Hiking in Switzerland – Gabrielle and Urs: August 2024

Thursday August 29, 2024 -- Another nice day to take advantage of, but with more 30-degree heat, this means going up into the mountains (which we did yesterday), or walking in a gorge, which is what I chose to do today.

In June of 2021 (those photos HERE), we took a bus ride up the Tamina Gorge to the Old Thermal Baths at Bad Pfäfers, from where we walked through the much narrower part of the gorge to the hotsprings at the back (it costs 5 Fr. to do this section). From there we walked out of the back of the gorge, and on a higher trail to Pfäfers and ultimately down to Bad Ragaz.

I had long wanted to walk the Tamina Gorge (the part we did by bus last time), and this was a good day for it. To make the excursion longer, I started further up the Tamina Valley in the cutest village called Vasön, waited for the sunshine as the sun appears late above the steep mountainsides, then instantly regretted that as it was already hot at 9:30 a.m. as I made my way via Valens down into the gorge, where it was very pleasant to walk.

In all, the hike out of the gorge to Bad Ragaz along the path I took--if I had gone directly to the station--would have been 2¾ hours, but I had an additional plan in mind: Strolling around the town of Bad Ragaz looking at the very many pieces of art exhibited there. Every three years, the city hosts an exhibition of sculptures (the largest in Europe) from artists from all over the world. The sculptures are set up in gardens, parks, and along the roads. Every which way you look, you can see something new! I missed going last time, so took advantage of it this day, as I had walked right out of the gorge into the exhibition. (More photos of the sculptures on a separate blog page HERE).

PART I: Bus Ride from Bad Ragaz to Vasön in the Tamina Valley

Heading up main street in Bad Ragaz by bus at 8:30 a.m. (I left home before 7 a.m. for the 2¼-hour trip here), there are already signs of the sculptures that decorate the city for the 9th Triennial Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit called Bad RagARTz (a play on the town's name!). This is the largest outdoor sculpture exhibit in Europe.

There is an intriguing looking piece in front of the "Heidiland Tourism Center" at the main square in town, so I need to make sure to stop by here on my way back.

The bus winds its way up the mountain into the Tamina Valley (unfortunately no views over the city of Bad Ragaz due to trees) and passes through the village of Pfäfers. This used to be a monastery, but is now a Psychiatric Clinic. We walked through the grounds of this building in JUNE 2021 when we visited the Old Thermal Baths at the back of the Tamina Gorge.

When we got to the bus stop in Pfäfers, I was shocked at the large group of small children waiting here.... then relieved when they did not approach the bus. I assume they reserved a separate bus, but unfortunately for me, just as our bus was heading back to the main road, one of the group leaders flagged the bus down, having realized almost too late that she could load some of her kids into our bus. It was a very uncomfortable and loud rest of the bus ride for me.

Vasön is a small village along the road up the valley, and this was where I had planned to start my hike back down the valley. I got off the bus of noisy kids here at 9:10, but had not expected that the sunshine would not have reached this side of the valley. So I visited the little church and meandered up the road a bit, till there was sunshine.

A view up the Tamina Valley from the very south end of the village of Vasön

This little fellow seems startled to actually see a visitor to his little village!

Only 10 minutes after getting off the bus, the sunshine reached the little village. This chapel is very young, built in 1980, as the original 1709 chapel was damaged with fire in 1903, and rebuilt but in bad condition, so it was torn down.

A history of the little chapel in Vasön, and what the older version looked like.

The village had the cutest little shop which I would have liked to see in more detail, but it is only open on Fridays and Saturdays from 8:00 to 12:00! There was some pretty neat local artwork displayed...

As this side of the north/south valley was now no longer in the shadow of the steep mountains to the east, I started out on my hike at about 9:30 a.m. My next goal is the town of Valens (one hour), then the Mineral Baths at Old Bad Pfäfers (1:20) and finally Bad Ragaz train station in about 3 hours of walking time.

View into the Tamina Gorge looking north (still in shadow). My next goal is the town of Valens, upper left. I had sunshine for this whole stretch, not always good as it got hot immediately! (Even here in the valley it was about 26 degrees).

PART II: Walk down the Tamina Valley from Vasön into the Tamina Gorge via Valens

Starting at 9:25 in Vasön, I walked via Valens down into the back of the Tamina Gorge, then out to Bad Ragaz, which I reached at 1 p.m. Then I spent another 45 minutes walking through the city looking at the sculptures before boarding a train at 13:49.

A look behind me as I descend into a side ravine. That was the most northern house on the outskirts of the village of Vasön.

I was very glad for the shade of the forested sections of the trail!

On the other side of this small side-ravine (Mühlitobel) I could see the steep trail I had to ascend before reaching Valens. That was the hottest part of the hike!

I always love bridges, especially the wooden ones!

The river in this side ravine is called the Zanaibach, and it flows into the Tamina River from the west.

After the ascent I round a corner and see the town church of Valens up ahead. The climb isn't finished yet!

Looking up the Mühlitobel to the west are the peaks of Mount Pizol and the Grey Horns, at the very center of the Sardona Tectonic Arena (World Heritage Site).

And this is a look south up the Tamina Valley again. I came up from the Mühlitobel ravine along the treeline at the very left.

The final hill to climb to get up to the town of Valens

Details of the Baroque Church of Valens. I got here at 10:24, an hour after starting on my hike.

The three altars are very ornate! (According to information I read later, these are Rococo-Style).

