Via Albula/Bernina
Overview
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Distance 20 km
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Duration 6 h
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Ascent 950 m
Intro
A spectacular trail leads from Domleschg through the Schinschlucht gorge. The climb to the hamlet of Muldain is rewarded with spectacular views. The Solis viaduct and St. Peters church in Mistail dating from the 8th century form more highlights on this hike.
Detour / Closure
There are detours or closures along this route, for more information see https://schweizmobil.ch/en/hiking-in-switzerland/route-33/stage-1
Description
Up until the opening of the Gotthard railway in 1882, Thusis was an important transport hub for both passengers and freight on the way from southern Germany to Italy. In 1903, the Albula railway was completed and Thusis was connected with St. Moritz. Thusis is located in the foothills of Heinzenberg and by the northern entrance of the Viamala Gorge. This hike goes in this direction too, before branching off towards Ehrenfels Castle, which is now run as a youth hostel.
The church where St. Cassian is buried is on a hilltop some distance from Sils. Past the church and around Baldenstein Castle, the route follows the Albula for a short while, passing by a hydroelectric power station along the way. From there it gets steep and, after a little over three hours, positively adventurous: once, traversing the “Old Schin”, a historical hiking trail through the Schin Gorge high above the Albula, was regarded as a test of courage. Nowadays, the route is wide and secured – the rockfall signs just look a little ominous. But this stretch of the hike is still spectacular nonetheless: at the Moir rock face for example, where you pass through a tunnel carved through the stone. To your left, metres of rock face will be towering above you, with a sheer drop into the Schin Gorge to your right.
Once you are out of the gorge, you will have reached the halfway point on this hike. After the Schin natural forest reserve, you will reach the first meadows of Vaz/Obervaz. Here you will head up towards the district of Muldain, with wonderful views of the surrounding mountains along the way. Around half an hour after Alvaschein, there is another highlight: St. Peter’s Church in Mistail. Built in around 800 AD, this is one of the oldest sacred buildings in Switzerland and is also said to be a place of mystical power. The frescoes inside and the ossuary are both worth seeing. The final destination for this leg is Tiefencastel, located at the intersection between several transport lines in the Grisons.
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 |
Thusis
|
|---|---|
| Destination |
Tiefencastel
|
| Direction |
One way
|
| Altitude (meter above sea level) |
800 m
|
| Ascent |
950 m
|
| Descent |
740 m
|
| Distance |
20 km
|
| Duration |
6 h
|
| Duration back |
5 h 40 min
|
| Technical requirements |
Medium
|
| Physical requirements |
Difficult
|
| Season |
May - October
|
| Theme |
With panoramic view
|
| More information | https://schweizmobil.ch/en/hiking-in-switzerland/r... |
Quick Facts
Route number
