A drive across the Gothard Autor(en): [s.n.] Objekttyp: Article Zeitschrift: The Swiss observer : the journal of the Federation of Swiss Societies in the UK Band (Jahr): - (1971) Heft 1627 PDF erstellt am: 04.10.2021 Persistenter Link: http://doi.org/10.5169/seals-690385 Nutzungsbedingungen Die ETH-Bibliothek ist Anbieterin der digitalisierten Zeitschriften. Sie besitzt keine Urheberrechte an den Inhalten der Zeitschriften. Die Rechte liegen in der Regel bei den Herausgebern. Die auf der Plattform e-periodica veröffentlichten Dokumente stehen für nicht-kommerzielle Zwecke in Lehre und Forschung sowie für die private Nutzung frei zur Verfügung. Einzelne Dateien oder Ausdrucke aus diesem Angebot können zusammen mit diesen Nutzungsbedingungen und den korrekten Herkunftsbezeichnungen weitergegeben werden. Das Veröffentlichen von Bildern in Print- und Online-Publikationen ist nur mit vorheriger Genehmigung der Rechteinhaber erlaubt. Die systematische Speicherung von Teilen des elektronischen Angebots auf anderen Servern bedarf ebenfalls des schriftlichen Einverständnisses der Rechteinhaber. Haftungsausschluss Alle Angaben erfolgen ohne Gewähr für Vollständigkeit oder Richtigkeit. Es wird keine Haftung übernommen für Schäden durch die Verwendung von Informationen aus diesem Online-Angebot oder durch das Fehlen von Informationen. Dies gilt auch für Inhalte Dritter, die über dieses Angebot zugänglich sind. Ein Dienst der ETH-Bibliothek ETH Zürich, Rämistrasse 101, 8092 Zürich, Schweiz, www.library.ethz.ch http://www.e-periodica.ch Che Siüiss Obseroer Founded in 1919 by Paul F. Boehringer The Official Organ of the Swiss Colony in Great Britain Vol. 57 No. 1627 FRIDAY, 12th NOVEMBER, 1971 A DRIVE ACROSS THE GOTHARD V ^ Vv /< mzcfer has sen/ as /he /oZZowin«? varied aspects. The gorge becomes Descending from the Luckmanier Pass acco««/ o/ a 77-m/Ze /'onrney across narrower and the valley wilder and This the /he Grisons a/G /he Fessln. Star/in,g more barren. A number of hamlets fol- magnificent road, linking Romansch speaking Anterior Rhine 0/ Disen/is (see /nap he/owl he drove low. Platta, a scattered village, and in the Grisons the /o Biasca via /he Lack/nanierpass and Acla, where the Medels Rhine forms Valley with Italian Brenno in re///rned /o Tdospen/aZ hy /he Go/hard. the Fiimatsch waterfall, then Pardatsch speaking Valley Ticino, shows in succession of 7/e has no/ed down h/'s /7npres.v/on.v in at the entrance of Val Cristallina, a rumbling gorges raging waters to boundless alpine ,?rea/ de/ad and h/s repor/ w/7Z doah/- wild valley abounding in waterfalls and pas- in a sun-clad meridional Zess happy re/n/nZscences minerals. The forest now almost dis- tures valley. con/are ap From the the road /hose who know and Zove /his the mountains come nearer pass slopes gently among appears, into Val Santa Maria and the Brenno of Swi/zerZan/Z. again, rising to 9,000 ft. The road par/ river then the the small hospices of Sogn Gion to Acquacalda, through passes Valle di in series and Sogn Gagl (Romansch for Saint Lucumagno a of long windings with a magnificent view of From Disentis the road takes us Gions and St. Gall) to the important the Olivone and the Rheinwald- to the Rhine, then winding its hospice of Santa Maria near the sum- Valley way horn massif, the the through several tunnels and the wild mit of the Luckmanier Pass, 1,916m., highest summit of Adula range. gorge and waterfall of the Medels one of the most beautiful alpine passes Rhine (Reno di Medel), reaches Car- in Switzerland. In consideration of the Olivone, at the foot of the granitic aglia, with its bulb coifed church- Stausee Santa Maria (lake barrage), Sosto pyramid, 2,223m., is a beautiful tower, and surrounded by fir-tree for- important road constructions have and most interesting alpine village of ests, only three miles from Disentis. been effected between Sogn Gion and the canton of Ticino, a favourite holi- The Medel Valley presents the most the Passo del Lucomagno. day resort, the climate is excellent. It is from Olivone, 890m., that are made the ascents of the Rheinwaldhorn, 5fsr£/v/*ss ,/Uracw caw 3,402m., highest point of the canton, Scopi, 3,202m., and Lago Retica, 2,378m. Less than four miles north of Olivone are the Compieto Waterfall and the famous Sosto Gorge, a visit well worth the little way round to the motorist not in a hurry. From Olivone, where the properly so-called Val Blenio starts, the valley comprises many villages surrounded with meadows and cultivated fields, with orchards and vineyards lower down the valley. Chestnut tree forests