Disentis, Val Medel, and the Longest Suspension Bridge in Graubünden.

(This post was published on October 24, 2025. Photos of Day 1 of this two-day trip are HERE).

Wednesday June 18, 2025 -- The main reason we picked to come to the Surselva for a two-day trip was to see and experience the longest suspension bridge in Canton Grisons/Graubünden, a bridge built only just at the end of 2024, measuring 260 meters across and 100 meters above the young Rhine River. (We found out about this from our bus driver on the October 2024 trip we did into this valley to walk a 7-km stretch of the Senda Sursilvana Trail / St.James Trail from Sumvitg to Trun).

Our plan was to start in the Medel Valley—which is the valley that stretches south to north from the Lukmanier Pass to Disentis—and walk along the west side of the valley where we had not yet been, ending with a crossing of the Rhine Ravine on this bridge called "La Pendenta". After a quiet (although not totally restful) night in our lovely room in the tiny village of Cumpadials, we first had to walk for 20 minutes to the train station, already quite a hot walk at 8:15 a.m. Transfer to the bus into the Medel Valley took place in Disentis, but as we had to wait there for 50 minutes, we walked up to the magnificent Disentis Monastery and had a look around there. (The last time we were here there were renovations taking place inside the main church building).

The Medel Valley is beautiful, and we enjoyed most of the hike with views of where we had walked previously in October 2023, but the heat on the relatively short uphill sections took a toll on us. After crossing the magnificent bridge and inspecting the medieval church of Sontga Gada at its north side, we scrapped our plans to walk down into the ravine and out to Disentis (another hour and 15 minutes), and headed to the nearest train station called Acla, for the ride home via the Oberalp Pass. What we ended up walking should have taken only two hours normally, but we had over four hours, a rather short walk for coming this far. Maybe because of the heat or the long walk we did the day before, we just weren't up for more.

But the highlight of the day, which made me very, very happy, were the many unmowed mountain meadows densely packed with the largest variety of flowers. It made it worth coming this far for such a short walk.

PART I: Cumpadials and the Disentis Monastery

At 8 a.m., this is the view out of our bedroom window, in the room we rented for one night from our host named Marco, who originates from Zurich but lives here now.

It was a lovely room and we were the only guests, so it was a quiet night, but some flies had made it into the room, so we didn't sleep very well.

Breakfast is included in the B&B price, and our host Marco is a baker by trade, so we were treated with homemade walnut bread for breakfast. He also told us that he bakes a hundred loaves of different breads, and 80 loaves of braided bread for the weekly market in Ilanz nearby.

The B&B where we spent one night in Cumpadials, near the Vorderrhein River. Our room was the one under the little roof addition, with the open window. We left the accommodation at 8:22 to make our way back to the Sumvitg-Cumpadials train station for the 9:01 train to Disentis.

Another interesting building next to our B&B

We took a different trail to the train station from the one we followed the day before. This one was a bit longer, and we knew it would take about 30 minutes to get to the station.

Following the road next to the railway line from the village of Cumpadials to the train station, about 1¼ kilometers.

Above the village of Cumpadials, where we spent one night in an Air BnB accommodation. It is now about 8:30 a.m., and already very hot.

It took us 25 minutes to walk to the train station and we got here at 8:45. Here is the 9:01 train to Disentis, right on time!

As the train heads toward Disentis, we see the young Rhine River. (Here it is called the Vorderrhein, which has its source further up the Surselva Valley at Lake Toma near the Oberalp Pass).

Below us in the outskirts of the village of Disla is a very cute little church which we walked past in November 2018, in uncomfortably cold weather as we did a section of the Senda Sursilvana Trail. It's called the St.Lucius Chapel, dedicated in 1716. (I cannot remember if we looked inside at the time).

This train runs along the same line as the Glacier Express, and is much more fun as there are often wagons with windows which you can open and enjoy the mountain air. Up ahead is the Medel Valley where we are headed by bus later, to walk down that smaller hillside in the center of the photo.

VIDEO:

The little red train from the Rhätian Railway approaches Disentis

The train arrives in the city of Disentis at 9:11, only a 10-minute ride from Cumpadials. The problem is, that our bus into the Medel Valley doesn't leave till 10 a.m., so we decided to walk up to the Disentis Monastery, a five-minute walk above the train station.

