Hike over the Passo Quadrella from Valle di Campo to Bosco Gurin

Sunday September 15, 2024 -- Second day of the two-day trip we made to the Maggia and Bosco Gurin Valleys in Canton Ticino. 

We spent the night in a very basic and old house at the entrance of the Bosco Gurin Valley (a place we had been 10 years earlier as well, the only other time we were in this valley --> Photos HERE), in order to be able to take the first bus to the back of one of the two valleys here, namely Valle di Campo, where we were planning to start our day's hike at the final stop on this line in the village of Cimalmotto. As the icy north winds were supposed to have been non-existent this day, we were planning a pass hike (750 meters ascent) via Passo Quadrella into the cauldron at the back of the Bosco Gurin Valley, and then do a high trail hike ending in the village of Bosco Gurin, which is the only predominantly German-speaking village in Canton Ticino.

The long ascent through the forest was actually quite enjoyable and not so strenuous, because, FINALLY, no wind! But when we got to the pass, the icy winds started again. We had the option of descending directly to Bosco Gurin, but we really wanted to do the high trail and hoped the winds would die down, which they did not. Walking was uncomfortable and it was unfortunately not my favourite hike, but in effect we walked faster than planned, and finished our 4½-hour hike in Bosco Gurin just in time for the 3 p.m. bus out of the valley, which we had not expected to do. (We would have then had to wait till 5:30 p.m. for the next bus).

Back in Cevio where you have to change to the bus out of the Maggia Valley, the one-hour bus ride to Locarno was full and packed on this day, which is often the case in the Maggia Valley. The entire trip home was 4¼ hours, a long trip fortunately made an hour shorter now that we can travel through the Gotthard Base Tunnel again. This long trip is why we spent the night here in this region.

Photos from the first day of the two-day trip are HERE.

We helped ourselves to breakfast at the Guesthouse at about 7:45 because we needed to catch the 8:20 bus from Linescio up the valley. Our host, Pablo, bakes bread for his guests, and provides homemade jam and local fruit. He prepares everything for us to help ourselves, as he does not like to get up this early!

At 8 a.m., the view out of our hostel window looking east into the Maggia Valley. The sun was just coming over the mountain there. 

At 8:10 we already have some great sunshine now! Our room was on the third floor. When we overnighted here in 2014 we were the only guests. This time there were several guests here who had come back from a wedding reception and made a lot of noise between 10 p.m. and midnight!

Did Pablo give himself an 8-Star rating? 

Sunshine in Linescio shortly after 8 a.m. as we head to the bus stop on the main valley road. 

Waiting for the 8:20 bus up the valley in the direction of Bosco Gurin

At a small village called Cerentino, at the junction of the Bosco Gurin and Campo Valleys, we had to change to a smaller van-bus. 

We arrived at the village of Cimalmotto (end of the bus line) at 8:56, so it was a 35-minute trip altogether to here, the start of our hike for the day. We were so happy that there was no wind here! 

Before heading up through the village, we walked down the road for a bit for a view to the previous community which the bus had passed through on the way here. This is called Campo (Vallemaggio). 

When the bus was passing through Campo, we could see that this would be an interesting village to check out as well. There is a trail all the way back down this valley (at this time of year quite a long time in shadow, though), which I really would love to do one day. 

Starting out in Cimalmotto at about 9 a.m. Our goal is the Passo Quadrella (2 hours 45 minutes according to the sign, but it really only takes 2 hours and 15 minutes) and then Bosco Gurin via Capanna Grossalp. Altogether a 4½-hour hike.  

Up there on that ridge is the pass we want to cross. From here that is an uphill hike of about 750 meters (and four kilometers)! But because most of the trail was steep uphill through the forest, it seemed to go quite quickly. 

The first place in the village which we wanted to look at was the church, but unfortunately it was locked. The church is called "Beata Virgine Assunta", or "Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary". It was first mentioned in documents of 1597

The beautiful frescoes in the "porch" area at the front door are from 1748. The church was locked, unfortunately. 

After immediately changing into shorts, we started off on our hike in Cimalmotto at 9:15, reaching the pass at 11:45 (after a break at the Alpe di Quadrella) and ended up in Bosco Gurin at 14:45, in time for the 3 p.m. bus back out of the valley. We took 5½ hours for the 4½-hour hike. That's pretty quick walking and not a lot of breaks!

A few cows to have to wade through....

Most of the uphill climb was on a comfortable trail through the cool forest. 

We got to Quadrella di Fuori at 10:25 and had a 20-minute break here. 

So happy to have real nice cold fresh spring water!

Enjoying a break on the sunny "Alpe di Quadrella". It took us exactly an hour and 15 minutes to climb up to this elevation, a 412-meter ascent from the bus stop at Cimalmotto. 

We continued on our hike at 10:45, and reached the pass at exactly 11:45, an hour's hiking time as per the sign. 

A look across the roofs of the little hamlet called Quadrella di Fuori. 

We were intrigued at how the hamlet was drawing its drinking water. It looks like each house has a hose plugged into the water source!

More comfortable forest trails. 

Once we got above the tree-line, we had a fantastic view down into the valley and the mountains to the east. Below you can see the villages of Cimalmotto and Campo. 

A close-up look at the village of Cimalmotto where we started on the hike a couple of hours earlier. 

