The Old Avers Road from Cresta to Innerferrera (Graubünden)

July 21 to 25, 2022: Five-Day vacation in Canton Graubünden (Rheinwald)

In September of last year we spent four days in a region we had bever been before: Rheinwald in Canton Graubünden, near the San Bernardino and Splügen Passes and the Italian border and part of the Beverin Nature Park. It is here that the Posterior Rhine (Hinterrhein) -- one of the two main sources of the Rhine River -- has its origin. We enjoyed our time there so much, especially as we had a really great accommodation in a very old but wonderfully renovated former traveler's inn, and we made it our plan to return. (Links to photos from the previous vacation can be found HERE bottom of the page).

The region offers alpine taxi service to various alpine pastures, saving us 600m of ascent each time. These were not available last September, so we chose to return in July when they were available, to access other parts of the area that we otherwise would not. Those taxis were the focus of this vacation.

We don't generally book accommodation far in advance, as we are then committed regardless of weather, but the studio apartment which we had rented last time had availability right during our vacation period, so we took the risk. It paid off because we had acceptable weather for five days of hiking, even with the current heat wave.

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DAY 1 of 5, Thursday July 21 -- Old Avers Road

Travel day to Rheinwald, we could not get here early enough for the one taxi service which runs on Thursday (it turns out that the whole region accessed by this particular bus has been closed due to a pack of wolves called the Beverinrudel having killed some cows up there), so we returned to the Ferrera Valley and followed the Old Avers Road (built in 1895) or "Walserweg" Trail for 12 kilometers from Cresta to Innerferrera (at first it looked like we'd have to hike in fog or low clouds, but the day cleared up). It was a relatively short hike for us, 3.5 hours, following the Averser Rhine / Ferrera River. But after a 4-hour trip to get here, we were glad to head out to our accommodation in the quaint town of Nufenen, one of five villages in the Rheinwald Valley.

The highlight of this day was the "Punt di Val di Lei" bridge along the Old Avers Road which touches on a very short piece of the Italian border. As you stand on the bridge, you look up the Lei Valley which belongs to Italy, and the rest of the region all belongs to Switzerland. 

Heading up the Avers Valley, we were concerned about the weather and large amount of low cloud. This is what the village of Avers-Cresta (where we planned to start our hike) looked like at 09:45 as we headed up the valley by bus. I won't walk in the fog, so we simply rode the bus another 15 minutes up valley to the final stop at Juf, where the clouds were just lifting. We stayed on the bus for its trip back down the valley. 

By the time the bus returned to Cresta (10:10), the clouds were lifting here as well, so we started on our hike down-valley as planned

A little look at some of the houses in Avers-Cresta before starting on our hike along the Old Avers Road. (We chose to start here because last September we had walked along the Old Avers Road from Juf at the back of the valley, deviating up the mountain from here).  

From Cresta we followed the Old Avers Road (Trail no. 757) / Walserweg (Trail no.35) for 12 km to Innerferrera. 

Interesting information about the Old Avers Road (built in 1895). We walked it in the down-valley direction, having done two sections Juf-Cresta and Ausserferrera-RofflaGorge in September 2021. We actually wanted to walk the missing section from Cresta to Ausserferrera, but it was too long a stretch (5.5 hours)

The 12-km stretch along the Walserweg or Old Avers Road, from Cresta to Innerferrera, with the interesting spot along the Bridge at the Lei Valley, where we looked "into Italy"

A look down into the gorge and the Old Avers Road above, where we started on our walk. 

Walking along the Old Avers Road, built in 1895

Bridge crossing the Avers Rhine River

This rickety bridge was not actually part of the trail

On the opposite side of the gorge, a magnificent cement arch bridge forms part of the new road which leads to the back of the valley

This is the Lezi Bridge, part of the new road up the valley spanning the gorge. Since learning about the Swiss Civil Engineer Robert Maillart who pioneered the cement arch bridge, we love to admire them all over the place!

A look up the gorge from the Lezi Bridge. Our trail was mostly along the left side of the river, or the right side of this photo. 

A long downhill section through the forest and we get to the village of Cröt. Last year we took a mountain trail from Cresta and descended here at Cröt from the mountain on the right. Those photos are HERE. 

