Monday 9th September : Weather: Kandersteg 10°C: Locarno 27°C:
Locarno: 3.0k walk: Wander around Locarno
Ascent and Descent: Ascent 000m, Descent 000m,
Time: Train dep Kandersteg 8.40 am via Domodossola, arrive Locarno 12.30
Accommodation: Locarno Youth Hostel
At Domodossola for the Blue Train
Train from Domodossola to Locarno
A varied day beginning in a cool Kandersteg at 10°C to a very warm 27°C in Locarno. Highlight was the train trip between Domodossola in Italy and Locarno in Switzerland. The train chugged along through the mountains at snails pace, taking a very scenic route that some tourists take not to go from A to B but for teh jurney itself.
We’re awake at 6am to a cold 10°C morning in Kandersteg. It snowed last night so there’s a sprinkling of icing sugar on the mountain tops. I need to cancel two huts on the Via Alta Valle Maggia as the weather forcast for their location is for temperatures between -6°C and -4°C - yes minus six minimum and minus 4 maximum. We like walking in the cold but not sub zero temperatures. So we’ll book another hut lower down the mountains at Fusio. We shower and pack and we’re down early to breakfast at 7.30am to the usual meusli, yoghurts hot bread, jams, cheese and cold meats. We have to wait for our host Jasmine to get her grandchild off to school before she makes us a hot cup of tea. Down to the station to buy 2 x tickets for 70CHF each ($AUD140 to Locarno vi Domodossola. Trains are very expensive and we figure we could have flown to Sydney for the same cost!
The train is late, unusual for Switzerland, and at 8.45am we’re on our way through the Lötschberg Tunnel. An hour later we’re in Domodossola, find a quiet spot for a jet boiled coffee. Then down to underground platform 31. This Centovalli Railway was opened in 1923, and now transports thousands of passengers every year between Domodossola in Italy and Locarno in Switzerland. It has three carriages, all full. The train climbs on a single track and winds it’s way through the mountains at snails pace. It’s only a 50k trip which takes two hours - about 25kph! The route, reaches an altitude of 800 meters, and has beautiful views of the mountains.Most people are taking photos left and right as we cruise along and after two hours at 12.30pm we’re in warm and sunny Locarno at 27°C.
Lunch by Lake Locarno
A short stroll to the Cimetto Sports store to pick up a gas can we had ordered, then to a second hand shop to buy a cap for Ian as he left his in Fafleralp yesterday and refused to pay 50 CHF for a new one! We do find one for 8 CHF which looks more like an English gentleman’s hunting cap. Then to Aldi Suisse to buy lunch and walk down to the lake to find a seat and have a cup of tea with fresh bread and cheese. It’s 3pm and our accommodation at the Locarno Youth Hostel has just opened. Time to walk 1k through town towards the hostel and on the way we see the Belotti Sports store where we called in to tell them we didn’t need a new gas can that they had put aside for us. But I did walk out with a pair of gloves in case it’s zero degrees when it’s supposed to be 10°C at the end of the week.
Beautiful Lake Locarno
We’re soon at the Youth Hostel and check into Room 104 on the first floor. We also book for Friday Sep 20th when we return from the Via Alta Valle Maggia to pick up some stuff which we plan to leave - my computer, extra Via Alpini maps etc, to lighten the load. I’ll be hand writing a small diary to type into my blog when we return after 10 days in the mountains. Our twin room is bright and sunny and perefect for drying washing which we do in the basin. Then sorting of gear to leave behing as much as we can ready for a 2,000 metre climb tomorrow.