Sumvitg-Sedrun

Pius and Miriam with Gypsie and Mia (from 17.06.18):

After a pleasant night on the camping site Garvera in Sumvitg we leave at 10.10 am with warm temperatures for today's stage. We walk downhill on a side road, cross under the tracks of the Rhaetian Railway and reach the village of Cumpadials a little later. From here it is only a short stretch down to the Vorderrhein. When we reach it, we turn right into a beautiful footpath. In steady up and down it winds through an old rockfall area with huge moss-covered boulders. Once through a dark fir forest, once close to the water, then again on a sunny slope with a view over the valley and the rapids of the Vorderrhein until we reach the power station. We cross the bridge and keep right at the next crossing. Here in the valley floor near Madernal we meet a wonderful hiking trail, which runs over the wide river upstream and is lined with alder and birch trees. We pass the hamlet of Disla with its beautiful old wooden houses. On a comfortable path along the banks of the river we continue to walk along the river until we reach the bridge Punt da Brulf. Over natural pavement and asphalt we walk up to the railway station of Disentis. Here we take a break, eat an ice cream and drink something cold. Meanwhile it is lunch time and the sun is slowly being covered by clouds. In addition, a light wind is blowing, which makes hiking very pleasant for us and the dogs. Disentis is the cultural and economic centre of the Bündner Oberland. The village owes its importance largely to the mighty Benedictine monastery of St. Martin, which was founded around the year 700. It was destroyed and rebuilt several times in the course of its history. Thanks to its grammar school and boarding school, the monastery is still an important educational institution in the region today.

We walk along the railway tracks, past the beautiful village church of S. Gion and cross a bridge in the lower part of the village. On a natural path we follow a small stream until we reach the main road. We are only on the main road for a short while and then change back to a natural street. We walk steadily upwards, passing a few pretty villages with nice wooden houses. In Segnas we cross the village and pass the church St. Sebastian and Rochus. To the left of this church there is a self-service shop with delicious regional delicacies such as cheese, jam, yoghurt, Bündnertorte and drinks. But as our backpacks are heavy enough, we don't buy anything and walk on.

From Segnas, a high-level trail winds its way slightly uphill along a sunny and panoramic meadow slope to the picturesque village of Mompé Tujetsch. From here you have a great view back to Disentis with its impressive monastery. We continue walking and soon find ourselves directly above the railway line. We follow the railway line on a beautiful, easy hiking trail, alternating between forest and agricultural areas. Benches invite you to enjoy the sun and rest on the way.

At the chapel of Bugnei, the path to the right around the hamlet leads us to the imposing railway viaduct of the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn, which we cross over a separate footbridge. The footbridge has a metal grid floor, which is a challenge for people and dogs who are not free from giddiness. After the viaduct we cross under the railway tracks and walk along a grass path from Sedrun until we reach another smaller viaduct. We also cross this one and shortly afterwards we arrive at the train station at 15.10 hrs. from where we start our journey home.

We finish today's stage with 17 km and about 1'100 meters of altitude difference. We particularly enjoyed the stretch between Disentis and Sedrun. It is passable all year round and is prepared in winter. Thanks to the railway stations along the way, the hike can be shortened without any problems and is therefore also suitable for children.