Day 11: Travel by train & bus to Rodi & walk to Faido. Travel by train to Lavorgo & walk to Giornico. Travel by bus & train to Bellinzona (MAPS 3 & 4).
After breakfast they headed to the railway station of Airolo (1141m a.s.l.), which is the highest railway station of the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) (BAHNHOF AIROLO). There they boarded the "Treno Gottardo" to Faido. In Faido they changed to a bus and got off at Rodi "Dazio Grande".
The "Dazio Grande" is a building from the middle of the 16th century. It served as customs house for goods, transit traffic, hoarse-changing station, guesthouse, hostel and warehouse until 1803, the year when the Ticino became part of the Swiss Confederation. It remained in operation, until the Gotthard railway line was inaugurated in 1882. Nowadays, it is still open for the public as a museum and provides a rustic restaurant and overnight accommodation (DAZIO GRANDE).
From there they started their hiking, which took them along the "Via Gottardo Süd", passing by the two most impressive gorges ("Piottino" and "Biaschina"), which are shaping the landscape of the upper Ticino, and ending by the village Giornico.
Day 11: Travel by train & bus to Rodi & walk to Faido. Travel by train to Lavorgo & walk to Giornico. Travel by bus & train to Bellinzona (MAPS 3 & 4).
After breakfast they headed to the railway station of Airolo (1141m a.s.l.), which is the highest railway station of the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) (BAHNHOF AIROLO). There they boarded the "Treno Gottardo" to Faido. In Faido they changed to a bus and got off at Rodi "Dazio Grande".
The "Dazio Grande" is a building from the middle of the 16th century. It served as customs house for goods, transit traffic, hoarse-changing station, guesthouse, hostel and warehouse until 1803, the year when the Ticino became part of the Swiss Confederation. It remained in operation, until the Gotthard railway line was inaugurated in 1882. Nowadays, it is still open for the public as a museum and provides a rustic restaurant and overnight accommodation (DAZIO GRANDE).
From there they started their hiking, which took them along the "Via Gottardo Süd", passing by the two most impressive gorges ("Piottino" and "Biaschina"), which are shaping the landscape of the upper Ticino, and ending by the village Giornico.
Day 11: Travel by train & bus to Rodi & walk to Faido. Travel by train to Lavorgo & walk to Giornico. Travel by bus & train to Bellinzona (MAPS 3 & 4).
After breakfast they headed to the railway station of Airolo (1141m a.s.l.), which is the highest railway station of the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) (BAHNHOF AIROLO). There they boarded the "Treno Gottardo" to Faido. In Faido they changed to a bus and got off at Rodi "Dazio Grande".
The "Dazio Grande" is a building from the middle of the 16th century. It served as customs house for goods, transit traffic, hoarse-changing station, guesthouse, hostel and warehouse until 1803, the year when the Ticino became part of the Swiss Confederation. It remained in operation, until the Gotthard railway line was inaugurated in 1882. Nowadays, it is still open for the public as a museum and provides a rustic restaurant and overnight accommodation (DAZIO GRANDE).
From there they started their hiking, which took them along the "Via Gottardo Süd", passing by the two most impressive gorges ("Piottino" and "Biaschina"), which are shaping the landscape of the upper Ticino, and ending by the village Giornico.
Day 11: Travel by train & bus to Rodi & walk to Faido. Travel by train to Lavorgo & walk to Giornico. Travel by bus & train to Bellinzona (MAPS 3 & 4).
After breakfast they headed to the railway station of Airolo (1141m a.s.l.), which is the highest railway station of the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) (BAHNHOF AIROLO). There they boarded the "Treno Gottardo" to Faido. In Faido they changed to a bus and got off at Rodi "Dazio Grande".
The "Dazio Grande" is a building from the middle of the 16th century. It served as customs house for goods, transit traffic, hoarse-changing station, guesthouse, hostel and warehouse until 1803, the year when the Ticino became part of the Swiss Confederation. It remained in operation, until the Gotthard railway line was inaugurated in 1882. Nowadays, it is still open for the public as a museum and provides a rustic restaurant and overnight accommodation (DAZIO GRANDE).
From there they started their hiking, which took them along the "Via Gottardo Süd", passing by the two most impressive gorges ("Piottino" and "Biaschina"), which are shaping the landscape of the upper Ticino, and ending by the village Giornico.
Day 11: Travel by train & bus to Rodi & walk to Faido. Travel by train to Lavorgo & walk to Giornico. Travel by bus & train to Bellinzona (MAPS 3 & 4).
After breakfast they headed to the railway station of Airolo (1141m a.s.l.), which is the highest railway station of the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) (BAHNHOF AIROLO). There they boarded the "Treno Gottardo" to Faido. In Faido they changed to a bus and got off at Rodi "Dazio Grande".
