On the Via Gottardo Trail again, from Lodrino to Biasca on the Ticino Side

Thursday November 27, 2025 -- It's still very cold in the north, and lots of sunshine in the south, so on the spur of the moment I headed toward Bellinzona and Biasca, which is just a two-hour trip to milder temperatures (about 9 degrees) for a short walk of 10 kilometers.

Since I keep track of all our hikes on Google Earth Maps, I like to connect trails from where we ended and started previous trails, and there was one rather monotonous stretch along the Ticino River between Lodrino and Biasca in the "Riviera" part of the valley, connecting where we left off on our (similar) December 2023 walk along the Ticino River, and ending in the city of Biasca. This is another section of the National Trail no.7: "Via Gottardo" of which we have done several sections, but the maximum amount of time I can spend walking along the river. (For me, this is much more tiring than 4 hours of mountain trails).

I started at 11:15 at the former train station in Cresciano, and ended in Biasca at about 2 p.m., just as this city was starting to be thrown into the shadow of the steep western mountains there. Winter walks in the sunshine are difficult to calculate in this part of the Ticino River Valley, and I should have started at least an hour earlier for better sunshine. Returning to Bellinzona by train, I could have spent some more time in the sunshine there, which lasts until about 4 p.m., but after this 2½-hour walk I was ready to head back home (just a 90-minute trip).!

PART I -- Snow in our region... The landscape was beautiful, and on the way south, I almost changed plans as the landscape was beautiful! In retrospect, I could have done a very nice walk somewhere here at lake level, with gorgeous views of the freshly-fallen snow!

Passing Mt. Rigi at the south end of Lake Zug. The snow-cover tooks fabulous, especially where it ends so suddenly!

And here we are near the city of Schwyz. I could have done a nice walk along the cleared roads, but actually, I wasn't sure how cold it would be. 

Fantastic Mythen Mountains

Close-up look at the Grosser Mythen Peak. It was just a few weeks earlier that I walked down to the city of Schwyz through the clearings on the bottom left. 

Later on, near the south end of Lake Uri near Flüelen, another fabulous peak called Gitschen. 

PART II: 10-km Walk from Cresciano/Lodrino to Biasca along the Ticino River

This turned out to be a 10-km and 2½-hour walk, mostly along the Ticino River on a fairly level path. After crossing the bridge at Biasca (in shadow at 1:30 p.m.), the final 1½ kilometers to the train station was along a paved road. I started across the river from Lodrino at 11:15, and just caught the 13:55 train back to Bellinzona (I was a minute too lake, but the conductor waited for me!)

Starting across from the former Cresciano train station (where we had ended a similar walk in December 2023) at 11:15, I first crossed the Ticino River and walked beneath the freeway bridge on my way to Lodrino on the west side of the river. 

A look south down the Ticino River as I cross the bridge on my way to Lodrino. 

A look to the mountains on the east side of the river near Osogna, I can see the little Oratorio della Santa Pieta chapel which we have walked past on two previous hikes on the higher trail (February 2018 and February 2020) 

A view of the snow-covered peaks on the west side of the river, above the village of Lodrino. 

A view up the Ticino River after passing beneath the freeway bridge. 

Here I cross a side stream which enters the Ticino River. View past the freeway bridge to the mountainside above Osogna. 

Up ahead is the parish church of Lodrino. (Back in February 2018, we started and ended a loop tour up the western hillside above Lodrino and the granite quarry just north of here.) A trail marker here indicates that it should take another two hours to walk to Biasca.  

This is the Sant'Ambrogio Church in Lodrino. The church was first mentioned in the 15th Century, although this building is Late Baroque.

Details of the Saint Ambrose church in Lodrino. The Rococo stucco artwork is from the 17th Century, as is the main portal and the fresco of the Nativity above it. The fresco of St.Christopher to the right of the door dates from 1718. 

Panorama view of the inside of the church in Lodrino. (I cannot recall quite clearly, but I don't think we saw the inside of this church last time we were here in 2018, because it was a Sunday and there might have been a church service going on).

