Three-Day Trip to Davos Region: Ducan Valley to Monstein

(This post published on September 29, 2023. Trip took place in August)

Monday August 21, 2023 -- One of the hikes we had done the year before during our three-day vacation in Davos was to cross the Sertig Pass from the back of the Sertig Valley (see Photos HERE). As we started that hike, we saw there was a second side valley called the Ducan Valley, which at that time was not accessible due to rock slides. We had determined to walk in that valley the next time we were here.

So this was the plan for Monday, with very convenient access for us, as the apartment was only seven minutes' walk from the Davos Platz train station, from where we could take the 8 a.m. bus into the Sertig Valley (a 20-minute ride and we could get on the first bus before the day-hikers arrived). 

For the first two hours we hiked alone, in this rugged and remote valley with the most unusual landscape we had ever seen, almost three hours straight uphill for over 700 meters ascent till we crossed the Fanezfurgga Pass. (By that time the folks from the next bus had caught up, or maybe they had been on our bus and had just first stopped for a cup of coffee before starting the hike?). And from there we had a long descent to Davos Monstein, which boasts the highest altitude brewery in Europe. The final section of the descent was rough, as the hot weather had made the trail so dry that I slipped and fell a couple of times, really unusual for me.

By the time we boarded the bus in Monstein, it was much too early to return to the apartment, so we decided to ride the historical train through the Landwasser Valley to Filisur, a rather short ride but fun, as you can open the windows on the old trains! In Filisur we had refreshments at a shady table in the railway station restaurant before returning by train to Davos Platz for the night. 

PART I:  Five-hour Hike from Sertig Dörfli to Davos Monstein via the Ducan Valley

The final bus stop in the back of the Sertig Valley is at the hotel-restaurant in the center of the photo. We got off at Sertig Dörfli (Village) at 8:20 to look at the church, but it was locked. The Ducan Valley which we are going to walk is in the center, heading to the right. Last time we ascended the valley on the left. 

Our goal was the Fanezfurgga Pass (which took longer than 2½ hours) and then Davos Monstein where we caught the bus back to the Glaris train station in the Landwasser Valley. First we walked to Sertig Sand, which is the final bus stop in this valley  

Sertig Village

The dates on this house seem to indicate that it was built in 1620!

There's the church we wanted to visit. What a shame that it was locked. So we started our hike from here at 8:30 a.m. 

The fireweed is just starting to bloom

Heading through the pastures to Sertig Sand hotel. Always being observed by the cows...

VIDEO:

The only sound nicer than a river while hiking in the mountains here

is the sound of the cowbells

Further into the back of the Sertig Valley

From here there is a trail to the right, to the waterfall, which we could not see. We're heading uphill through the forest on the left, though. It's now 9 a.m.

From higher up now, a look down the Sertig Valley to the north. The very highest peak at the back is Mount Weissfluh, where we went the next day. 

A close-up view of Sertig Village, now no longer in the shade of the mountain!

And now we are officially entering the Ducan Valley. The first mountain on the left is Mittaghorn, and the one straight ahead is Piz Ducan. 

Heading down to the Ducan River

VIDEO:

Ah yes, the sound of the river.

There are always streams to cross!

For over two hours, we simply walked up the valley like this.

Looking back down the Ducan Valley

This was a day for marmot sightings! We saw very many. The best was the little one (top left). You can immediately tell the difference between a young animal and an adult one .

VIDEO:

Baby Marmot... oblivious of us. Too bad I didn't start the video earlier.

Getting closer now to the pass..... Once again the clouds have covered the sun, but considering Switzerland is in the midst of a heat wave, we probably found the place with the most comfortable air temperature!

Another look down the Sertig Valley, as the trail gets steeper

All of a sudden, this unique and fantastic landscape opened up ahead of us. 

A marvelous unique landscape

I took many photos!

By now it's 11:10, and several people seem to have caught up to us. 

Not long now to the Fanezfurgga Pass, the saddle on the right. 

Here we are, 11:45. With the toilet break we took at the start, this took us about 2¾  hours from the start of the ascent. We find that the times provided on the trail markers here in Canton Graubünden are vastly less than what it really takes to do many of these hikes. 

Fanezfurgga, 2580 meters above sea level....

It was so beautiful up here. We stayed for a while. Sat on a rock and had our picnic lunch. Admired the intriguing rock formations. 