The "Dazio Grande" is a building from the middle of the 16th century. It served as customs house for goods, transit traffic, hoarse-changing station, guesthouse, hostel and warehouse until 1803, the year when the Ticino became part of the Swiss Confederation. It remained in operation, until the Gotthard railway line was inaugurated in 1882. Nowadays, it is still open for the public as a museum and provides a rustic restaurant and overnight accommodation (DAZIO GRANDE).
From there they started their hiking, which took them along the "Via Gottardo Süd", passing by the two most impressive gorges ("Piottino" and "Biaschina"), which are shaping the landscape of the upper Ticino, and ending by the village Giornico.
Day 11: Travel by train & bus to Rodi & walk to Faido. Travel by train to Lavorgo & walk to Giornico. Travel by bus & train to Bellinzona (MAPS 3 & 4).
Day 9: Walk to the Passo del San Gottardo (2106m) (Map 3).
Once again they were blessed by a sunny morning. Thomas requested the hotel to send their luggage by "Postauto" bus to the "Ospizio San Gottardo", which would be their next overnight place. From the hotel they started their hiking track to the Gotthard pass (approx. 8km). They followed the "Via Suworow" path, which is named after the Russian General Suworow (VIA SUWOROW).
The Gotthard pass has always had an importance for Switzerland as commercial transit route, offering the shortest direct way between northern and southern European countries. Due to tough conditions caused by altitude, relief and climate, the crossing was difficult to overcome in the older days (GOTTHARDPASS). Thanks to the NEAT (New Transalpine Rail Link) the journey is nowadays incredibly faster for commerce and passengers transport (GOTTHARDBASISTUNNEL).
The pass is named after the canonized Benedictine Gotthard (961-1038) bishop of Hildesheim. In the Gotthard region four Cantons with four different cultures and three languages get together. The region is also known as the water castle of Europe, because it belongs to one of the wettest regions in Switzerland and most of the major rivers, such as Rhein, Rhone and Ticino have their sources there (GOTTHARDPASS).
The walk to the Gotthard pass was quite challenging, as they had to overcome an altitude difference of 654m, from 1452m a.s.l. to 2106m a.s.l. They walked through the altitude range of the Alpine timber line, which is the boundary between forest and grassland area and is a product of several factors, such as, climate (for example, temperature increase), relief, soil and human land-use changes (ALPINE TIMBER LINE). Along their path they admired the beauty of vegetation, which at this time of the year showed lots of alpine roses (Rhododendron ferrugineum and Rhododendron hirsutum), Green alder bushes (Alnus viridis) and other amazing alpine plants and flowers (Figure 46). Daniela planned on their way several stops, not only that everybody could catch up, but also to explain the character of the Alpine timber line.
Figure 46: Hiking track direction to the Gotthard pass covered with lots of Green alder bushes
Close to their walking track (Figure 47), they saw several cows who were peacefully grazing and Ursula who loved cows had to take a "selfie" picture together with one of them.
Figure 47: Grazing cows along the walking track to the Gotthard pass
Approaching their final target to the Gotthard pass, they walked through the rich alpine grassland and admired the diversity of plant species surrounding them (PFLANZEN AUF DEM GOTTHARDPASS). They also were impressed by the beauty of the several existing natural small lakes "Alpe di San Gottardo" (Figure 48). There they decided to have their pick-nick lunch and spend the rest of the afternoon.
Figure 48: "Alpe di San Gottardo" close to the Gotthard pass
From the Gotthard pass they continued further to the "Ospizio" (Figure 49). At the same time a "Postauto" bus arrived. Matthias surprised them as he came out of the bus and they were all glad to see him, especially Daniela. From the "Postauto" bus station they headed to the "Ospizio" and checked in.
Figure 49: "Ospizio San Gottardo" in the background
The "Ospizio" has a long history and was first mentioned in a document in the year 1237. In the year 1972 the building was purchased by the foundation "Pro Sankt Gotthard". Their aim was to maintain the building and the landscape of the St. Gotthard as a testimony of national history, expression of freedom and independence for Switzerland throughout the coming generations. The "Ospizio" is since hundreds of years a symbol of the connection between North and South European cultures. It was registered under European cultural heritage and honored by a memorial (OSPIZIO SAN GOTTARDO).
Later they met on the terrace for dinner where they enjoyed a typical Swiss mountain dish "Älplermagrone" and a local beer "Gottardo" (BIRRA GOTTARDO) brewed in Faido TI. However, their pleasure was not lasting long, as from far thick black-gray clouds were announcing a heavy thunderstorm. They immediately decided to go indoors. Due to the uncertain weather forecast for the morning, Daniela suggested that those who wished could visit the "Sasso San Gottardo", a historical fortress with a museum, which is close to the hotel (SASSO SAN GOTTARDO). During the night a heavy thunderstorm accompanied by rainfall and wind, shook almost everyone out of bed.