Discovering two side Valleys of the Surselva near Disentis

Saturday October 7, 2023 -- A beautiful weekend and I originally wanted to go away for a two-day trip, but that didn't work out, so we settled for two day-trips. It's getting harder and harder to find new hikes we can do as day trips!

As it turns out, the hike we chose for this day required travel time of almost 4 hours each way, a bit extreme to say the least. We traveled through the Rhine Canyon again (where we had been just nine days earlier), but all the way to Disentis this time, in the Surselva Valley. From Disentis, a bus runs to the Lukmanier Pass, through the Medel Valley, where we had not yet been. Our main goal was a relatively short themed hike (only 2¼ hours) in another side valley new to us (starting and ending in a village called Curaglia), but there was still shade there and we wanted to make a longer day of it, so we rode the bus further up the valley and started with an easy 1¼-hour walk down the Medel Valley to Curaglia, then hiked into the Platta Valley. Both valleys feature tributaries of the Rhine River, where the water heads North to join the Rhine at Disentis. 

Although there were no clouds in the forecast, this changes quickly in the mountains, and by the time we got into the Platta Valley, the clouds moved in to block the sun, which kind of lessened the charm. In all, the hikes were not really challenging, but we experienced a new region, and that's always good. We also added 30 minutes of walking along the Platta Rhine on an unofficial trail, hoping to cross the river further up-valley, but the bridge there had already been removed for the winter. So we had to backtrack. In all, this turned out to be another 4-hour hike.

PART I: Hike along the Medel Rhine River to Curaglia

To get to Disentis in the Surselva Valley, you travel by train via Chur, through the ever-fascinating Rhine Gorge. 

Traveling through the Rhine Gorge at 9:15 a.m. This is one of the two main rivers (Anterior Rhine) which join nearby to form the Rhine River. (It has two recognized sources). 

Heading westward through the Surselva Valley. We don't come here often. The cloudless skies hold a lot of promise for this long trip here!

Heading westward, we can see the Medel Valley where we are heading south, it's right after the shadowed mountain flank on the left. 

An unusual build for churches in Canton Graubünden, the 8-sided St.Luzius chapel in Disla (very near Disentis) was built in 1704 by Italian Capuchin monks. 

Arriving in Disentis with its famous 1400-year-old Benedictine Monastery. (Founded in the 7th Century, although the building is a Baroque construction from the late 17th Century.)

A look down the Medel Valley as we head up-valley from Disentis on the bus. 

Passing the parish church in Platta, which is currently in the shadow of the mountain to the east, but which was in sunshine when we visited it 45 minutes later on our walk back down the valley. 

View across the valley from where we got off the bus. The plan is to walk through those two hamlets on our walk down-valley. We got here at 10:30 after leaving home at 6:40, so almost four hours of travel. 

The suggested theme trail no.667 which we had originally come for, was just over 2 hours of walking, so not long enough a walk to have come this far for. So as the bus ran up the Medel Valley toward the Lukmanier Pass, we rode two stops past Curaglia to start with a 1¼-hour walk down-valley in the sunshine. We started in Pardé at 10:40, and got on the bus in Curaglia at 15:30, after the full 4 hours of walking.  

The little chapel of St. Rochus in Pardé (where we started our hike) is called Sogn Roc, and had some nice frescoes inside. The chapel was consecrated in 1592, and the paintings are from 1593, but they were only uncovered in the restorations of 1980. As was common after the Reformation of about 1530, many of the frescoes in the formerly Catholic chapels were whitewashed, and only recently rediscovered. The altar, though, is Rococo from 1760, and the statue of St.Rochus on the altar dates from 1600. 

As we head down toward the Medel Rhine River, we get a view up the Medel Valley. The sheep are all watching us very, very carefully!

The sheep, like us, are enjoying the mild October weather!

Looking up the Medel Valley. This river, called the Medel Rhine (Rein da Medel), is one of the many tributaries of the Rhine River, which enters the Rhine at Disentis. The water flows out of the Santa Maria Lake at the Lukmanier Pass. You can see how much of the road and east side of the valley is still in shadow, although it is now 10:45 a.m. 

Heading down now on the sunny side of the valley, through the hamlets we saw earlier. 

From the west side of the river, we can see that the shadow of the mountain is receding from the next village of Platta, where the church was in shadow when we passed by bus. Until the end of the 20th Century, Platta was the political and religious center of the Medel Valley. 

Heading down the road to cross the Medel Rhine into the village of Platta. in the background is the town of Curaglia, from where we are then headed into the valley to its east side (on the right). 

Another look up the Medel Valley. The river has carved a deep gorge here!

And another look down the valley as we cross the bridge over the river. Before reaching Curaglia, we also pass through the village of Baselgia on the right. 

St.Martin's church in Platta. The tower is from the Romanesque period between the 10th and 12th Centuries, and the rest of the church (Baroque) was expanded and updated in the early 1500's.

St.Martin's church in Platta

Continuing on now on the east side of the Medel Rhine river, we reach the last village before Curaglia. Now there is plenty of lovely sunshine here too!