I loved the colour inside of this building. 

Just to the north of the village is the Lodrino granite quarry. In February 2018 we started here in the village of Lodrino and hiked a trail above the quarry to three hamlets on this mountainside. 

Now starts the long walk along the Via Gottardo Trail next to the Ticino River. On that February 2018 hike, we also walked here along the river and through the forests back to Lodrino from Iragna, and as there are two parallel trails, I tried walking on the sections we didn't cover last time! 

A long level trail along the Ticino River. The air temperature was pretty mild, so a comfortable (although for me somewhat monotonous) walk. 

Across the river is the very steep Valle Osogna. (There is a trail up into that valley, but less interesting for us, as it's a 900-meter climb through the forest to the first clearing with mountain homes).

Ticino River (looking south), one of Switzerland's major rivers. 

The colour of the river was a clear turquoise. 

Now I get views into the Blenio Valley, which branches off from this valley at Biasca. It is a beautiful valley we have walked many times, and is also the valley that leads up to the Lukmanier Pass. 

I took a small detour off the riverside trail to have a look as this lovely "pond". 

This trail along the river is part of both National Trails no.7: "Via Gottardo", and no.2: "Trans-Swiss Trail". 

Above me to the west, more of the higher, snow-covered peaks come into view. 

A spot along the river for a short break. 

Crossing the bridge over the Ticino River before the final stretch to the train station in Biasca. It is only 1:30 p.m., but this part of the valley is now already in shadow of the steep mountains to the West. 

At this point it was 13:41..... The train leaves at 13:55 and I walked very quickly because I didn't want to wait around for the next train at 14:25 because there was a lot of construction noise. It was all on paved roads from here to the train station, and I walked very quickly..... 

A look southwards down the valley from Biasca

To the northeast, the Blenio Valley (and the Malvaglia side valley) still have lots of sunshine!

But to the northwest, the Leventina Valley is already in shadow. Biasca lies at the junction of the Leventina and Blenio Valleys .

Just short of the train station, you can see the double-waterfalls that Biasca is known for. It's 13:51 and I figured that was more than enough time for the few meters to the platform, but.... there was a detour due to construction, and I just made it to the platform at about 15 seconds before the 13:55 departure, and just wanted to hop into an open door.....

... when a train employee signaled to me that I had to go to the front part of the train! Lucky for me, he opened this door remotely and the train driver waited for me, causing the train to leave a bit later than the scheduled departure! From here the train goes back to Bellinzona, where I take the fast train back home (by 3:45 p.m.!)

This is what my walk along the Ticino River looks like on Google Satellite Maps. Starting where we ended the December 2023 walk, I crossed the river to Lodrino, and then walked along the west side of the river to the bridge at Biasca. 

These are all the hikes we have done in this upper part of what is called the Riviera, near Biasca at the junction of the Blenio and Leventina Valleys. 

By 2:30 p.m., as the fast train north passes by Biasca again, the city is already in shadow. 

PART III -- Winter Scenes North of the Gotthard Tunnel

North of the Gotthard Tunnel, the sun is setting behind Mt. Gitschen at the south end of Lake Uri. 

A glimpse of Mt. Bristen to the south (Zoomed View). 

Heading north along Lake Uri

Beautiful sunshine in Schwyz. These are the peaks of the two Mythen mountains! It might have been a nice walk here in the north after all!

And now the view south over Lake Lauerz as the train arrives in Goldau. 

Location of Biasca within Switzerland. 

The Churches of Biasca and the Via Crucis (Way of the Cross)

Saturday March 4, 2023... PART II -- After our two-hour walk in the Blenio Valley from Dongio to Semione (see photos HERE), we took the bus to Biasca to walk up to the Roman bridge behind the train station, a bridge under which the river splits into a double waterfall. We see this waterfall every time we travel this stretch when we head to the southern Ticino (which is very often) and we have long wanted to walk up there. 

