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Seriously killer photos!
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Thanks for the clarification on the Saver Day Pass Hambagahle.
The apartment looks wonderful Adelaidean - has it been quiet? We're staying in a new (to us) apartment in Scuol this year, as our old standby was booked. Hopefully it's a good choice. We've made the same mistake in Ardez - arrived hungry and no place to eat! Love seeing the Engadine in full summer attire - such a difference from winter. |
Mel, just remembered that we spoke to someone that took the Flixbus Munich to Chur for €15, he was happy with service and price. |
Hi guys!
May I say a word about Flixbus? I've taken it several times from Garmisch, both north to Munich and the airport, and south to Innsbruck. It was late more often than it was in time -- like seriously, hours late. A friend of mine took it to the airport in Munich, and it was 45 minutes late, and she almost missed her flight out. Because it runs on the roads, of course it is vulnerable to traffic problems and staus. And Munich is notorious for traffic problems, road construction, and staus. I avoid it now, even when tempted by their schedule. I also find it really uncomfortable, especially in conjunction with an overnight flight. The seats and cabin are too much like flying economy -- tight seats, high seatbacks, no leg room, and ONE tiny over-used toilet in the back. And you can't walk around to stretch your legs. I really far prefer a train wagon, with all that space and air and opportunity to move around. But. Flixbus has started to run trains on some routes, and that could be very, very interesting. I am eager to try one of their trains. s |
Good point, swandav, we have been spoiled by the excellent train and bus system here, haven’t ever tried Flixbus but I remember Mel asking about it. |
swandav raises a more than valid point about Flixbus. It has a reputation for being chronically late here in Switzerland too. Not a great option I think.
Adelaidean - if you can, get to Tarasp. It is a lovely small village. Guarda has won, several times, a competition for the prettiest village in Switzerland run by a Romande magasine, l'Illustré. Seeing your photos this is no surprise! |
Adelaidean, I just want to rush off back to Switzerland. Your photos are divine! Thanks for sharing your trip report and photos.
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Wow! What a great trip you planned and executed. Outstanding photos with a very informative and detailed trip report. Well done! You are certainly displaying the incredible beauty of Switzerland.
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Day 15: Scuol Picked up some crusty rolls, nusstorte, shortbread and an almond pastry from Pastizaria Cantieni nearby (did I mention I love this location, LOL). https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...667818c84.jpeg Lunch! Made us some Engadin cheese and salami rolls, and packed our sweets, no missing lunch today! Sunny day. Just some housekeeping to do before we set off (sons having problems with washing machine and car at home, we are troubleshooting by instant messaging). We finally headed to the Motta Naluns gondola by the train station in Scuol (CHF 14.50 each round trip, gondola, chairlift Prui and bus return from Ftan). A really stupendous view on the way up, lots of walking trails, an easy stroll to Prui (families with prams, kids on bikes). https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f16b0c376.jpeg Hang glider https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8d831853e.jpeg Surrounded by mountains https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...258eee8b1.jpeg Fields of flowers https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f55eb6a27.jpeg Looking down on Tarasp castle https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...072dc05c9.jpeg Looking up to mountains Then the chairlift down to Ftan. Brilliant. Sweet little village. Great views of Tarasp castle from chairlift, too. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...900694aad.jpeg Ftan https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3c801d7e5.jpeg Tarasp castle from the bus https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4d95f3043.jpeg Tarasp castle https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...111911f0d.jpeg Zooming in on Tarasp castle https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c6db593bf.jpeg Peak hour in Ftan...tractor, hikers, bikers... It’s so easy to get around here, the train station / bus station interconnect, bus lanes clearly showing whether heading to Sent, Ftan, Susch, etc, and staff are so helpful. In fact, we tried a local bus and bought point to point tickets from the machine at the stop. When we enquired about a 10 ticket option, the attendant said we had paid too much, there are cheaper tickets only if you buy direct from the driver (just the local town bus) and she gave us a refund! |
That is how I remember the Lower Engadine. You will have brilliant weather the next days, too (although probably too warm.) So I expect more pictures like these :-) Please!! :-)
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Originally Posted by Adelaidean
(Post 16941394)
Mel, just remembered that we spoke to someone that took the Flixbus Munich to Chur for €15, he was happy with service and price. And, that's my kind of lunch! |
Day 16: Scuol Bus to Ramosch, then a little Postbus to Vnà (1600 m elevation) about 11 km from Scuol (thanks ‘Mel’ for sharing this excursion idea) about CHF 9 each return. It’s warm here, 33 C in Scuol today! Sunny, blue skies and a sweaty walk. Love how you naturally chat to people on the bus, obviously hikers, all elderly, I think mostly Swiss. Met couples from Lucerne and Basel, nice to talk about travel and life. Vnà is a charming little farming hamlet, clinging to the mountainside. Lovely buildings, a little church, a stunning setting, industrious farmers busy in their fields. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7806d6281.jpeg Vnà https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f34e66e83.jpeg Vnà https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b53bc238c.jpeg Vnà https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...23f11b3cb.jpeg Vnà https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3027ff544.jpeg Vnà https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2cdf55490.jpeg Farming in the mountains https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...17aa3af11.jpeg He was at this all day, different fields! https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b7b0de024.jpeg Really steep Took us over 2 hours to walk to Hof Zuort, we took the path above the road as there was more shade, and lots of photo stopping. The return was quicker, probably 1:15 hours, and we took the road. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...06871e8ac.jpeg Lots of trails https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...619eba490.jpeg Delicious dumplings and salad https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...df6d2b5b4.jpeg Hof Zuort https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...732f6f651.jpeg Path to Hof Zuort https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fc7ab92e7.jpeg Fields of flowers https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fdb2ce443.jpeg The bus going to Val Sinestra in the distance, opposite side of valley https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e7058926f.jpeg Bus to Val Sinestra https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...43d91c742.jpeg Bus going to Val Sinestra, opposite side of valley It’s a lovely walk, very peaceful, forests, mountains, farming, and the arrival in Hof Zuort like reaching paradise. Cold beer!! Great lunch. Convivial atmosphere. Another great day. Switzerland is amazing! |
One of my favourite excursions in the area, in both summer AND winter! Too bad you didn't walk back via Kurhaus Val Sinestra to Sent - much shade there, two exciting suspension bridges, superb views approaching Sent - and that village is picturesque, too!
