Day 21 and the penultimate day of the 9th leg of my Sagres to Rome and Home walk.
Today was very much a walk in two halves. The morning mostly along roads passing through small villages, and an afternoon along a path close to the Rein Anteriur river, with little to see, not even the river.
I was the only person for breakfast and had agreed on 7.45, so the lady in the breakfast room didn’t need to turn up whilst I was still asleep. Breakfast was fine.
The hotel was on the outskirts of Disentis, so I started the day at 8.30, walking into town and the imposing Abbey, Disentis Abbey (German: Reichskloster Disentis) a Benedictine monastery, around which the present town of Disentis has grown. In Romansh the town is called Mustér, and both names are on the town signs. The monastery is now also a boarding school.
In the countryside along small back roads, there were beautiful views along the valley.
I passed through several small villages along the way and also a rugged path close to the river, at least until the path ended and I had to climb a steep path and a long wooden stairs to get back onto track. I passed through Cumpadials with a steady climb along a very quiet road until Sumvitg.
In Sumvitg it turned 11 o’clock as I passed the church. The church bells started ringing, and lasted 10 minutes as I walked out of town. I passed a house with Danish, Norwegian and Icelandic flags. It seemed out of place in Switzerland.
A mix of road and path took me to Rabius, and more church bells as the congregation were leaving the church at noon. There was more road walking towards another village Trun. I’d hoped for a bar or cafe in one of the villages, but no luck.
The sweeping views over the countryside all but disappeared in the afternoon, as the stage followed the railway tracks and the river with hills on both side and close vegetation reducing the views.
I took a break and saw the famous Glacier Express train with glass roof carriages pass by. A number of tour cyclists passed by and a few walkers.
I passed an hydro-electric plant at Mettel. There was a dam, regulating the flow of the river. For some reason, of which I have no idea, several people were out for their Sunday picnic at the dam and hydro-electric plant.
I continued along the path close to the river, passing the occasional, very quiet, village.
At one point there was a sign in German stating that there was a landslide ahead, advising cyclist to take a cantonal road and walkers to take the train! There was nobody around to ask, but using Google to translate, it seemed that during weekends walkers could pass. I took a chance, the landslide was 1,5 kilometers ahead, so if it was blocked it would have meant a long walk back. Nobody was working today and a path was cleared for walkers and cyclists. A relief.
Shortly after the landslide there was a beautiful covered bridge over the river. Whilst looking at the bridge the lady from the monastery, where I am staying tonight, called. She asked if I would be there before 17.30 as that is when she left. I confirmed that I would, and pushed ahead, already well past the 30km mark, and still another 7-8kms to go. The path continued next to the river.
I arrived at Ilanz, known as the first city on the Rhine. The monastery was at the top of a very steep hill, but with beautiful views over Ilanz and the nearby countryside.
I had a nice room and dinner was included – not gastronomy but fine. It was very quiet.