This is the facade of the Abbey church of St.Martin

Description of the Abbey church of St.Martin.

The Abbey Church of St.Martin was inaugurated in 1712.

Gorgeous Baroque church.

Baroque interior of St.Martin church.

Hanging on the walls in the long hallway were these two Fresco paintings from the 15th Century. They were titled "Heaven and Hell", and apparently they were brought here from a chapel further down the valley (Sumvitg) which was destroyed by an avalanche.

Next to the Abbey church of St.Martin's is another side chapel called St.Mary's Sanctuary.

From the terrace in front of the monastery, we can see up Val Medel where we are now headed with the bus, and where we ultimately descended the hill across the ravine. (The village there is called Mumpé Medel).

PART II: 7½-Kilometer hike from Curaglia (Platta) via Mutschnengia and Mompé Medel via two suspension bridges. The one over the young Rhine River (Vorderrhein) is the longest suspension bridge in Canton Graubünden.

As the bus heads out of Disentis toward the Medel Valley, this is a look back at the monastery buildings and the train station.

Heading up the valley, we can see the mountain village of Mutschnengia, which we will pass through later, crossing over a smaller suspension over the ravine to the south of the village.

A look down the valley to the hillside we are going to walk along later.

We started in the village of Platta at about 10:15, after a 12-minute bus ride from Disentis. We walked through this village on another hike we did here in the Medel Valley in October of 2023.

St. Martin's Baroque church is the parish church of the Medel Valley. The fresco on the south wall is of St.Christopher, painted by an artist from Locarno.

Interior of St.Martin's Baroque church in Platta.

Details of the church interior.

Heading out of Platta now to start on our hike back down the valley.

Crossing a bridge, we look down the ravine where the Medel Rhine River flows northwards to join the Vorderrhein River at Disentis.

Information about the village of Platta where we just started: For many centuries, Platta was the political and religious center of the Medel Valley. But because it was prone to avalanches, the neighbouring town of Curaglia took over these functions in the 20th Century.

The Romanesque Tower of St.Martin's church was erected between the 10th and 12th Centuries. The church was expanded in 1500-1506, including renovations.

Beautiful view down the valley. The river has carved a gorge here.

Pleasant to walk here.

Looking across the ravine to Platta, and the bridge we had just crossed.

This was not a long, nor difficult stretch for us, just over 7 km, and barely any uphill. But it was quite hot and we got tired quickly. We started in Platta at about 10:30, and got to the train station in Acla at 2:50 p.m.

The farmers were all busy again with cutting the meadows. It is such a nice smell of grass. This tractor was rolling the bales.

We watched for a while, because it's very interesting how the machine wraps the hay bales!

But not all the flowering meadows have been mowed yet!

A look up the Medel Valley through the meadow flowers!

Wading our way through the cut grass.

Some of my favourite meadow flowers are the yellow globe flowers.

Even though it was a very hot day, we enjoyed walking through these meadows.

In the background is the town of Curaglia, now the political and religious center of the valley. (We did a hike to that town, and up the valley behind it, in October 2023). That little chapel below was a bit out of the way, but we made a detour down there to see if it was open.

The chapel, St.Jakob, was open, so we had a quick look inside. It was built in 1690, as we discovered on a really cool map which we found tacked to the inside of the door.

Inside the door of the little chapel was the great map of all the churches and chapels to discover in the Medel Valley. This little chapel in Palis is pictured on the left, No.8, "Caplutta Sogn Giusep", built in 1690! (At this point in time, we have already discovered Numbers 1 (Chapel at Lukmanier Pass), 6, 7, 8, 10 and 11. Today we will also pass by Number 9: The Chapel in Mutschnengia).

We are always fascinated to watch the farmers mowing the grass on these very steep hillsides.

This was the hardest part of our hike, zigzag up an agricultural road in the heat.

Heading up toward the first suspension bridge.

This sign informs us that the suspension bridge we are headed toward, i.e. the one spanning the Mutschnengia Ravine, was built in August 2011 at a cost of 140,000 Fr. The bridge is 100 meters long, and the highest point above the ravine is 45 meters.