A look down the valley at the other side of the Fanezfurgga Pass

On the same side of the pass where we ascended (Ducan Valley) is a second pass, the Ducan Pass. But on the other side, it is a much longer descent to the next public transport.... The Ducan also has a glacier. 

Starting down the valley now heading to Monstein. It's 12:15 now. This first section was lovely, and not too steep

A look up at Fanezfurgga where we crossed

More marmots

This kind of trail is the best part of any hike

From here on, the trail widened and became a gravelly road, but with a relatively steep incline, and uncomfortable to walk. 

We got to the mountain hamlet called Oberalp at 1:40 p.m. A big surprise were the many cows wandering about there, even checking out the lady on her lawn chair! They also know to get their water from the village fountain, just like I do.

VIDEO:

That cow sure makes a lot of slurping noises!

A look behind us at Oberalp as we continue toward Monstein

A close-up view of the village of Monstein. We could have taken the road, but a trail is usually better. This one was quite dry, and I slipped and fell twice on steep sections. 

Greeted by some very beautiful balcony flowers as we enter Monstein! We made it to the village at 14:20, almost six hours after we started in Sertig Dörfli. 

So many pretty flower details

Heading through the village to the bus stop, we first pass the brewery and the old church, built in 1669.

Monstein brewery is the highest altitude brewery in Europe (1620 meters above sea level!)

Another restaurant... Urs went to ask if he could buy a bottle of Monstein beer to take home with us but it was unfortunately not possible. They only had "open" beer in glasses.  

We still had time to head to the "newer" evangelical church at the edge of the village, for a quick look.  

This church was built in 1896/1897 in the Art Nouveau style

Cute little barns

Heading back into the village to catch the 14:48 bus down to Davos Glaris train station (an 11-minute bus ride).  

Back in Sertig Dörfli, the sign read "4¼ hours" to Monstein, but in the best case this would have been more like 4¾ hours! They seem to walk quickly here. We started at 8:30 and reached Monstein at 14:20, so about 6 hours. 

These are the hikes we have done in the region of all the valleys in the past few years. The light blue one from Sertig Dörfli to Davos Monstein is the one we did this day. 

PART II:  A Ride on the Nostalgic Train from Davos Platz to Filisur

It was only 3 p.m. when we got to the train station in Davos Glaris, too early to go back to the apartment. (And boy could you feel the heat down here in the lower valley!). We had earlier seen that the nostalgic train between Davos and Filisur would be passing here at 3:30, so we took a little ride (23 minutes) in the other direction! (Getting on here in 2nd class, because there were fewer people than in the 1st class wagon). 

There was a massive amount of storm damage here in the Landwasser Valley, and the lovely Zügen Ravine Trail is currently closed (a beautiful walk we did in September 2013). 

The lovely bridge across the Zügen Ravine, near the Davos Wiesen train station. 

It was a lovely old train, we could open all the windows and hang out and enjoy the wind in our hair!

VIDEO:

Just west of Davos Wiesen train station, the train crosses the fabulous Wiesen Viaduct

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

And shortly before the train arrives in Filisur, we see the magnificent Landwasser Viaduct, where the train comes from the west side, from Tiefencastel into the mountain and then to Filisur

Once the train arrived in Filisur shortly before 4 p.m., we had a quick look into what the 1st-Class wagon looked like! Here it had compartments, and upholstered seats, and a fancy toilet!

A view across the town of Filisur from the train station. 

We decided to spend an hour here in the shade until the next train at 5 p.m, and have something to drink. 

Ice cream and Panachés are our go-to refreshments after a successful hike. We were still not in a hurry to get back to the apartment... (There were lots of kids living there, it was bit of a shock for me). 

PART III: Some impressions of Davos Platz

When we returned to Davos Platz, I had a quick look into the local church building. As with most evangelical churches, the decoration is pretty plain, with lots of wood. The most colourful were the 17th-Century coats of arms. Since it was only just 6 p.m., we dropped off our packs in the apartment and went to look for a place for something to eat. 

The building where our rented studio room was, tucked away in the left-hand section past the garden and the ground floor apartment, where lots of children were visiting and playing till 8 p.m., right in front of the only window in the room. It was a bit of a surprise for me. 

Some impressions of Davos Platz in the morning before boarding the bus into the Sertig Valley (we had to pick up some sandwiches for our picnic lunch)