High above Lake Poschiavo on the Old Mule Trail (Austria to Italy)

Friday August 7 -- As we had discovered the day before, it was too late to make reservations on the mini-buses that were heading up into Val Camp in the two days we were here, so we moved our plans for San Romerio to Friday, and made totally new plans for Saturday.

From our B&B in Campascio to the train station at Brusio is a 5-minute train ride, and from Brusio, a mini-bus makes scheduled runs to the village of Viano high above the valley bottom. Viano, as well as the ancient church of San Romerio, lie on the old mule trail called Via Veltellina, an important trade route between Austria and the Veltlin in Italy during the middle ages . Most people who take the bus up to Viano will continue southwards along the trail to Tirano in Italy, or make the 2.5-hour hike to the church to the North. An insider secret, which is not really well-published yet, is that for an extra 10 SFr. per person, the mini-bus will take you another 20 minutes along narrow switchbach roads (some requiring 4x4) to a parking lot which is within about 30 minutes walk to the little church! All other six passengers descended in Viano, and we got a private ride for the final amazing stretch!

The quaint little church of San Romerio has been in this location, 800m above the valley floor, since mid-11th Century, although additional main parts of the church were added on in the 15th Century, as was often the case. The church perches right on the edge of the cliff, has an unexpected very worn set of stone steps into a small underground crypt (very dark!) and a side-room which serves as an ossuary, another surprise for us.

Additional to the chapel, there were buildings that served as monastery and accommodations for nuns and monks, which have since been converted by the private owners into a lovely mountain hostel, where we paused for something cool to drink before continuing on our total 4-hour hike high above the valley, mostly through pleasant forests on an easy trail (perfect for this hot day), following the Via Valtellina, with the intention of walking all the way to the city of Poschiavo. It was too hot once we left the protection of the forest, so we cut the hike short at Le Prese next to the lake, before returning to our B&B. Even then, it was a 12-kilometer hike.

Oh, and Urs was particularly pleased that we finally got to do this excursion. It has been a wish of his since our host at Casa Lucini told us about the church several years ago, as he is a Post-Bus driver and does the bus run....

On our way past Lake Poschiavo on the day before, we had seen the
church high up on the edge of the cliff. A fascination for years, this was the goal of today's hike.

From Brusio (below), a van-bus takes us up a narrow winding road to the town of Viano, which is a popular starting point for hikes along the Via Valtellina

In Viano, the trail markers show that it is about 2 hours 30 minutes to walk either way along the Via Valtellina (Trail no.30), whether to Tirano, Italy to the South, or to San Romerio to the North.

The other 6 passengers disembarked in Viano, and the Post-Bus continued even higher along more winding roads, for another 20 minutes. It was a great ride, and just for us!

The bus goes as far as the parking lot at Piaz, which brings us to within 1.5 km or 30 minutes walk to the Church at the Romerio Alp. 

From San Romerio we had a pleasant walk through the forest, which is actually a 236 hectare forest reserve, which will be left "to its own devices" till 2060.  We had planned to continue northwards to the town of Poschiavo, to complete that section of the Via Valtellina Trail, but decided to end in Le Prese, because it had gotten quite warm.

Heading along the road toward San Romerio

A look South down the Poschiavo Valley. Campascio, where we stayed at the B&B, is only 2 km from the Italian border. Viano is where the other six hikers got off the bus. 

Zoomed view of Viano

Walking along the mountain road toward San Romerio

First view of San Romerio

The church is first mentioned in documents dating from mid 11th Century. The tower and chancel were added in the 15th Century

You can view the church, but you have to get the key from the owner of the hostel

Entering the church and descending the dark, narrow and very worn-out stone steps into the crypt.

I opened the little window in the crypt and this is the view you get. It makes the knees weak!

The chancel with the altar is "newer", the rest is about 1000 years old. So hard to imagine!

Peeking through some wooden slats into a side room I am surprised to see that this serves as a type of ossuary!

View down to Lake Poschiavo 800m below

The rest of the buildings which used to be monastery have been privately owned since 1829. The family has made lots of improvements, and this is a popular place to spend the night when hiking the Via Valtellina.