Usually in the early morning, this side of the mountain is in shadow, so as we got to Biasca at 3 p.m., we had just the right amount of afternoon sunshine to do the one-hour tour to the bridge and back, and along the way to visit two prominent church buildings which are also visible from the railway line. 

The nearest of the two buildings, San Carlo, is an unusual octagonal structure (construction started in the 1890's as a second church more accessible to the public than the magnificent Romanesque structure further up the hill, but never actually completed), whose interior I didn't like at all.

The majestic Romanesque Church (12th/13th Century) of Saint Peter and Paul on the other hand, is one of the most magnificent church buildings I have visited. There were no benches or pews inside the church, just a large stone interior with a mosaic ceiling and pillars and frescoes on all the walls, (and trapdoors and gravestones in the floor) with a simple stone altar at the front. I couldn't get enough photos....

This winter we have had little snow and rain, especially here in Ticino, so unfortunately there was very little in terms of waterfall, and certainly not a double one. But the walk was pleasant, (almost too warm) and we got back just in time for the 16:21 bus back to Bellinzona.

From the bus stop on the main road, you get a view of both church buildings

Our plan is to have a look at all three historical buildings (on the brown sign). About 25 minutes to the bridge, and another 30 minutes back to the train station. 

The Church of San Carlo is an unusual structure, started in the late 1890's and never fully completed

Information about the Church of San Carlo.

The interior of the San Carlo building was quite unusual, and not to my taste. This is very modern, having been added to in the mid 1900's, although some of the artwork (carving, crucifix) are from the 17th Century. 

A look back at the Church of San Carlo as we head up the stone steps to the Romanesque building

A sign outside the church of Saint Peter and Paul describes the architecture and history of the building in excellent German, except someone didn't notice the wrong spelling of the city of BIASCA!!!! (A link to an English description is HERE).

This beautiful structure is from the 12th Century!! (Restorations took place in the mid 1900's)

An unusual slanted floor leads to the simple stone altar. The tiled ceiling is unusual as well. 

All of the pillars and walls were painted in detailed frescoes

Wall-to-ceiling paintings

Like going to an art museum, but better (no other people....)

Urs looking on the Internet to try to find the age of the building.

Entire walls of frescoes

Intricate artwork in the side bays

Ceiling details, and a balcony I had to check out

Above the main door, a balcony I had to check out

Heading up to the balcony

View of the altar from the balcony

A look at the pillars and side bays from above

From the front of the church, a panorama view over the city of Bellinzona, the Leventina Valley on the left, and the Blenio Valley on the right. 

Information about the Via Crucis

From the bus stop (having come from the Blenio Valley to the North), the trail past the two churches and to the bridge, then back to the train station, was about an hour

The "Way of the Cross" featured 14 such shrines with various artwork. On the way back we took the road below

The roman bridge over the Froda River, which leads to a pool (non-existent at this point) and two waterfalls (also non-existent)

This fellow was enjoying a glass of Champagne at the upper pool

Past the Santa Petronilla Falls, you get a bit of a view down into the valley

Oratory Santa Petronilla... it was locked and we couldn't see into the windows

Lovely mild weather for this hike, at places almost too hot! (Forecast was for 18 degrees).

Heading back across the bridge. Most of the city of Biasca is already in the shadow of the mountains to the west (3:45 p.m.)

That would be me on the bridge! And the city of Biasca below

The blooms on these bushes look like they might be from this year! Also, the view is up the Levetina Valley toward the Gotthard Pass to the north

This family was having fun with a "photo shoot". 

What a beautiful blooming bush! So nice to see some colour in the otherwise brown landscape

Heading down the cobblestone road back to San Carlo

A final look up at the "Chiesa dei Santi Pietro e Paolo"

The bridge and waterfall as seen from the level of the train station below. Usually there are two waterfalls crossing each other, and it looks pretty impressive. But there is too little water this winter. 

Location of Biasca in Switzerland