A zoomed view directly north to the Disentis Abbey at the entrance of the Medel Valley. 

Last stretch before reaching the larger village of Curaglia, now the political center of the valley. 

At random places in the pastures you might see a small chapel among the barns!

Across the valley to the west is a village built right on the edge of that ravine! It's called Mutschnengia. 

A zoomed view of the hamlet called Mutschnengia, on the edge of the ravine. 

The cats like Urs

Once we arrived in Curaglia at 11:50, we had a quick look into the village church of Santga Clau (= St.Nikolaus), before heading out on our "second" hike into the Platta Valley. 

This interesting piece of artwork in the Curaglia church is a Gothic altar piece which once stood in the church in Platta from 1510 to 1744, then in a couple of other churches in the Medel Valley before coming to this church in 2016

PART II: Loop Tour in the Platta Valley (Val Platta)

This themed trail from our favourite hiking website was the main one we wanted to do this day but it is a relatively easy hike, and just over 2 hours of walking (this is why we added on the extra section in the Medel Valley). We started on the trail at noon. (Unfortunately, the northernmost part of the trail was not accessible due to rock fall). 

From the website schweizmobil.ch is the description "Senda dils Senns Val Platta" (the name of this trail in the local Romantsch language, and means "Trail of the Senses in the Platta Valley"). We were not able to go to the Mulins suspension bridge because that part of the trail was off-limits. 

From the alternate trail we get a look down at the Mulins suspension bridge. The trail on the north side of the River ("Rein da Platta" = Platta Rhine) is off-limits due to rockfall

These are the mountains on the east side of the Platta Valley. The rust colouring was quite pretty.

Crossing the Platta Rhine River (a tributary which joins the Medel Rhine at Curaglia) before the first ascent to the chapel at Biscuolm. 

The "Trail of the Senses" was specially created for families to enjoy this small loop tour into the Platta Valley. Along the way are panels like this that touch on subjects relating to the valley (Rocks, Air, Trees, Water, etc., or as in this case Moss) with suggestions on how to experience them. 

At this point, the subject of "Moss" was very relevant!

We got to the little Biscuolm Chapel at 12:40, where we had our picnic lunch on that small bench

The view from the chapel, all the way to the mountains at the Oberalp Pass. Across the valley is a small hamlet which we passed through on our way back out of the valley. 

This is a view up the Platta Valley toward the Medel Glacier, as we continue on our uphill climb to the left. 

As so often happens, even though the weather forecast was for pure sunshine and to this point the day was fabulously cloud-free, suddenly a single cloud blocked our sunshine. This was at 1 p.m. 

Here we've almost reached the highest point of our hike, following the forest edge afterwards, to the right. 

Because of the increasing cloud-cover, the Platta Valley is now in the shadow of the clouds! But this view into the Medel Valley and beyond that into the Surselva Valley and to the Oberalp mountains is till pretty good!

Following the lovely high trail into the Platta Valley

More of that neat colouring of the mountains to the East. 

Now we've reached the furthest south end of the "Trail of the Senses" at the hamlet of Pardatsch. Instead of crossing the Platta Rhine River here and looping back out of the valley again, we decided to continue on an unofficial trail to cross the river on a small bridge further up-valley. 

Continuing up-valley (this is the view to the north) in order to increase our walking time, as we would otherwise be much too early for the 15:30 bus in Curaglia. 

Crossing the river-bed further up-valley. The water is coming down in several streams, and here it was no problem. But we saw that the main bridge (a mobile metal structure) had been removed. But we looked for a place to cross anyway. 

We searched up and down river to find a suitable place to cross, but it was evident that the bridge was indeed required, and it had already been removed for the winter!

Instead of crossing the river and returning along its left bank, we had to retrace our steps and return the way we had come. 

On our way back to the bridge at Pardatsch, where we can actually cross the river. 

A final look up the Platta Valley as we cross the bridge over the Platta Rhine River. Now that the clouds have dispersed, we get a nice clear view of the Medel Glacier. 

A close-up look at the large Medel Glacier. On the left side is a pass called "Fuorcla da Lavaz" and on that pass is a Swiss Alpine Hostel (Camona da Medel) where several people were headed along the trail into the valley along the west side of the river. 

We often wonder how those huge boulders just happen to land where they do.... 

Heading out of the Platta Valley now on the opposite side, we pass through that hamlet we saw from the chapel side. 

The view across the valley to the Biscuolm Chapel where we had our picnic lunch. 

At this time of year we see a lot of mushrooms in the forests. The descent to Curaglia was through a forested section. 

By 3 p.m. we reached the outskirts of Curaglia. The next bus out of the valley was at 3:30 p.m., so we had a bit of time to walk up and down the small alleys. 

In the older part of the village, as we inspected the alleys

A typical construction of Canton Grisons (Graubünden) with the small bay window. 

Waiting for the 3:30 p.m. bus on the main road in Curaglia 

A final look up the Medel Valley, where we did our first hike of the day. (Sun is gone again. This changes quickly in the mountains). 

