An Easy Hike through the Schin Gorge from Vaz/Obervaz to Thusis in Canton Grisons

(This blog entry posted on Nov.30, 2022)

Wednesday September 21, 2022 -- The popular stretch of the Rhaetian Railway from Thusis to Filisur (part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Rhaetian Railway Albula/Bernina) passes through a spectacular gorge (Schynschlucht) before the valley opens up at Tiefencastel. We have ridden on this stretch countless times, and were always fascinated by the fact that there was a hiking trail through this gorge high above the railway line.

This trail is actually part of the Regional Trail no.33 "Via Albula/Bernina", of which we have done several sections already, and hope to have completely walked in the future. This sunny day was the perfect opportunity to do this hike through the Schyn Gorge, because it was a panoramic but not strenuous hike which is what we wanted at this point. To add a bit of variety to the excursion, we started in the village of Obervaz (passing through Lenzerheide by bus to get there) to admire some more of those fantastically painted Grisons houses and to get some nice views before heading into the forested gorge. 

The highlight of the day was when we came across a fellow building a huge and old-fashioned community oven like they had in generations past. The oven is fairly new, but a neighbour lady told us she had already brought 70 loaves of bread to bake there!

The 14-km and 4-hour hike ended at the train station in Thusis, after we had looked at and inspected both a privately-owned castle and the quaint Cassian Chapel, both landmarks we have often admired on our train rides through the gorge. 

(Side note: The Domleschg Region, the open valley around Thusis and from where both the Schin Gorge and the Via Mala Gorge are accessed, is replete with castles, fortress ruins and chapels, as this used to be an important trade route. We walked the "Domleschg Fortress Trail" in January 2020, those photos are HERE)

On the train on the way to Chur and Lenzerheide, this is one of my favourite stretches along Lake Walensee.

In Chur, we changed to a bus... this is a view over the old town of Chur, once a powerful seat of European Bishops. 

Passing the lake in Lenzerheide: "Igl Lai" (in Romansch language) or Heidsee. From Lenzerheide we took another bus to the villages of Vaz/Obervaz

We started our hike here in the village called Lain, part of the community of Vaz/Obervaz

Every visit to a village starts with a look at the village church. This one was built in 1681, although there was a church on this spot earlier than this. 

The wonderfully pained façade of the St.Luzius church in Lain already promised an art experience! The church was renovated in 1962 and is a Swiss Heritage Site of national importance.

The artwork inside this little church was simply stunning. This is Baroque Style. 

Various sections of the ceiling display artwork from a variety of unknown artists. 

More ceiling artwork

More details of the interior of the St.Luzius Church in Lain

Starting in the village of Lain, we walked to Muldain where there was an equally fabulous chapel, then we descended into the upper part of the gorge, and walked out to the city of Thusis. A relatively easy 4-hour and 14-km walk. 

This fabulous house stands at the very south end of the village. It is called the Deflorin House and was built in 1652, according to the inscription above the door

South side of the Deflorin House

Details of this lovely painted Grisons House

Following the road now down to Muldain, which is the second of three villages that form part of Vaz/Overvaz

Urs buying locally-made sausages at the farmers's shop

Slightly lower and to the east is the third of the three villages that form this community: Zorton. We didn't have a chance to detour that way. Apparently the lower part of the tower dates from 1218!

Next attraction: The little chruch of St. Johannes Baptista in Muldain. This is also a monument of national significance, and was also a work of art. The date on the bell tower on this one is 1676

Particularly attractive was the painted wood ceiling of the veranda or porch on the front side of the church. 

This is also a Baroque Church, and it was restored in 1990

Also here were loads of interesting details, including fresco paintings a a wooden choir bench which I could have sworn was marble. 

A view into the lovely Albula region of Canton Graubünden (Grisons)

Another attractive building

We are now heading into the Schin (or Schyn) Gorge along Trail no.33: Via Albula/Bernina to the city of Thusis

More lovely old buildings

Here is the fellow who is building a community oven! That lady has already successfully baked two batches of 35 loaves in this oven...

A look behind us at Muldain, as we now head into the Schyn Gorge

One more look eastward up the valley toward the community of Tiefencastel. This is a stretch of the "Via Albula/Bernina" trail which we also still have to walk. 

Now we can look down the Schynschlucht (Schyn Gorge) toward Thusis at the end. Where the gorge opens up is called the Domleschg. Down below on the left is the railway and roadway, and higher up on the right you can see the dirt road which is actually our trail. Also, the Albula River flows down this gorge. 

A zoomed view of the Bernina Express train entering a tunnel on the way to Tiefencastel

VIDEO:

Bernina Express Train from the Rhaetian Railway making a course between Thusis and Filisur and on to the Bernina Region

A look behind us at the trail we are walking... we came down from the top of that cliff

Some interesting sections along cliff walls (there was also a blasted tunnel). This looks like it might have been the old road through the gorge, before they built the modern one further below.

