maggia Valley across the roofs of Monti di Caviano

Across the lake is the village of Brissago, which is the final Swiss community before crossing the border into Italy (on the left). The middle of the peak at the back is the border. 

More fabulous buildings. Many have been renovated with new windows. 

A final look behind us as we start our descent to Caviano

Last time we were here, we descended to Dirinella (down at lake level) via Scaiano. This time we went to Caviano, and caught a small bus from there to lake level, although it would only have been an additional 10 minutes to walk. We started at "Bivio Monti di Piazzogna". Altogether a four-hour hike. 

We're not the only ones who are always happy to find a water trough!

A nice large chestnut tree

Descending on the cobblestone path to the village of Caviano. It was a descent of almost 400m

First view of the church tower at Caviano

Some more fabulous palm trees

A look across the roofs of Caviano. The village on the next promontory is Pino, in Italy. 

What we liked most about the village of Caviano were the arches.

"Chiesa di Santa Maria Nascente" in Caviano. Waiting here for the little bus. 

What our approx. 4-hour and 11 km hike looks like on Google Satellite Maps

Heading back to Cadenazzo by bus along the eastern lakeshore of Lago Maggiore

(A couple of weeks later, as we were traveling home from Locarno. This is a view of Monte Gambarogno from the other side of the lake, and the approximate trail we hiked.) 

The hikes we have done in this area. In 2014 we did the same hike (in blue) but descended to Dirinella. We also did a loop around Monte Gambarogno, but in two trips. And the ridge hike from Monte Lema (off the photo) to Monte Tamaro, also in blue

Where Monte Gambarogno is located in relation to where we live in Zug

On our way home north of the Gotthard tunnel. Overcast skies with snow and fog on the mountaintops.