62 Walserweg Gottardo, Stage 14: Sumvitg, Val - Friggahüs

On to the last stage of the Walserweg Gottardo! The start is in Val with its quaint inn and a chapel. Leaving the small settlement, the path winds down the steep valley flank to the bridge over the Rein da Sumvitg. The impressive stream gully bears witness to the power of past storms in the area. The catchment area of the Rein da Sumvitg extends up to the protected high plateau of the Greina.

Also uphill is the steep, sweat-inducing ascent: the path zigzags through dense forest, then rises slowly over pastures and past alpine huts and alps. Now and then you catch a glimpse of the opposite villages Sumvitg and Rabius. Well-maintained buildings and alpine pastures shape the Alp Cuolms dil Run, which is only accessible by a material cable car. Towards the north, the highest peak, the Tödi, can be seen. More or less keeping the elevation, you now cross the first mountain stream gully on a narrow path. High above the valley floor, the route follows a forest road into the Val Zavragia. The mountain stream gully is crossed on a new wooden bridge. Mudslides and floods repeatedly cause destruction in the valley bottom despite numerous structures that slow the stream's flow. The last steep ascent of the stage awaits in the forest up to Alp Criedi.

Place names such as «In da Maiasassa» then reveal that you are back in Walser territory. The settlement of St. Martin in the municipality of Obersaxen is the stage destination of the 200-kilometer-long long-distance trail and at the same time the connection to the Bündner Walser routes. Here you find typical wooden houses, the chaplaincy church, and a cozy inn. A view into the distance is also worthwhile: To the north majestically rise the Brigelser Hörner and the Kistenstöckli; on the opposite valley side, more 3000-meter peaks tower. The PostBus stop to Ilanz is located in the nearby Friggahüs.