Via Suvorov Trail through Elm in the Sernf Valley

Wednesday September 19, 2024 -- For a change we had a very nice day this Wednesday, and enjoyed a relatively "short" 12-kilometer walk along the Sernf River, following the themed trail called "Via Suvorov", which was created to follow the path which the Russian General Alexander Suvorov and his troops took through Switzerland in the war against Napoleon in 1799.

We actually wanted to start much higher up in the valley, but due to snow (buses were not running right to the end of the line) and shadow cast by the steep mountains, we decided to start lower down and also skip one bus run and enjoy a coffee on a sunny restaurant terrace while waiting for the sunshine to hit our trail.

Even valley walks such as this have much to offer. As this is right in the center of the Sardona Tectonic Arena (World Heritage Site), we were walking at the foot of the fantastic Tschingelhorn peaks, where you get a really good view of the Glarus Overthrust and Martin's Hole, where in about a week's time the rising sun will be shining through the hole directly on the church in Elm, which is quite the tourist attraction. 

Another important historical event here was one of the largest landslides in Switzerland which took place in 1881. There was work being done on the mountain to excavate slate, a recent necessity to manufacture writing slates for the newly introduced compulsory school attendance. In time, the upper layers of shale began to slide, and eventually on September 11, 1881, three massive slides caused the death of 114 people, destroyed 83 buildings, and buried 90 hectares of pastureland. 

Heading by train down the Linth Valley. It's going to be a beautiful day! (We left home at 7:45 for the approximately 2-hour trip). 

At the back of the Linth Valley is the fantastic peak called Mt.Tödi, which we don't always see so well (due to clouds etc). This is in Schwanden, where we have to get on a bus into the Sernf Valley. 

Heading by bus up the Sernf Valley, this is the early morning view of the Tschingelhorn peaks, the best example of the Glarus Overthrust (The top section of rocks are apparently 250-300 million years old, and the ones below them are 35-50 million years old). 

Along the way out the bus window, I spotted a small group of chamois on the western hillside.

The bus passes through the village of Matt, which we also walked past on our way back down the valley, walking on the west side of the river. 

We got to the "Sportbahnen" (gondola cable-way) at the south end of Elm at about 9:50. Our bus was continuing further back into the valley where we wanted to start our hike, but we could see from here that our trail was too much in the shadow of the steep mountains in the east. Since there was another bus heading that way in an hour's time, we decided to have a cup of coffee at the nearby restaurant

This is the gondola cable-way to Empächli, which we rode down on our most previous hike here exactly a year ago (crossing from the Mettmen Nature Reserve on the other side... those photos HERE)

We found a nice sunny spot on the terrace of the nearby restaurant to have a cup of coffee and to wait for the next bus an hour later to head further up the valley. 

This is the view from our table on the restaurant terrace (we were the only people there at this time, and actually had to ring a bell to get the owner to come and help us out!)

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Across from the restaurant, the local sawmill has this great advertisement:

At 10:50 we returned to the cable-car station for the next bus up the valley, it's looking a little less shady. The driver told us that the hillside further back on the east was in sunshine. The bus normally then runs up higher up the mountain on the west where one can start on a very nice high trail hike (which we did mid-October 2022 (those photos HERE), but due to the recent snow and icy roads, the bus could not run there, to the disappointment of several people wanting to get on the bus, who apparently had that planned. It turned out we were the only people heading to the back of the valley. 

Here at Steinibach we got off the bus (we originally wanted to start even further back along the Sernf River, but it was 300 meters higher up in a side valley, and we thought maybe there would be ice). Interesting fact: General Suvorov and his troops crossed the Panix Pass via this valley. It is something we would also like to do, but it would take us four hours from the bus stop further up to get to the pass, and another three hours on the other side to the nearest bus stop. 

Starting at the Steinibach bus stop at 11:05, we crossed the Sernf River and walked North along the river, through Elm, to Engi. It was not quite a 3-hour walk, but we saw many interesting historical things along the way, and the weather was pleasant. It was less of a hike and more of an afternoon stroll!

The mountains at the back of the Sernf Valley as we head to the road on the left to cross the river. The main mountain here (center) is called the Hausstock

A look to the north as we descend to cross the river. Even now, at 11 a.m., our trail on the east side of the river is partly still in shadow. 

Everywhere the farmers are busy getting in one more cut of their meadow grass

Lots of pretty houses along the way

Still heading south toward the river crossing! The Panix Pass is up the valley on the left. It was a tragic crossing at the time for General Suvorov and his 20,000 troops, as they got caught in snow and were starving when they got to the other side, and ate everything in sight (decimated what the farmers had there). See historical information HERE. 

