Wednesday 2nd September: Cool misty morning, warm sunny day,hazy skies then misty rain: 12°C to 24ºC.
Weisstannen to Sargans (then Santa Croce): Jan and Ian 15K: 8.00am to 12.00pm: 4hrs plus 4hrs
Hotel Gemse - our last APR hotel
Into the beech forest and mist
Don't go this way - but we did!!
Sunrise from Berggasthaus Tannalp
Time to smell the cows
Coffee break half way down to Mels
Been shopping in Sargans
End of Alpine Pass Route
Landwasser Viaduct Rhaetian Rail
Bus st Moritz to S. Croce
Mark and Susan's House S. Croce
Celebrating the end of the APR
Highlight of the day was getting to Sargans, the official end to the Alpine Pass Route. But the most fabulous scenery was on the bus then train to Santa Croce passing on the UNESCO recognised Rhaetian Railway over the Landwasser Viaduct to St Moritz, then through the Bregaglia Valley into Northern Italy. Such a change of scenery from a mist morning walk to a stunning ride on the Rhaetian Railway.
Breakfast is at 7.30am and Ian and I have already decided to complete the last leg of 15k into Sargans. Jenny walked this stretch yesterday after circuiting the Foo Pass and cming up the valley from Sargans. Graham decided to ….2b cont'd. Ian and I are off walking at 8.00am and Graham… well he's still fluffing around! Jenny and I agree with train/bus times to meet them in St Morritz to catch the 4.08pm bus to Sant Croce.
It's a cool misty morning as we head off down the road following the signs to Sargans, about 15k away and 400 metres descent. At Schendi, the sign seams to point to the left but after half and hour of trekking up hill and seeing a sign back to Weisstannen, we decide the angle of the sign was not quite right and head back down to the road again. It's still misty as we walk through beautiful beech forest that seems to suit the mist. We can't see down to the valley anyway. After another half hour walk along a precarious track, we see the Swiss red and white walking sign at the end with a cross through it - Don't go this way! It's still misty and cool with so many damp meadows and cows interspersed with beech forests.
After 3hrs, it's time for a coffee break. We can see Mels and Sargans down in the valley below and another 30 minutes of trekking we reach Sargans with an hour to spare to catch the 1.33pm train to meet Jenny and yes, Graham in St Moritz. There's time to shop at the local Coop before catching the train.
It's just 20 minutes to Chur when we change trains on to the Glacier Express (Rhaetian Railway) to St Morritz, built in 1901. The journey is spectacular as we travel through Thusis, Tiefencastel and then on to Filisur across the famous UNESCO Heritage listed Landwasser viaduct that spans the Landwasser river and is 65 metres high and 136 metres long before passing into the 5.8metre long tunnel. On to St Morritz where we meet Jenny and Graham who have bussed/trained ahead of us and we all hop on the St Morritz to Chiavenna bus. St Morritz is full of "seen-to-be-here's" and is very expensive, but also very beautiful set on the lake. Graham has been Coop Shopping, so we have double food supplies to take to Santa Croce.
The bus ride is like a tourists trip, passing over the Maloja pass with it's countless steep hairpin turns. The bass passes through many small Italian villages, with streets so narrow there's only an inch to spare on either side of the bus. An hour and a half later we stop at Santa Croce and Graham fumbles for the front door key. The stone house has been magnificently renovated and is in a very quiet location with views from the patio up to the overhanging mountains. After a few beers, we have a salad and salmon, washed down with a really nice red wine that Mark has bottled from 80 litres of the local brew.
It's cool as we go to bed.