A beautiful and at the same time very demanding hike is the trail from Zizers to Valzeina, in Pr\u00e4ttigau. I describe the hike to Valzeina as demanding because it\u00a0<\/p>\n
from the beginning to just before the end, it only goes steeply uphill. But in return, you pass through lovely forests and occasionally get a clear view of the Chur Rhine Valley. I started in Zizers and then walked on the Igiserstrasse to Igis, until you reach the Volg. From there, you turn right and just walk straight up... and up... and up... and up =)<\/p>\n
Once you're out of town, you pass through open and (for now at least) green meadows, leave a farm or two behind on the left and right, and walk into a beautiful mixed forest. Unfortunately, Valzeina isn't signposted too often, but you can't miss it if you just keep walking uphill. You'll inevitably end up on the right path (great thing). *g*<\/p>\n
Passing by beautiful gorges, ravines, and streams, you reach a small forest road again. You can now follow its course or take the shortcuts, which always lead back to the road. After 3.77 km, the road ends and merges into a mountain hiking trail. From here, it goes steeply uphill.<\/p>\n
After about 2 hours, you reach Sturnaboden at an altitude of 1358 m. The vast meadows invite you to take a leisurely break. What's fantastic up there is the peace and quiet, as you are now on the other side of the mountain and can no longer hear the traffic in the Rhine Valley.<\/p>\n
Since you can see the Swisscom tower in Valzeina from Zizers, that was my actual goal, so I naturally made a short detour there. It looks a bit like the Eiffel Tower (of Switzerland). The size of the tower and the extraordinarily good cell phone reception there are fascinating, hahaha...<\/p>\n
But now it continued to Valzeina, a community of 140 souls. Above the village sits a larger farmhouse, and right behind it, the Fl\u00fceli asylum seeker accommodation *giggle*. The idyll and the mountain scenery up there are breathtaking. However, it was also a sad sight at the same time. From this accommodation, which serves as an deportation center, it's about 200 meters in altitude and 1.5 km to the nearest bus stop. Ouch... and this bus runs exactly four times a day to the next town, where there are shops. Quite a terrible situation up there.<\/p>\n
Anyway, for me it was now exactly down this street to Valzeina, where my taxi was waiting \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n
The drive down to Landquart was adventurous but we survived lol<\/p>\n