We got to the pass at 11:45 and had to put on our jackets right away as here there WAS a strong and icy wind blowing! The only other two people doing the same hike found themselves a nice wind-free rock with a view to have their picnic lunch! We were hoping to find a place on the other side of the pass....

After a 763-meter climb we reached the Passo di Quadrella, but barely stopped here! We had three options from here, one of which was a direct trail down to Bosco Gurin, where it probably was wind-free, but we really wanted to try to keep to our original plan, and hoped the wind was less strong away from the pass. 

From here at the pass, it should take us another two hours of walking to get to Bosco Gurin. There is a bus that leaves at 3 p.m., and we figured if we walk quickly, we can make it there in that time, as it is now 11:45. 

In fact, our climb wasn't even finished at the pass, as we still had more hill to climb (almost 100 meters more!) to continue along the high trail. 

The other two hikers then crossed the pass behind us, but they descended right from there..... 

Heading up and away from the pass now, and the wind is still blowing strongly. 

The view is great, but the wind is painful!

As we head along the crest away from the pass, we get our first look at the village of Bosco Gurin, which is the goal of our hike after first walking along the high trail at the back of this valley and descending from the west. 

It was much too cold, and whereas we usually like these barren landscapes and high trails, I was not really able to enjoy it. I could have stopped to put on my pants, but the hope was always that we might get to a point where the wind wasn't blowing any more, and then the pants would be too warm! 

In fact, it was so cold here that there were still some remnants of ice along the trail!

We walked for an hour hoping for a good spot for our picnic lunch, and had so settle for a spot that was just  little less windy. 

Finally, by about 1 p.m. we were able to enjoy the trail a bit more with somewhat less wind. 

Despite the wind, we had some really good views of the Ticino mountains. 

An interesting section. 

Walking the high trail at the back of the Bosco Gurin Valley. 

Down below we could see the summit station of the Bosco Gurin chair lift (this is also a popular skiing area) and we even saw the cable-way in operation. Pablo had told us that they were not running the cable-way because of the strong winds all week, but we were hoping for an exception. 

We passed a fun advertisement for Edelweiss Airlines!

By the time we reached the cable-way, nothing was moving, there was no one about, and the restaurant was closed. We phoned the number that Pablo gave us, but were told they weren't operating for the public....

So we got to the cable-car station at 1:30 p.m., but since we couldn't ride, we would have to walk all the way down, another 50 minutes, which would be cutting it close for the 3 p.m. bus! (We didn't really want to wait for the next bus at 17:30, although that had been the original plan). It should only have taken us an hour to get here, but it took us 1 hour and 45 minutes, which is weird, as we walked quickly. 

Next we passed through the cutest hamlet called Capanna Grossalp. 

What a great view down the Bosco Gurin Valley all the way to the mountains of the Maggia Valley. 

Small hamlet called Capanna Grossalp

Last stretch now all downhill to the village of Bosco Gurin. Back in 2014 we started there and walked all the way down that valley (mostly in shadow at that time, unfortunately) to the hostel at Linescio. (Those photos are HERE). 

2:30 p.m. and nearly there. But we knew we wouldn't have a lot of time to enjoy the village, as the bus stop is way on the other side. 

The final descent was next to a river with several attractive pools. If the next bus hadn't meant waiting 2½ hours, we might have dawdled a while. 

VIDEO:

There is nothing prettier than Ticino Rivers flowing from pool to pool

At the west end of Bosco Gurin (no time to have a peek inside the church!)

A cool table made of snow boards!

Weaving our way through the alleys of Bosco Gurin toward the east side bus stop. 

A particularly nice-looking building!

Looking toward the back of the valley, we can see where we crossed the Quadrella Pass and approximately where we followed the High Trail. 

Here's someone enjoying the sunshine!

We got to the bus stop just minutes before boarding. The bus was already here, and there were at least 20 other people waiting to board!

A panel at the bus stop and entrance to the village informs us that this village, established by the Walser people between 1150 and 1450 (the last great movement of peoples during the middle ages) is the highest elevation village in Canton Ticino. As of the year 1253 it has been an independent community. Avalanches from 1695 and 1749 destroyed more than half of the original village. 

What our hike looks like on Google Satellite Maps

Heading down the Bosco Gurin Valley now by bus. 

Here we've just passed our hostel in Linescio and are now descending into the Maggia Valley along the switchback road. 

As we descend into the Maggia Valley, this is a look south down the Maggia Valley. 

Back in Cevio at 15:40. Having to transfer now to a different bus to get to Locarno (the bus was coming from Bignasco further up the valley), Urs had a good idea to walk north to the next bus stop, so we could get on the bus first, before the other 20 people from Bosco Gurin boarded. It was a good idea!

Waiting for the bus to Locarno. This fabulous church is at the north end of Cevio. As it turns out, the bus ended up being very full, and it was a long ride back to Locarno (almost an hour). 

These are all the hikes we have done in the back of the Maggia Valley, in the various side valleys. 

Location of the Bosco Gurin Valley and Valle di Campo within Switzerland. 

A cool castle-looking building in the Maggia Valley

And this is the Castello in Locarno. We got back to the Locarno train station at 16:40, after an almost one-hour bus ride, and from there it was another 2½-hour ride home.