Now we are on the east side of the river, with this fantastic backdrop to the south

Our trail heading north. It is very pleasant now to walk. 

Behind us a close-up of the main mountain here: Hausstock. 

Below in the field, a farmer is mowing the grass to make hay. There were many farmers out mowing this day. Directly across from here above the white building is the bus stop where we started our hike, heading to the left, and then descending to the river. 

Close-up view of the beautiful peaks at the back of the valley. The Panix Pass would be way off on the left. 

What is a walk in the mountains without these curious cows?

In areas where avalanches are common, the houses are built with "wedges" on  the avalanche side, so that snow ripping down the mountain will basically fly over the roof, instead of taking the house along in the powerful flow. 

It was very lovely to walk along the river for most of the day. 

The peaks way up above us on the east side of the valley. 

These kinds of paths are the best. It is here in this side valley that the mining of slate caused the mountain to come down. 

Crossing the river into the town of Elm

The information panel tells of the mining and processing of slate (since the 16th Century), which was actually shipped all over Europe, and made profitable by compulsory school attendance in the early 1800's. The way the mining took place created instability in the mountain, which came down in 1881, one of Switzerland's largest landslides, killing 114 people and destroying 83 buildings and lots of farmland. 

An information panel on this house indicates it was built in 1689

And a first look at Martinsloch (Martin's Hole) beneath the Tschingelhorn peaks. As the sun changes its position, the morning rays shine through this hole in different positions every day. Twice a year, the rays shine exactly on the church steeple. This will happen on September 30th at 9:32!

House built in 1826. The windows and roof overhang are typical for this time period

The church in Elm which will be hit directly by the sun's rays shining through the Martinsloch on September 30th!

Some very artistic sculpted gravestones here. 

A quick look inside the church. An inscription on the inside wall reads that the church was built in 1403 and rebuilt many times. Restored in 1979/80 on the inside, 2013 on the outside. 

Perfect spot for our picnic lunch. It's now 12:45

Another look past the cemetary to the mountains on the east side of the valley behind Elm. 

A last look at the church as we now make our way through the village

This house was built in 1799 for one of the village's wealthiest citizens (a judge and bailiff)

Another look toward the back of the valley

This fountain is dedicated to General Suvorov

This Gasthaus boasts that General Suvorov overnighted here on the night of October 5th to 6th, 1799!

The fabulous Tschingel Horns

The north side of the Suvorov House, built in the 1670's.

The sign advertises home-made icecream to go, so Urs had to have a look, but he decided to pass on it this time. 

Because there was a lot of industry in both this valley and the Linth Valley to the West, a railway line was built here in 1905. Unfortunately it was discontinued in 1969 as the military needed well-built roads instead of a railway track. 

Trail no.55 is the "Via Suworow", and Trail no.1: "Via Alpina" also passes through here. 

Information about the UNESCO World Heritage Site Sardona Tectonic Arena. We are right in the center of this region. 

This huge stone is one of the many rocks which came down the mountain during the 1881 landslide, and stands along the trail as a memorial. 

It looks like that rock over there is also a remainder from the slide... 

Final look back to the Tschingelhörner

By the sound of the cow bells, we knew they must be on the move, and saw them across the river, following the farmer. 

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We just caught the end of a herd of cows being moved to a new pasture

A few minutes later we saw where the cows had been moved to, to a new pasture!

Higher on the hillside, we caught sight of more chamois!

There were two chamois on the hillside up there

Advertising the Suvorov Trail!

Passing nice houses along the way

The view behind us is so pretty that we had to keep photographing it!

Detour onto a bridge to look upriver! (The river is called the Sernf, that is why the valley is called the Sernf Valley). 

Nice path next to the Sernf River

We are not sure what this building with the tiny door could possibly be for!

We came across a self-serve farm shop, and this time Urs DID buy his ice cream!

Crossing the bridge at Matt to continue our walk on the west side of the river. 

Another look behind us 

This building from 1905 was rebuilt after a fire in 1891 and was originally a weaving mill since 1848, creating many jobs for people in the valley. In 2002 it was converted into a bakery / chocolate factory, which we were able to tour in 2014 (I think). 

Of course Urs had to go into the bakery and purchase a few regional specialties, including pralinés made with the same clover that is used to spice a fat-free cheese called Schabziger, the only place in the world where this is produced. Also, on our industry visit in 2014 (photos HERE), we learned that this is probably the only bakery in Switzerland which produces kosher products, mostly for the Jewish population of Zurich. 

Here at the Engi Bakery in Engi, we caught the bus at about 3:15 p.m., for the two-hour trip home. 

These are the hikes we have done around the Sernf Valley. The pink trail is the one we did this day, at the valley bottom along the river. 

Location of the Sernf Valley within Switzerland.