Up ahead we can see the mountain village of Mutschnengia on the other side of the ravine, plus the road which continues out of the valley where we are headed.

Here we get a sighting of the first suspension bridge we are crossing today, over the Mutschnengia Gorge to the mountain hamlet of the same name. This bridge was erected in 2011, is 100 meters long, and at its highest point 45 meters above the gorge bottom. It cost 140,000 Fr. to build.

You don't need to warn ME not to swing on a suspension bridge! (In local Romantasch language, this is called a "Punt Pendenta")

A picture of me crossing the bridge...

...and a picture of Urs crossing the bridge!

As it was now 11:40 and VERY hot, we headed straight for the village chapel, as even if there is no bench in the shadow of the foyer entrance, we know that the interior of these chapels is always cool!

This is the chapel of Sogn Bisgaun (i.e. Saint Sebastian), No.9 on our Chapel Map. (On that map it has a date of 1546, with the 1610 -- seen here above the door -- in brackets. This could mean an original church from 1546 was destroyed or damaged, and this, the new one, dates from 1610).

Very lovely interior, with lots of paintings on the walls, ceiling, window boxes. And a lovely winged altar piece which are alway a joy to encounter.

Close-up details of the winged altar. It was apparently created in 1605, and newly gold-plated in 1926 during restoration of the chapel (Info from INTERNET with loads of photos).

Details of the fabulous painted interior. These wall-to-wall, ceiling-to-floor paintings were done in 1730. Such extensive artwork for such a small building!

One of several houses up here. There is even a hotel!

Before continuing on our hike, another look at the Mutschnengia suspension brige over the gorge.

And from up here on the edge of the gorge we see up the Medel Valley.

Our walk now continues along the little dirt road at the center of this photo, heading out of the valley. (I was really glad that we didn't have to walk up the upper road on the left!)

A little self-serve shop just outside of the village. Urs likes to get a nice cold drink when he can! These little shops are really great for that. Payment was into the small cashbox. Also, "Beinvegni" is the Romantsch word for "Welcome".

A look behind us at the mountain village of Mutschnengia as we continue along our path.

We are now fairly level with the town of Curaglia. The information panel (there were several of these along the way giving history and information about the villages, churches and bridges) states that Curaglia is the largest village in the Medel Valley, and that a large storm in 1990 destroyed a large part of the protective forest above the town.

St. Niklaus church in Curaglia (which we visited on the October 2023 hike) was completed within three years in 1667, in Baroque style. It also boasts a beautiful winged altarpiece from 1510 (photo from my blog HERE).

Another look behind us up the Medel Valley and to the village of Mutschnengia.

Very impressive how they can mow these steep hillsides!

The water course below, which originates in the Platta Valley behind Curaglia, is called the "Rein da Plattas", another Rhine tributary which joins the Medel Rhine here, which then flows into the main Rhine River at Disentis at the north end of this valley.

A beautiful day for this hike none-the-less.

Now we are headed into a section of "vegetation" which, according to our map, looked like a long stretch of forest. We were really looking forward to the shade....

...but it turned out to be fairly low brush, with no shade at all!

Now we get the first glimpse into the Surselva Valley.

Now for the descent to the village with the funny name of Mumpé Medel. In the back is the city of Disentis with the large monastery building.

And these mountains form the border of Canton Graubünden (where we are) and Canton Uri to the north.

So now it's 12:50 and we hadn't had our picnic lunch yet, and hadn't yet found a suitable place with any shade. Usually, such little barns or cabins have a bench somewhere, and when no one is home, we sit there for a while. So here is to hoping that we find some shade.....

.... well, no bench, but a good place in the shade to spread our blanket and eat our sandwiches, and dry off the very wet socks! We sat here for over half an hour!

Down below by the little chapel in Mumpé Medel, the trail heads into the gorge on to the left. First we walk through the village, and have a look at the chapel, obviously.

Close-up look at the little chapel that we went to look at later.

The first building we got to also had one of those self-serve fridges. Time for ice cream this time! (Payment was into that little canning jar!)

This building was the local mill, built in 1910 by a man name Aluis Manestch. But only a small amount of grain could be milled with the manually-operated mill, so the local farmers had to take all their grain to the mill in Disentis. In 1931, the village finally got connected with electricity, so in 1934 Aluis bought an electric mill, so that the farmers could mill their grain locally here.

