Wow, what a stage. This is certainly one of the most memorable stages I have walked, from the harsh terrain at the top of Lucomagno to the green rolling hills of the lower Alps. And throw in two suspension bridges and crossing a snow covered path with a drop on one side, this really was a fabulous stage. I will let the pictures tell the story, and I have never taken as many pictures walking a stage, as I did today. About half of them have made it to the post.
27 kilometers , 560m climb and almost 1.100m descent. Towards the end, my legs were tired, perhaps understandable after the past couple of days. Breakfast overlooking the snow capped top of Toroi de Sotto was a great start to the day. The sun shining another.
I started the day walking towards the summit of Mount Lucomagno at 1970m. I followed a mix of the paths and the roads, not really seeing any reason for a steep descent, followed by a steep climb, close to the road, when there was very little traffic and 80% of the traffic there was, was motorcycles, who take a long curve around me.
There is a hostel, chapel and sculpture close to the summit, at the point where cars coming from the north (I was walking from the south) emerge from the 2km long tunnel. I still had a few meters to climb, as I couldn’t, nor wanted to, walk through the tunnel. Instead the walk is on top of the tunnel, looking down at the reservoir Lai da Sontga Maria and its dam.
There wasn’t very much water in the lake, although there was still snow on the mountains above and across the path I was walking. The lake is drained by the Rein da Medel, a tributary of the Anterior Rhine one of the two tributaries that eventually feed the Rhine.
I walked across the dam and a small path into the valley below, enabling me to really see the enormity of the dam. In the valley I walked next to the Rein da Medel river, which isn’t very wide at the this point. The colour of the vegetation in the valley was a strong contrast to the greens of the lower Alps, probably being covered in snow until fairly recently. The river became bigger and wider the further I walked downhill through the valley and there were large mountains on either side, some tops at over 3.000m, still covered in snow.
After ca. 9km in the valley, at Sogn Gions the transformation to the rolling green hills was complete.
As I followed the path through the valley, at one point blocked by a 50cm layer of snow, coming down from the mountain. To my right, the snow disappeared downwards. I crossed very gingerly the 3-4m stretch of snow, at one point on all fours. Not very elegant. I stopped and watched a marmot foraging around, and eating grass. I managed to get a picture of it sitting on a rock. I had seen a colony further up the mountain. As I came walking I heard a high pitched sound, and 20-30 of them running in the same direction away from me.
Shortly afterwards I stopped for a break, drying my now wet shoes and socks in the sun. As I was putting them on again, a walker passed by and asked me if everything was OK and I needed any help.
I hadn’t seen many dogs on this trip, but passed three who barked well in advance of me coming and long after I had passed them.
I continued, following the Rein de Medel, which had now increased significantly in size. The walk was generally downhill, with some, not insignificant climbs, probably feeling worse given that my legs were fairly tired. There were also many spectacular views, not least along the valley.
Walking along the valley towards Mutschnengia, I was surprised to find that I needed to cross a wooden suspension bridge. This was a pleasant surprise, as I had missed walking across the hanging bridge at Belinzona due to the heavy rain. I crossed apprehensively, surprised by how much it swung as I walked across.
I still had another five or so kilometers to walk. I continued, enjoying the spectacular scenery.
I passed through Mumpé Medel, and started a steep descent towards the river Rein Anteriur, that joins the river I had been following since the top of Lucomagno.
For the second time today, I was taken by surprise to find yet another suspension bridge, high above the river. This was much longer, but made of iron, and felt much more robust. I walked across, passing one man who could not bring himself to walk over the middle of the bridge, and only got 1/3rd of the way before turning back, and another man clinging to the side of the bridge. I walked across, thankful about not having to walk all the way down to the river and back up again.
I arrived at the hotel I was staying at around 5pm. The hotel was being renovated, but the renovation was delayed. Some rooms were finished. I was the only guest and their first guest since they reopened.
Tired, I was a bit overwhelmed by all the impressions from today, passing over Lucomagno, the lake and dam, the difference between the scenery of the upper valley and further down the valley and of course the mountains, waterfalls, rivers, pristine green fields and rolling hills with yellow dandelions. And not least, two suspension bridges.
After I had crossed the first bridge, there was a bench with the following text: “Surrounded by quiet beauty and splendour. A place for reflection, a spot to rest”. A fitting text for Switzerland.