Via Albula/Bernina
Overview
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Distance 12 km
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Duration 3 h
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Ascent 60 m
Intro
Worthwhile detour to the glacial mills of Cavaglia, made accessible with great effort. Just like the Rhaetian Railway, the hiking trail winds down the slope to the Poschiavo valley floor.
Description
Cavaglia is located at 1703 m in a charming mountain valley formed by the glacier. The former workman’s village for the local hydroelectric power plant is now a holiday resort with a handful of residential homes, a guest house, a power plant and a train station. The meadows on the plain are surrounded by ancient forests. The rocky riverbed of the Cavagliasch river divides the pastures in the broad valley.
At the southeast end of the Cavaglia plain, the train track, the mountain stream and the hiking trail come together and lead into the Cavaglia gorge. You can climb down into the glacier garden to see the humongous holes in the rocks. These are thousands of years old. The powerful, constant pressure of the glacier water and rotating rocks and sand have created the so-called “giants’ pots”.
A pleasant forest trail meanders along the eastern slope, offering views as far as Lago di Poschiavo, the destination of this section of the route. The path crosses the tracks of the Bernina Railway several times. The highest railway transversal in the Alps, together with the Albula route, is considered to be the most beautiful railway line through the Alps.
The views from Mota da Cadera of the bottom of the valley and the surrounding mountains are fantastic. A beautiful path built between drywalls winds down through the forest and across meadows to Poschiavo. This is an Italian-style village, protected because of its historic significance. Stone-covered patrician homes, a late Gothic church and the town hall with the former defence tower are located beside the narrow lanes.
The trail continues along the channelled Poschiavino river past the camping ground and to the shore of the lake. Nestled between steep mountainsides the village is situated directly on the water, which was dammed up by a prehistoric rockslide. Following the lakeshore you reach today’s destination at the Le Prese bus stop.
An enjoyable tour includes the careful planning of the same. Please inform yourself in advance at the local information center about the route and weather conditions. Depending on the season and weather conditions, this route may be blocked or interrupted
| Start location |
Cavaglia
|
|---|---|
| Direction |
One way
|
| Altitude (meter above sea level) |
1600 m
|
| Ascent |
60 m
|
| Descent |
800 m
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| Distance |
12 km
|
| Duration |
3 h
|
| Duration back |
3 h 50 min
|
| Technical requirements |
Medium
|
| Physical requirements |
Medium
|
| Season |
June - October
|
| More information | https://www.schweizmobil.ch/en/wanderland/etappe33... |
Quick Facts
Route number