Mid-Morning Panaché, it's already quite warm out!

These stone cellars took four years to build as the stones had to be collected from all over the mountainside. The Hostel keeps all their vegetables and refreshments in these "coolers"

Time to continue on along the old mule trail. This view is South down the Poschiavo Valley. We are not sure why this important trade route passed so high above the valley bottom, but we figure that centuries ago, when there were no paved roads, that the valley bottoms where rivers flowed tended to be marshy and difficult to pass with mule trains.

On this hot day it is actually pleasant to walk through the cool forest

Lots of lush vegetation and streams to cross

VIDEO:

Waterfall

These are larch forests and the ants have built MASSIVE ant hills with the larch needles

VIDEO:

Ant Hill

The trail was easy and pleasant to walk

At this spot we found a bench in the cool shade of some trees. The city of Poschiavo was still 90 minutes North of here, and as soon as we came into open country, it grew hot. So we decided to end our hike below, in the town of Le Prese, with a walk along the tree-lined lanes near the lake. Even this last stretch took 60 minutes

Down at the valley bottom, this little village is called Cantone

Walking along the shore of Lago Poschiavo

Poschiavo is 5 km to the North of here

On this stretch of the railway line, the train runs right along the main road. This is our train to take us back to our B&B in Campascio

VIDEO:

The Rhaetian Railway line shares the motor vehicle road at many places 

on this stretch of the valley 

between Poschiavo and Tirano

As we pass on the far side of Lake Poschiavo on our way back to our B&B, we can see where we walked high up on the mountain. 

Riding the train along Lake Poschiavo

Passing through Brusio on the way to the 360-Viaduct again.

VIDEO:
More footage of the train crossing the Brusio Viaduct!

Heading out through the loop

A 4-hour, 12-km hike with an 1100m descent, although the descent wasn't strenous at all. 

By the way, here's our cute apartment! Our host brings us a fantastic breakfast as well!

A very remote region of Switzerland

Hike Around Piz Lagalb to the Bernina Pass

With a 10-day stretch of days off and vacation, we had planned two "longer" trips, instead of just doing day-trips. That is, going to a different part of Switzerland and staying three days in one area to discover places that take longer to get to.

The first was the 3-day trip to Davos on July 30th to Aug.1st. The second trip was from Aug.6th to 8th to one of the most remote corners of Switzerland, the Poschiavo Valley, which is on the South side of the Bernina Pass and forms a small finger of land projecting into Italian territory, and takes over 6 hours by public transit for us to get to. The popular Bernina Railway line (the highest regularly scheduled train service in Europe) heads through there from St.Moritz to Tirano in Italy, and it is a favourite ride and location for us, having been there several times before (also with guests!)

The main reasons for going were Urs' wish to see the 11th-Century San Romerio Church perched 800m above Lake Poschiavo, and my wish to repeat one of the very first hikes we did almost exactly 7 years ago when I came to Switzerland. This was in another remote Valley called Val Camp, from where you cross the Viola Pass into Italy to eat at a restaurant renowned for its Polenta. The B&B that we like to stay at is ideally located for us to get there and back on a day trip. In fact, we had already made a reservation for lunch for the Friday.

So on the way to the Poschiavo Valley on Thursday, we took a break two hours short of our destination to do a 3-hour hike near the Bernina Pass, namely walking around the peak called Piz Lagalb, another barren high alpine landscape with many small lakes and breathtaking views of glaciers and the Poschiavo Valley. Starting late in the day (near noon) it was quite warm, but rivers, lakes and a cool breeze were helpful. 

ADDENDUM: As we enjoyed refreshments in the Cambrena Restaurant at the Bernina Pass at the end of the hike, we called the bus company to reserve our seats into Val Camp for the next morning, only to find out that both morning buses, including extra buses, on both Friday and Saturday were already fully booked. Such a disappointment! The trip will have to wait for another year then....