From the north end of the village of Mumpé Medel, we get the first look at the suspension bridge below.

A zoomed view shows an old church building on the north side of the gorge and bridge, and we are hoping we can look inside once we get down there!

Lots of beautiful poppies in this garden!

Looking behind us again up the Medel Valley.

That little village church we saw from higher up the hill has a very interesting-looking bell tower

Heading to have a look at the Mumpé Medel church before we descend toward the suspension bridge. The church is called Sogn Valentin (St. Valentine)

The little church in Mumpé Medel, built in 1647 (?), also has one of those beautiful winged altar pieces. (I can't find additional information).

Now ready to start our descent to the bridge. The "Pendenta" was completed in October 2024 and now makes it so much easier to cross the deep gorge.

"La Pendenta", at 270 meters is the longest suspension bridge in Canton Graubünden. It hangs about 100 meters above the Rhine River below, and is now considered one of the most spectacular suspension bridges in Switzerland.

Crossing the fabulous "Pendenta" bridge.

Down below (100 meters) we can see the bridge that crosses the Rhine River, which was originally the way one had to cross here (100 meters down, and then up again). My original plan was to walk down there after crossing the suspension bridge, and then following the river for a couple of kilometers before heading out to Disentis. (We didn't do that).

On the north side of the bridge is the small church of Sontga Gada (Saint Agatha). Often these old chapels are locked, but we were really lucky this time, it was open! This is apparently the oldest still standing church in Disentis, commissioned originally in 1100 by the monks in the Disentis Monastery, but destroyed in a fire of 1387, and then rebuilt in 1420.

The interior had the most stunning frescoes. The three altar recesses are also quite unique.

Beautiful interior of the 1420 Saint Agatha Chapel.

Huge murals on the walls

More details on the beautiful interior of this chapel.

Heading off now toward Disentis, a look back at the chapel.

Originally we were going to walk back to the train station in Disentis, below the monastery building. But there was a small train station closer by called Acla da Fontauna, only 15 minutes from here, and a train was stopping there in about 30 minutes. We had had enough of walking in the heat, so we decided to simply head to the closest station. (Disentis station was 25 minutes through the city).

Down valley we could see another train approaching Disentis.

Our train arrives at the Acla da Fontauna Station at 15:17. From here we travel over the Oberalp Pass and via Andermatt and Göschenen back home, a 3-hour and 20-minute trip back home. (We had actually reached the station at 2:50 p.m. so we had to wait quite a while. Having started at 10:30 on the 2-hour hike, turns out it took us over four hours to hike this short stretch!)

View up into the Medel Valley past the mountain village of Mompé Medel, which we had walked through to get to the suspension bridge, which you can see below.

What our hike looks like on Google Satellite Maps, starting higher up in the Medel Valley, and walking northwards via Mutschnengia and Mumpé Medel toward Disentis.

PART III -- Train trip back home via the Oberalp Pass and Andermatt, a three-hour and 20-minute trip!

Heading up the Surselva Valley, we look back over the roofs of Sedrun. (We have done two winter hikes starting here, and ending in Disentis....most recently in December 2022 ).

The train passes above the village of Rueras

View down the Surselva Valley to Rueras and Sedrun.

Hidden in the mountains up ahead near the Oberalppass is Lake Toma, the source of the Rhine River. You can just make out a small stream in the valley below, the "young" Rhine River. (Vorderrhein / Rein Anteriur). The valley was looking so beautiful, that we decided to return two days later to walk down the valley here.

Crossing the Oberalp Pass at 4 p.m. Here we crossed from Canton Graubünden into Canton Uri.

As the train heads down to Andermatt, we get a look at the Damma Glacier, which is at the back of the Göscheneralp Valley, one valley over.

The town of Andermatt below, at the east end of the Urseren Valley. At the very back is the Furka Pass.

View into the side valley called Unteralp.

From Andermatt, we change trains for the short ride down the Schöllenen Gorge. Each time we pass here, I take this photo of the Devil's Bridge.

A look up the Schöllenen Gorge to the winding road. There is a hiking trail from Andermatt down this gorge, mostly along the top of the vehicle galleries. (A hike we did in August 2019)