A look far down at the new roadway through the Schyngorge

In September we saw many fly amanitas in our walks through the forest. 

After reaching the power plant at the opening of the gorge, we detoured to the Baldenstein Castle (privately owned) and the St. Cassian Chapel before descending through the village of Sils and finally to the train station in Thusis

Baldenstein Castle, privately-owned. 

Then we detoured via St.Cassian Chapel, a chapel we always see from the train on our way from Thusis through the Schyn Gorge. Unfortunately, we could not access the inside. 

A view toward Thusis and the mountain called Piz Beverin. This whole valley here is called the Domleschg, and it is full of old chapels, castles and fortress ruins. 

The Baldenstein Family must have been an influencial family in this region. I guess the nearby castle must still belong to members of this family. 

Another look back at St.Cassian Chapel as we continue on our way to Thusis

Ahead of us the village of "Sils im Domleschg".

Sils i.D. (Sils im Domleschg) is the name of this village. Behind it and across the river (Posterior Rhine River) is the city of Thusis

VIDEO:

Before reaching the village of Sils, we passed a tiny vineyard, and were surprised by an unusual contraption of flags on wires being pulled back and forth every few minutes, obviously to keep away the birds. What a lot of work for a few vines!

A quick peek into the church in Sils.... this time the artwork was this very beautiful painted organ. 

Crossing the Posterior Rhine River for the last stretch through the industrial part of Thusis to the train station (nothing special to see there, we didn't have time for the old part of town). 

What our 14-km hike looks like on Google Satellite Maps. It was a very easy 4-hour hike. 

Heading back out of the Domleschg Region toward Chur... The valley is full of castles and ruins and chapels. We did a hike to all of these castles back in January 2020, those photos are HERE

Somewhere in the Rhine Valley between Chur and Sargans

These are the sections of the Via Albula/Bernina trail which we have done north of the Engadine Valley. Between there and the Italian Border (over the Bernina Pass) we had also walked a few sections. 

Location of the Domleschg Region in Canton Grisons/Graubünden

From Hamlet to Hamlet on the Monti di Gambarogno Trail

(This post published on Jan.24, 2023)

Saturday September 17, 2022 -- Another instance of having quite bad weather in the North, but being able to escape to the sun in the south.... we headed to Canton Tessin once again, a nice change for us as we usually come here in winter when the forests have no leaves and the hills are all brown.

The air was clear and it would have been perfect to do the ridge hike from Monte Lema to Monte Tamaro, something I have wanted to do again since the first time we hiked this ridge in 2014. It is a five-hour hike, and I would only do this again if the view is impeccable, which it was on this day. BUT, as is often the case when the weather here in the North is bad, a strong wind blows in the south, and it would have been a cold hike, exposed to the wind.

So we settled for doing a hike along the flanks of Monte Gambarogno on the east side of Lago Maggiore, a walk mostly through forests, but passing through five mountain hamlets (called Monti) along the way. (Each hamlet has the same name as the corresponding community on the lakeshore below). This hike we had also done before (also in 2014), but I had only a few photos. I seem to remember this was because my camera battery ran out, but really, as it turns out, it's probably because this trail is about 70% through the forest, and therefore not a lot to see! But the trees did give us some relief from the wind, and views of the lake once in a while. 

The final hamlet (Monti di Caviano) at the very south end of the trail and near the Italian border is the most interesting of all. There are no power lines here, and the home owners each rely on their solar panels. Historically, rye was planted and harvested on the hillside, with which most of the roofs in the area were thatched, with 30 such houses still standing in the 1970's. In the meantime, there is only one such thatched building with its original roof, the last such building in Canton Ticino, now a mini-museum.

Bus ride along East side of Lago Maggiore, with a look into the Verzasca Valley (near Locarno)

Always love the palm trees here!

Heading up the long and winding road along Monte Gambarogno. Across the lake is the city of Locarno and the Maggia Delta.

We were the only people who got off here at the starting point of the hike along the flanks of Monte Gambarogno. The bus was FULL of people heading up to Indemini, or maybe even just the pass (Alpe di Neggia). In fact, there were about five bikes INSIDE the bus as well, and the bus driver had to leave two people behind when we got on down at the lake, no more room for their bikes. That would be a big disappointment, as the bus runs only every two hours!

The first hamlet we passed through was "Monti di Piazzogna", 10 minutes from this bus stop at the corner of the long and winding road to Indemini. From there we had the first nice views over Lago Maggiore. We are walking the equivalent of the distance to Dirinella, about four hours. 