Village of Cröt

An interesting section as we continue to follow the river down-valley

The next village down-valley: Campsut

The post bus making another run up the valley to Juf, the final hamlet at the back of the valley and the highest-altitude year-round inhabited village in Europe

Another look up the valley as we head down

This is the new highway bridge. Beneath it along the old road is a bridge called "Punt di Val di Lei". The valley behind it belongs to Italy, but all the rest to Switzerland

Valle di Lei bridge on the border between Italy and Switzerland. Renovated in 2007.

Looking up the Valle di Lei into Italy. Only this valley belongs to Italy. We are still on the Swiss side. 

Fascinating that we are walking on a trail in Switzerland, and at this one single point we can look up into the Valle di Lei, which belongs to Italy. 

Valle di Lei bridge, built in 1895, renovated 2007

The cement bridge is a stunning construction

More bridges! At this point the river is now called Ferrera

A glimpse of the village of Innerferrera through the trees

We left the Walserweg trail near Innerferrera to cross this suspension bridge and approach Innerferrera from the right side of the river

Suspension bridges are great!

High above the Ferrera River

From Innerferrera it would have been another two hours to walk to Ausserferrera (the next town down-river) which was too much for us, so we stopped here to see if they had.... what else, ice cream. 

Ice cream sundaes at Hotel Alpenrose in Innerferrera. Urs was more than happy to finish mine as well. 

The bus can barely squeeze between the houses in the main square in Innerferrera

In September 2021 we did hike from Innerferrera to Ausserferrera but the valley bottom (the Old Avers Road) was in full shadow of the mountains already, so we took a higher route. At Ausserferrera we joined the Walserweg again down to the Roffla Gorge. Those photos are HERE

We took the bus down-valley to the Roffla Gorge, and the connecting bus up the Rheinwald Valley to our rented studio apartment in Nufenen. The black bus icons on this map are the alpine taxis which we want to try on this vacation (we managed three of them, it cost 10 Fr. for each ride). 

The village of Nufenen, where we stayed for four nights (in September 2021 we also stayed here for three nights). 

We stayed for four nights in a studio apartment in this 300-year-old renovated traveler's inn

Rheinwald Region in Switzerland

The Highest Village in Europe with Permanent Residents: Juf

Friday September 24, 2021 -- Day 3 of our 4-day trip to the Swiss Nature Park Beverin.

There is a village in Switzerland at the very South end of the Beverin Nature Park called Juf (pronounced "Youff"); at 2125 meters above sea level it is the highest village in Europe which is permanently lived in year-round (about 30 people from 6 families) and also one of the coldest regions in Switzerland. It was always a goal of ours to visit this village, and as it is not that far from our accommodation in Nufenen in the Rheinwald Valley, it was an ideal time to do this trip. 

Juf is at the very back of a valley which is basically a continuation of the Ferrera and Avers Valleys which we had visited two days earlier. So in effect, we returned to the same area. The river here is called the Jufer Rhein, and after joining with a series of other rivers, eventually joins the Hinterrhein at the Rofla Gorge (Those photos are HERE). 

We got to the village shortly before 10 a.m. and took our time with a second breakfast at one of the TWO hotels located at the back of this remote valley (!!!) before finally heading out at 10:45. The first half of our hike on this fantastic day was along the river but all in sunshine this time! The valley is wide up here, and we were surprised that cattle grazing was in full force, whereas at similar altitudes in other parts of the Alps, the cows have already returned to the "valley bottoms". 

About half-way down the valley, the trail descends into ravine-like terrain, and we wanted to continue enjoying the sunshine, so we switched to a high trail, which meant more ascent but also more spectacular views! Along this trail we encountered an aesculapian snake (these are big, non-venomous snakes, and it disappeared faster than I could ready my camera!) and some more mean-looking cows who forced us to do a 15-minute detour. We timed our excursion perfectly again, although we did have to move fast coming down the mountain to reach the tiny hamlet of Cröt about 10 minutes before the bus descended from Juf.

This was early enough in the day that we still had time for a tour of the westernmost village in the Rheinwald Valley, the village of Hinterrhein (same name as the river) right before the San Bernardino Pass (and tunnel). Hinterrhein is the oldest documented Walser settlement in Canton Graubünden, with records dating to at least the 13th Century. Each house had a name, and we watched the "cows come home" before heading on the four-minute bus ride back to our accommodation in Nufenen, one village over, for our final night in "the castle"....

Heading up the Ferrera Valley by bus we reach the village of Innerferrera, which is where we started our hike two days earlier (Photos are HERE).