As we approach Disentis, this is a look up the valley. So many of these side valleys have entrances through such narrow ravines, that you can hardly imagine wide open valleys above, made accessible by these fantastic winding roads. 

Location of Disentis and the Platta Valley in Switzerland

A Section of the Aargauer Trail from Salhöhe to Aarau

Wednesday October 4, 2023 -- Not the best day to travel to the mountains as it as pretty overcast there, but we still wanted to do some walking, so we went to the Jura foothills North of the city of Aarau where there was sunshine, walked along the ridge from Salhöhe Pass to the lookout at Wasserflue, and then walked all the way down the mountain to the city of Aarau.

Since Canton Aargau (Argovia) consists of 35% of forest, most of our hike was through forest, with a few meadows and a nice view over the old town of Aarau. Unfortunately, there is a large military training grounds exactly in the path of our hike, and we had to endure machine gun practice, not the nicest for an impromptu afternoon walk. 

The old part of Aarau (on the Aar River) is very pretty, as many of the houses have intricately-painted roof gables. 

This hike would not make it into the annals of our favourite hikes, but we didn't want to travel far, and we picked this stretch because it is part of the 100-km-long themed trail called the "Aargauerweg" (or "Argovia Trail") of which we have now just about completed the entire stretch (in several sections). In retrospect, we should have waited for a clear day with good visibility, so that we would have had the best of the view from the Wasserflue, as we did back in May of 2017, when we did a similar walk. 

Riding through old town Aarau by bus on the way to Salhöhe Pass

Some features of the city of Aarau as seen from the bus

Crossing the Aar River looking west, this is the Eniwa Hydroelectric Plant. 

Passing through the city of Erlinsbach where we had to change to a different bus. Interesting fact: Half of this city is in Canton Aargau, the other half in Canton Solothurn! (This church is actually in the Solothurn side of Erlinsbach). 

We got to Salhöhe Pass at 12:15, where we started on our 3-hour hike. First stop is the look-out point at Wasserflue (one hour to walk) where we had our picnic lunch, and from there it was another 2¼ hours to walk down to the city of Aarau 

This is a section of Trail no.42: "Aargauerweg" which we had not yet done, so that was the reason for randomly choosing this trail today. Also, we started late, so needed something relatively close by (2 hours travel time). It still ended up a solid 3-hour and 11 km afternoon walk. 

The view over the Argovian landscape to the north of the Jura ridge. 

The walk to the Wasserflue look-out point was all through the woods

This trail is along the crest of the Jura foothills, and most of the trail was this layer of almost vertical raised rock. 

We got to the look-out point at 13:05, so 50 minutes after starting our walk at the Salhöhe Pass. A drawback of the overcast skies in the mountains is that we didn't see any of the Alps. (With good visibility, you can see the whole range of the snow-covered Alps from here. We did this same stretch in May of 2017 with the Föhn wind effect, where the mountains looked so close... those photos are HERE)

The view to the east and southeast, to what is probably the city of Küttigen

View to the north, to the Benkerjoch Pass

This is where we had our picnic lunch, a bit late in the day. 

Heading downhill now below the crest, a look at the Wasserflue communication tower. 

When we were not in the forest, we walked through agricultural landscapes

The forests of Canton Aargau

One of many nice forest trails

An opening in the forest, looking east

For a part of our descent we were accompanied by the sound of machine-gun practice, which was not very enjoyable. This is the military training-ground at Gehren. 

Military training grounds

Heading toward the Buechwald "Oak Reservation Forest", a unique and rare oak forest in canton Aargau. We walked through this forest for 40 minutes before reaching a look-out over the city of Aarau

I don't know what these are, but it was a very pretty field of purple flowers

We reached the "Alpenzeiger" look-out point at 3:40 p.m, with this view of old-town Aarau, the Aar River, and the bridge which we crossed into the city.

Zoomed view of the old town of Aarau, from the north side

Zoomed view of the old town of Aarau, from the north side

Heading down to river level. 

Another view of the old town shortly before reaching river level. 

Crossing the bridge over the Aar River. 

Before heading to the train station, which is on the south side of the old town, we wandered a few streets to admire the painted roof gables. 

Old town Aarau

Such pretty roof gables. There is a lot to admire.

These are also very interesting roof overhangs! Earlier, there used to be cranes in these windows, to lift heavy things into the apartments which you could not bring up the stairs. 

One of the city gates

Tower at the city gate

Watching the bus make its way through the narrow city gate, on the south side of the old town. 

This is what our hike looks like on Google Satellite Maps

Location of Aarau and the Northeastern section of the Jura Foothills. (The Jura Mountains are mostly along the Swiss-French border). 

Description of the "Aargauerweg" (or Argovia Trail). The entire themed trail is about 100 km long. 

We have just about completed the entire "Aargauerweg" from Frick to Muri. We'll do the northern section from Salhöhe Pass to Wittnau (direction Frick) next Spring, hopefully. 

The view from the Wasserflue look-out point on a clear day. You can see the entire range of the Alps from here. When there is the Föhn-Wind effect, the mountains seem closer and larger. My photos from that day's hike are worth looking at HERE