Walserweg Gottardo

This stage connects Bignasca with the Basodino hut and is almost entirely uphill, so you need to be at your fittest. But not to worry: in the second half and before it becomes really steep, there is an option to take a shortcut. But more about that later: before this comes the Bavona, a primeval and remote valley, which is only inhabited in summer. The path gains altitude on the sunny side of the valley, bordered by chestnut groves. An undulating route, it passes twelve hamlets as far as San Carlo, known as Terri here. After Fontana, the flat trail climbs through the dense forest to the next hamlet of Sebbione. The residents used the blocks as natural building aids for their settlements, stables and cellars. Cultivated land is rare and only around 1.5% of the valley is usable. Therefore, large boulders were covered with earth and used as additional meadows. At Ritorto, you briefly hike on the road that only opened up the valley in 1950 and was created with the construction of the power plant in the Robiei area.

Foroglio is surprising with its waterfall, which rushes down 110 metres over a rock face. A grotto near the bridge invites you to take a break. A short hike is recommended up to the valley with the waterfall. As a former glacial trough valley, the rock faces here often rise steeply until the next terrace plateaus out. On a leisurely trail through the forest on stony paths you cross the Bavona valley river again at Roseto. The attractiveness of the hamlets in this area is underpinned by strict laws to preserve traditional identity. Apart from in San Carlo, there are no electricity connections to spoil the landscape. A particular gem is the traditional Sonlerto settlement. Their houses and stables were built on a landslide between the boulders. The forest up to San Carlo is also littered with them. After the traditional hostel, the road leads past the station of a small cable car that should lead directly up to the hut and the destination for this stage. Should, because they only operate from time to time. Most people use the large cable car that departs further up at the end of the road. So, if you want to avoid the challenging climb, take the transport cable car, which even carried loaded trucks at dizzying heights during the construction of the power plant.

Now the most demanding part begins; a good 5 kilometres up to the destination for this stage: the hike follows the road to a water intake for the power plants and then turns into a path. You go up Alp Campo through the wild mountain forest via the first valley level. The valley becomes even narrower and the rock walls rise steeper into the sky. The wild river makes its way along the blocky stream bed. High up on a rocky outcrop is Capanna da Basodino, the destination for the day. The path snakes through the rocks on steep winding roads, some of which are secured with ropes. To the southwest, you obtain your first glimpse of the Basòdino glacier. It is not far from here now to the cosy hut. Tip: if you prefer something more comfortable, a quarter of an hour further on, you can spend the night in the hexagonal tower, which now serves as a mountain hotel. It was originally built to accommodate the workers who constructed the hydroelectric power station in the 1960s. The many lakes around Robiei are connected to an extensive system of tunnels. The water drives several turbines on its way to Lake Maggiore or is pumped back up into the dams via storage plants. The price to be paid for this is a lack of water in many streams, and also there are signs along the waterways that warn of a sudden rise in water levels.