Route: Val Fex and the Lake of Silvaplana
Area: Eastern Swiss Alps
Date of walk: 16th September 2014
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 12.9 miles
Weather: Sunny with some cloudy intervals
We took the bus from outside our hotel in Pontresina and after a 40 minute journey through beautiful landscape we disembarked in the pretty village of Sils Maria. We walked over to the village square where, just as we’d hoped, there were several horse drawn carriages ready and waiting. We hired a driver to take us to the Hotel Fex, which is as far up the valley as the carriages go
It was an enchanting ride through alpine meadows and small villages with mountains towering over us on all sides. When we reached the hotel we continued on foot to the end of Val Fex at Alp Muot Selvas, then returned along the valley on a higher level path
At this point we hadn’t planned where to end the walk, but after studying the map decided to traverse across the foot of the valley, walk above Lej da Silvaplauna (the lake of Silvaplana), then down to the shore, along the lakeside, into Silvaplana and from there we’d catch the bus back to Pontresina. This plan was duly put to the test and was a great success – it was a wonderful walk every step of the way, as the photos will show……
Click on the icon below for the route map
Scroll down – or click on any photo to enlarge it and you can then view as a slideshow
The lake of St Moritz, taken through the bus window
On arriving at Sils we stroll over to the village square
Our two horse power transport
Heading into Val Fex
It was a magical journey
Approaching Hotel Fex - the end of the line
We pay our friendly driver and say danke and auf wiedersehen
On Shanks’ pony now, as we cross over the river and look back along the valley
Looking the other way, in our direction of travel
Approaching the head of Val Fex
The small cafe at the head of the valley was closed for renovations
Val Fex Glacier - at this point we turned back to walk along the other side of the valley
Crossing the river
Approaching the Hotel Fex, from where we’d started the walk
Looking back along the valley
Lunch at Alp da Segl
Walking above Curtins
Approaching Crasta
We cross the river shortly after passing through Crasta
Our first glimpse of the lake of Silvaplana
Looking back to Sils
Walking above the lake of Silvaplana
We descend through the woods to follow the east shore of the lake
The end of our journey will be Silvaplana, left of picture
Looking back along the lake towards Sils
The castle known as ‘Crap da Sass’ (Romansch for rock of stone)
Approaching Silvaplana via the bridge over the narrow neck of the lake
Silvaplana - we caught the bus back to Pontresina from here. This made it a hat trick of three fantastic walks in the last three days
After walking through miles of woodland we see our first red squirrel - in the garden of a town house