At the Gasthaus Alpenrose is where we had coffee and cake before heading out on our hike

Enjoying the morning sunshine at the Gasthaus Alpenrose while waiting for our coffee

This house has vacation apartments and a small shop on the ground level!

A view to the very back of the valley past Juf

Having just crossed the Jufer Rhine, we are on our way North down the valley. 

The village of Juf: At 2125 meters above sea level, this is the highest village in Europe with permanent (year-round) residents, about 30 people from six families. There are two "Gasthaus" and several vacation apartments for rent as well. 

Our hike was a little over four hours. Mostly it was easy downhill walking except where we took the high trail before descending to Cröt. There is a small piece of Italy which juts into Switzerland here. Interesting is that the Lago di Lei is in Italy, but its dam beloongs to Switzerland

Heading down the beautiful Juf / Avers Valley, high above the tree-line. The weather was sunny and relatively mild. 

The river here is called the Jufer Rhine. Just below here, the river is joined by the Bergalgabach from the left to create the Avers Rhine, which continues nortward to become the Ferrera Rhine.

Side valley called Bergalga. There were marmots here, but too far to photograph well. 

There were still lots of cows out in the pastures up here. 

Heading down the valley. Eventually, we would walk up to the point with the arrow, before heading down on the other side. 

Behind me on the right is small bunch of cows. There were only about ten meters to cross along the road where they were standing (on a bridge), but there were babies and the cows glared at us, so we returned to here and descended to the road, and then climbed the hill again on the far side of the bridge. 

A detour around the cows and another 30 minutes of walking parallel to the road, we descend to this little community called Pürt, where there was a little self-serve shop in that barn at the far end. 

Looking down at Pürt. 

In the self-serve shop in the barn, I bought some home-made chocolate spread (we still had plenty of cheese from the dairy in Nufenen where were spending three nights). 

The trail switched to below the road. This is looking up-valley again. 

Ahead of us is the little church at Cresta. This is a dominant landmark here. We stopped for our picnic lunch and to rest our feet in the cemetery behind that wall. It was almost too hot there. 

We had seen advertisements that the church was getting a new organ, and happened to watch the fellow who was installing it. 

Heading through the village of Cresta

This house looks like it is about to break apart!

We decided that we would ascend on the high trail instead of going down into the shady ravine

Heading uphill along the high trail far above the Avers Rhine River

We're glad we chose the high trail instead of descending into the canyon (lots of shade there). This view up the valley where we had descended from made it worth the effort. 

A rather beautiful farm house way up here!

Fantastic panorama view of the Avers/Juf Valley on the left, and the Madrisch Valley on the right. Down below, where the two valleys meet, is where we are going to catch the bus. 

A look up the Madrisch Valley. Over those hills on the right is Italy. And straight down below is the village of Cröt, where we want to catch the bus. 

Contemplating our descent. We had to move fast to make sure we caught the 15:30 bus. It took us 35 minutes to descend.

Down below is the village of Cröt. The bus descends from the left, as does the alternate trail we could have taken. 

We actually arrived with 10 minutes to spare!

Houses in Cröt

How our hike looks on Google Satellite Maps

It was only an hour bus ride when we caught the 15:30 bus, to get to Hinterrhein via the Rofla Gorge. Hinterrhein is the last village in the western part of the Rheinwald Valley, before the road crosses the San Bernardino Pass. There is a section of Italy which juts into this part of Switzerland. 

We had an hour in the village of Hinterrhein to look at the pretty houses, before catching a bus back to Nufenen.

Main square in Hinterrhein

The 30-km speed zone here was a laugh!

Church bell-tower

Each house has a name

This is a house with the name "Kabinet"!

This is a look westward at the Hinterrhein River. Its source is in the mountains at the back. The road to the San Bernardino Pass is just on the left, as well as the newer base tunnel. 

We watched the cows coming up from the meadows to their barns (It's too cold to leave them out in the fields overnight). 

VIDEO:

Cows are returning from pasture on the other side of the highway. They belong to two families and have to be sorted as they go in two different directions. The cows look confused!

A few cows heading through the village

This was good for a laugh: A note for the postman reads: "Please place mail for Anna Linder under the rock on the window sill. Thank you".

Back at our Accommodation in Nufenen, one town over. 

This is the entrance to our living quarters. There are chickens everywhere!

This is the area of the Rheinwald and the Southern part of the Swiss Nature Park Beverin where we spent four days in September.