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THE TRIP STARTS with a train ride through the Prättigau where we spent the other three days in Davos, then through the 19-km long Vereina Tunnel, emerging at Susch, and traveling along the En River (better known as the Inn River) to Pontresina and the Bernina Pass:

After emerging from the 19-km long Vereina Tunnel, the Red Train from the Rhaetian Railway travels Westward along the En (Inn) River

It is always a treat to ride the train in the Upper Engadine. This is the town of Zernez, from where you access the Swiss National Park to the South.

Everywhere the pretty Engadine houses

Train Station in S-Chanf reminds us of a really nice vacation week we spent near here in 2016

Past Pontresina toward the Bernina Pass, you go by the imposing Morteratsch Glacier (we also hiked up above this glacier in 2013). The peak in the center is Mt. Bernina, at 4039m the highest peak in the Eastern Alps.

As we had come from Samedan by bus, we got off at the Lagalb Cable Car station, and headed into the side valley, Val Minor, heading to the pass called Fuorcla Minor

After 4 hours and 15 minutes of travel, we got off the bus at Lagalb cable car station, and started on our hike at 11:30, pretty late for us, and already quite warm. We got back on the train at the Bernina Pass (the highest altitude railway station on the Rhaetian Railway line) at 16:30, and got to our B&B in Campascio at 18:15.

As we head into the Val Minor, a look back shows us the beautiful Cambrena Glacier on the left, and dead ahead the snowy peak of Piz Palü.

Close-up of Piz Palü (Mt. Palü). On the left is a peak called Piz D'Arlas

Heading up into the Valley... as usual there were clouds covering the sun as we got on the way, but for this time I was VERY glad of the shade!

The poisonous Monkshood is prolific in the Alps at this time of year.

A herd of Berber horses grazes here in July and August

I was glad for the water, poured it over my head several times during the hike!

Looking back down the valley. Here we have almost reached the first lake

So pretty, the wild flowers

Other hikers also enjoying the flowers

The first of several lakes. The next one is hidden on the next elevated section

Nearness of water and a cool breeze helped so it wasn't so hot

Looking down over all the lakes as we reach the Fuorcla Minor Pass.

On the South side, a look into the Poschiavo Valley. Val Camp, where we had hoped to go the next day, is on the left in the darker set of mountains.

It took about 2 hours to get here, and now we have another hour to walk to the Bernina Pass, along the trail on the hillside ahead

First glimpse of the mighty Cambrena Glacier as we head West toward Lago Bianco

More pretty lakes

First glimpse of Lago Bianco

VIDEO
Cows at Lago Bianca near the Bernina Pass

Below is the Bernina Pass, and the restaurant Cambrena. We had an extra hour before the next train South, so we stopped at the restaurant for refreshments

The mother cow somehow made it out of the enclosure, and the baby was desperate to get to its Mama, but couldn't. I'm sure they figured something out. But best not to interfere when there are baby cows involved!

A one-hour break inside the restaurant to cool off the burning skin

Catching the Rhaetian Railway at Ospizio Bernina Station, the highest altitude railway station on the line.

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FROM THE BERNINA PASS along Lago Bianco (North-South watershed... feeding the Baltic Sea to the East and the Adriatic Sea to the South) down the switchback railway line, into the Poschiavo Valley and toward the Italian border, we rode the train for another 90 minutes, which includes the always fascinating 360-degree Brusio Viaduct, before arriving at our B&B in Campascio not far from the Italian border.

Heading South along Lago Bianco

Lago Bianco South Side (a reservoir lake which is a watershed for the Baltic Sea to the East and the Adriatic Sea to the South) 

At Alp Grüm, a look down at Lake Palü and straight ahead at the Palü Glacier. One of our favourite places.

Winding down into the Poschiavo Valley

Looking down into the Poschiavo Valley with Lago Poschiavo. We are going even further than that.

Arriving at the valley bottom in San Carlo near the town of Poschiavo

As we travel past Lago Poschiavo, we can barely make out the 11th Century Church -- San Romerio -- perched 800m above lake level. This is what Urs came to see.

Traveling over the 360-degree Brusio Viaduct

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Riding the train over the Brusio Viaduct

The train passes right behind the Lucini's yard in Campascio. We rented the upstairs apartment for two days.

This is the remote part of Switzerland that we like to go to, but it takes about 6 hours to get there.