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e94e03d3e3.jpg Suspension bridge https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...dfbde7dda0.jpg View towards Sent and Tarasp |
Ingo, another couple were doing just that, and we wondered where that went. Your photos are great, the other people did mention a suspension bridge. Hmmm, maybe we will do that another day... |
Glad you enjoyed the excursion! 33 C though, yikes, a bit warm for me.
And full credit to Ingo for telling me about the walk several years ago - we've walked it on every visit to Scuol, and probably will again in October. We walked back to Sent one year - via the road as the trail was closed in winter....it was a loooong walk. |
Thanks, Mel ;-)
Adelaidean, I probably wouldn't do that on this same trip. Too many other options! Btw, did you drink some free mineral water? Maybe you noticed that on several little squares the fountains have two taps - from one comes regular (drinking) water, from the other mineral water. Each is from a different spring, with different minerals. Some taste great, others ... umm, not ;-) In this heatwave you might enjoy a walk through the Clemgia gorge. A suggestion for a nice walk would be from castle Tarasp to Lake (Laj) Nair, to hamlet Avrona (restaurant: www.avrona.ch - it is open!), down to Clemgia gorge, back to Scuol via one of the bridges spanning the Inn river (either the high one or the covered one below the church.) Also, S-charl is a very nice excursion. The hamlet is at 1800 m, with two restaurants, and from there you can walk to the highest Swiss pine forest in the Alps (God da Tamangur). Add another half hour round trip and you get to an Alp (pasture) with cows where you can get a glass of milk, some cheese or so. (I hiked from Pass dal Fuorn/Ofen pass - about 4.30 hrs to S-charl, bus to Scuol). |
Day 17: Scuol Still hot here, heatwave widespread across Europe. Over 30 C all week, lucky we are in the mountains, cities across Europe are sweltering. Needed something cool to do (Ingo, Clemgia “ist geschlossen”, but a walk in forest might have been on the cards had we not been so hot, and I think our walks and your hikes are 2 very different things, LOL) Visited Tarasp castle, a 10 minute bus ride from Scuol. Tours are at 2:30 and 3:30, can only visited by guided tour (no photos). It is now owned by Not Vital (well known local artist) so has some curious modern art inside. Otherwise, the ruined castle was renovated about 100 years ago, stunning wooden inlaid doors, carved ceilings, furnishings. Tour lasts about 50 minutes. Then we had the option of a sweaty 2 hour walk or a beer while waiting for the bus…. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e44b1e96a.jpeg Not Vital art in lake https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...101e7a6e9.jpeg On the way up to the castle https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d6e099472.jpeg Castle renovations https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...77880fce1.jpeg Castle renovations https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2ef64b091.jpeg Bronzed tree artwork https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...15323dd77.jpeg Tarasp castle https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...604fda29c.jpeg Tarasp castle While enjoying our beer, we chatted to some Swiss tourists. Their English better than my German. Tarasp and Sparsels are charming little hamlets. Help request here: While checking how to reserve bus for our Thusis to Chiavenna bus ride, via Splügen (reservations compulsory) on Monday 1 st July, an alert pops up about ‘an event’ and that bus 561 is suspended. This website indicates landslide https://www.alpen-paesse.ch/en/ and not open until 7/7, I realise an option is to train to St Moritz and bus onward, so if not open yet, we will still get there, but does anyone have any other route suggestion? (We are staying in Thusis to visit the Viamala gorge and the church in Zillis, then had hoped to bus through the Splügen Pass for our stay in Chiavenna.) |
How does this route sound, via Julierpass? (We will go onward to Sils Maria, and eventually Zurich, so will do that lovely train ride again between Preda and Tiefencastel then. ) https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c9adfc82aa.png |
Too bad about the Clemgia gorge! The heatwave is awful. Thankfully here in Eastern Germany it only lasts two days, we're getting a break tomorrow and on Friday. Much cooler next week! YAY!
That schedule sounds doable. 6 minutes for changing buses is not much, considering that it is a pass road with a lot of (also truck) traffic that you are taking (Julier Pass.) You don't like the 10.30 train to St. Moritz and Postbus from there to Chiavenna, eh? But you can still take this one (dep. 12.15 from St. Moritz) if you miss the earlier one. Yes, the Julier pass route is scenic and if you haven't been there yet, take it! |
Btw, did the tour guide mention who reconstructed castle Tarasp 100 years ago? Karl August Lingner, entrepreneur from my city, Dresden. ;-) I bet the organ was mentioned - built by Jehmlich, also in Dresden (and still in business in umpteenth generation.)
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