A good look to the north to the Magadino Plain, and the Verzasca Valley on the left (you can just make out the Verzasca Dam)

Close-up view of the Verzasca Dam, made famous in the introduction scene of the James Bond movie "GoldenEye". There is a set-up on the dam to bungee jump. 

And this view is toward the West, to the Maggia Delta (Ascona on the left, Locarno on the right). 

The trail runs parallel to the lakeshore, and there are five hamlets along the trail, each corresponding to one of the communities 500m below, and also connected to its partner town by a trail. Back in 2014 we descended to the border crossing at Dirinella, this time we descended to Caviano. 

Starting out along the "Monti di Gambarogno" Trail. We started at 11 a.m.

At this time of year, there is already a lot of shade on this side of the mountain, even still at noon (we had hoped for afternoon sun). We love bridges.

Forest trails in the mountains are always interesting

By noon we were arriving at the third hamlet: Monti di Gerra, with another great view northwards to Locarno. By now we were desperate for a sunny spot to have our picnic lunch. 

A sample of the kinds of houses in these hamlets!

Finally found the ideal spot for our picnic lunch at 12:30. 

Sometimes places like this are actually for sale! (I think this one was, because we walked below it to check out the other side). Sometimes the buildings are heritage protected, and you can't even tear them down!

More homes in Monti di Gerra. There is actually a vehicle road to this hamlet, so a lot of homes up here. 

Heading out now to the next hamlet called Monti di San Abbondio, about another hour through the forest. 

We stopped here at Monti di San Abbondio at 13:45 for a break!!!

Filling up our water bottles at every possible fountain!

On the way to the final hamlet called "Monti di Caviano", it was another 40 minutes on a forest trail with some more interesting bridges!

Sometimes you wonder if these bridges don't just fall apart when you cross them.... 

Once in a while we had a view, this one to the Islands of Brissago on Lago Maggiore (Isole di Brissago).

That's a nice set of roots on that tree!

A look back at Monti di San Abbondio, where we took a break about 30 minutes earlier

Ahead of us we can now see down to the Italian border. This village is called Pino, and had we continued along the upper trail we were on, we could have crossed the border to the next mountain hamlet in Italy, aptly called "Monti di Pino"! The open clearing is called Cento Campi, and that's where they used to grow the rye for the roof thatching. 

Another look at Ascona this time, and the mountains of Maggia Valley in the back, over the Cento Campi clearing near Monti di Caviano

Some very nice stone houses in Monti di Caviano. Each one has solar panels for electricity. 

A bit of colour in the otherwise colourless hydrangeas, which we are used to seeing in purples, pinks and blues!

Every village has at least one stone fountain! It also looks like there is plenty of sun here for growing grapes. 

We never get tired of palm trees

This stone figure is cute!

Here is the building with the original rye-thatched roof, now a mini-museum with information on how these roofs were made. It is the last remaining thatched-roof building in Canton Ticino, although only about 50 years ago there were still 30 such houses here. Because they were a fire hazard, they were slowly done away with. 

Time for a self-timed photo in the building with the rye-thatched roof!

Another look into the Maggia Valley across the roofs of Monti di Caviano

Across the lake is the village of Brissago, which is the final Swiss community before crossing the border into Italy (on the left). The middle of the peak at the back is the border. 

More fabulous buildings. Many have been renovated with new windows. 

A final look behind us as we start our descent to Caviano

Last time we were here, we descended to Dirinella (down at lake level) via Scaiano. This time we went to Caviano, and caught a small bus from there to lake level, although it would only have been an additional 10 minutes to walk. We started at "Bivio Monti di Piazzogna". Altogether a four-hour hike. 

We're not the only ones who are always happy to find a water trough!

A nice large chestnut tree

Descending on the cobblestone path to the village of Caviano. It was a descent of almost 400m

First view of the church tower at Caviano

Some more fabulous palm trees

A look across the roofs of Caviano. The village on the next promontory is Pino, in Italy. 

What we liked most about the village of Caviano were the arches.

"Chiesa di Santa Maria Nascente" in Caviano. Waiting here for the little bus. 

What our approx. 4-hour and 11 km hike looks like on Google Satellite Maps

Heading back to Cadenazzo by bus along the eastern lakeshore of Lago Maggiore

(A couple of weeks later, as we were traveling home from Locarno. This is a view of Monte Gambarogno from the other side of the lake, and the approximate trail we hiked.) 

The hikes we have done in this area. In 2014 we did the same hike (in blue) but descended to Dirinella. We also did a loop around Monte Gambarogno, but in two trips. And the ridge hike from Monte Lema (off the photo) to Monte Tamaro, also in blue

Where Monte Gambarogno is located in relation to where we live in Zug

On our way home north of the Gotthard tunnel. Overcast skies with snow and fog on the mountaintops.