Information on the outside of the church tells of a fire in 1704 which destroyed the original church (built in 1327). It was rebuilt and once again destroyed by fire in 1755 during a massive Fön storm when most of the village actually burned down. The current Baroque build is from 1738-69, although the church burned again in 2012, again due to massive Fön winds. It was rebuilt within a year to the massive cost of over a million Francs.

Very simple and attractive cemetery.

The view up the Tamina Valley from Valens church, to Vasön where I started this hike.

In the center of Valens (Dorfplatz) is this pavilion with some really nice wooden sculptures and lots of information about this town and Vasön.

The pavilion in Valens

Wooden sculptures double as supporting columns

Among other things, interesting information about the village of Vasön.

An aerial photo of the village of Vasön, where I started my walk.

Fountain in the main square in Valens

An interesting building called Klosterhof, which used to be a restaurant but is no longer in operation.

A good place for a self-timed photo!

And now I can start my descent into the Tamina Gorge. In the distance is the stunning Tamina Bridge, which we drove over by bus on the way up from Bad Ragaz to Vasön.

Close-up of the Tamina Bridge. Completed in 2017, it is the highest arch bridge ever built in Europe (200m above the gorge bottom) and has a main arch span of 259 meters. The bridge won the 2018 International Supreme Award for Structural Engineering Excellence.

PART III: Old Pfäfers Bath and the Tamina Gorge

Map of the first part of the hike from Vasön to Valens, and the second part from Valens into the Tamina Gorge and through Bad Ragaz

On my way down to the Baths at the back of the Tamina Valley, there was a detour trail to a look-out point where I could look down to the valley bottom. You can just make out the road which I will be walking out later.

Looking down into the Tamina Gorge from the trail high above.

First glimpse of the buildings at the Old Pfäfers Baths as I descend into the gorge. This is the oldest preserved Baroque bath house in Switzerland, and still a great attraction.

This building was built in the early 1700's, and consists of two large hotels and a chapel. Earlier there was also a butcher shop and sawmill here. Guests from all over the world came to experience the healing powers of the hot springs, which were discovered in some caves further up the gorge by hunters from the nearby Pfäfers Monastery in 1240.

Along this ravine further back, a walkway has been carved into the cliff walls, leading to the source of the hotsprings. For 5 Fr. you can walk along this beautiful ravine and learn how people were originally transported there before the waters were brought down to the hotels in the 17th Century. We did this walk on our June 2021 hike, see the photos HERE

I didn't go into the narrow part of the gorge this time, as I have seen it already, but entered the building to have a look at the corridors and into the side rooms (restaurant, chapel, etc.). What I didn't know was that the smaller sculptures from the Bad RagARTz exhibition were displayed here. There must have been a room I missed.

A peek into one of the side rooms of the Old Bad Pfäfers Bath house shows what the kitchen was like in the 18th Century.

Now to start on my walk to Bad Ragaz, which should take about 90 minutes. I started here at 11:30.

The sign warns that you might get hit by falling rocks while walking through the gorge!

Buses are the only vehicle allowed on this road. This is the 11:50 bus to the Bath House, and after that there is a two-hour break. So the road was vehicle-free, but there were very many people walking up the road to the bath house.

Many people passed me on the way UP the road in the Tamina Gorge

The Tamina River

Here is a look at the fabulous Tamina Bridge from below. It joins the two sides of the gorge 200 meters above the river, with a span of 259 meters.

VIDEO:

Tamina Gorge and the beautiful Tamina Bridge

Another look behind me as I head out of the gorge. It was nice that the gorge wasn't totally in shadow at this time of day.

Way up above is the Tamina Bridge, 200 meters up.

One of many "steps" along the river near the entrance of the gorge. This is to prevent flooding when there are heavy rains and the river swells up.

VIDEO:

The steps in the Tamina River as waterfalls

Another look behind me as I near the exit of the gorge.

PART IV: Bad Ragaz and the Sculpture Exhibition

(The Exhibition is called Bad RagARTz, a play on the name of the town where it is held every three years. This is the largest outdoor sculpture exhibition in Europe, and features artists from all over the world. I have made a separate post showcasing many of the sculptures I saw. Those photos can be found HERE).

I reached the outskirts of Bad Ragaz shortly before 1 p.m. This fountain has a cool sign on it....

.... the sign reads: "A fine of 2 to 22 Francs will be levied against anyone who damages or pollutes this fountain. Municipal Council, May 1879"

Those window boxes are just so pretty

Heading down the main Road in Bad Ragaz

Crossing the bridge over the Tamina River to head to the park at the Grand Resort Spa and Baths.

From the bridge, a look up the Tamina River to the entrance of the Tamina Gorge.

This is the large Palace Hotel and the Spa Suites at the Grand Resort Bad Ragaz, with one of my favourite sculptures, the random rhino head!

I also quite enjoyed these ladies wading through the flower beds

Across the road was a church I just had to pop into.

Details of the Evangelical Church in Bad Ragaz, built in 1857

Continuing on my walk through the park, I also really enjoyed these large ladies!

Now I'm crossing the river again along a different bridge, back into the main part of the town.

Back at the Heidiland Tourism Center I get a closer look at the weird sculpture we passed on the bus earlier in the morning.

Main pedestrian road ahead

This is the actual time.... 1:30 p.m. (There is a train in 20 minutes which I will try to catch..)

This might be my favourite sculpture of them all!

The other main church is the Catholic one, Maria Himmelfahrt, a Baroque building from 1703

This MUST be a sculpture as well, they are "hidden" in plain sight! It's an old van with a license plate that reads "NAMIBIA1" and what turns out to be another rhino tied to the roof!