and all the vegetation has a meridional aspect. Both sides of the valley present a very different character. On the left towers the Adula massif with its es- carped snowy summits and fearful in- cline of their slopes, with ravines and brooks which, after heavy rainfalls, are the cause of great damage. On the right is the large range of the Pizzo di Molare, 2,588m., without well marked summits with gentle slopes, and small lateral valleys. A bit of history The Val Blenio is also exposed to rock falls. Three quarter-mile upstream of Biasca the road by-passes a mass of huge blocks known as the "Buzza di afu/azoa/t * Biasca". This enormous heap of mat- ing the magnificent panorama of Val waterfalls of a stream from the Pizzo CIk SiDiss Obseroer Blenio, the view is admirable, a fore- Magno can be admired. ground of trees and chalets enhance The entire Valle Leventina is trav- Published Twice Monthly at the tableau. Acquarossa, reputed for elled along an excellent road and the 63/67 TABERNACLE STREET is fre- Gotthard both LONDON E.C.2 its ferruginous springs, a much railway line, presenting Tel.: 01-253 2321 quented spa in summer. From Acqua- galleries, tunnels and daring stone or Telegrams: Paperwyse Stock London rossa the valley is connected by railway iron bridges which are remarkable en- coach works The Tes- HON. PRESIDENT: Robert J. Keller to Biasca and by a postal ser- gineering of art. river EDITOR: Pierre-Michel Béguin vice to Disentis in summer. Above the sin, or Ticino, is the most important Advisory Council: village of Dongio, in a grotto called river of the canton, which it traverses Gottfried Keller (Chairman) Casa dei Pagani (Pagan's house) which and to which it has given its name; O. F. Boehringer, J.P., (Hon. Sec.) in the middle-ages served as a refuge it has its source at 2,480m., in the Nu- F. Dr. C. Burri, Eusebio, Jagmetti and observation the fenenpass, Passo Novena, the high- (Press Attaché Swiss Emb.) post. At Aquila, or A. Kunz, R. M. Suess, B. Simon first village after Olivone, there is a est Swiss alpine pass, in the St. Gott- PREPAID SUBSCRIPTION RATES road for the other side of Val Blenio hard massif, and its mouth in Lago (POST FREE) to villages chiefly engaged in cattle- Maggiore, 193m., Switzerland's lowest UNITED KINGDOM breeding. Marolta is frequented for the altitude over sea level. The valley of 24 issues £2.40 ascent of the Pizzo Molare. Leontica the Ticino, with its grandiose dimen- 12 issues £1.25 is the sions and tinctures, has in all 6 issues £0.65 the highest village of valley. no equal SWITZERLAND and elsewhere The Ticinese are very attracted to the alps. 12 issues Frs. 13—or £1.30 their country. The emigrants never 24 issues Frs. 25—or £2.50 leave without hope of return, their love Ascending the Leventina Swiss subscriptions be paid into for the native land never weakens, even may 3km. from Biasca, is the Postcheck Konto Basle 40—5718 after long of absence, and Pollegio, many years first of the Valle Leventina on Editor's telephone: 01-602 1378 Semione. with its beautiful villas, bears village the left bank of the at the foot witness to the who have returned Ticino, many of the rocks he Sasso Semione is indeed nice with granitic forming a village the orchards and di Polegio. Bodio, next village, is meadows, vineyards, the of Stefano Francini erials left by the great rock-slide of chestnut-tree forests. Near the village, birthplace 1512 descended the Pizzo (1796-1857), geographer and statisti- that from a small ridge, one can standing on cian. "The Father of the edu- Magno, blocked up the Brenno, trans- admire the ruins of the Castello di Ser- popular cation of Ticino and of the Swiss sta- forming the valley in an immense lake. ravalle, first mentioned in history in tistics", Federal Councillor, died in Fourteen months later, at Whitsun, 1221. A suspension bridge leads to Berne in 1857. Then 1514, the barrage broke up, the water Malvaglia. comes Giornico, causing destruction and hundreds of mostly on the left bank of the Ticino, shaded deaths in Biasca, devastating the valley Biasca with meadows by chestnut- of the Riviera to Lago Maggiore. Fligh- trees and vine-growings on trells work. er up the pile of rocks and stones, the Biasca is a very interesting and Two picturesque bridges connect the huge cicatrice of the rupture on the important industrial town at the end other side of the village. It is in Gior- Monte Crenone can be clearly seen. of the Blenio Valley, at the confluence nico, at Sassi Grossi (Great Stones) The Brenno was the cause of terrible of the Leventina and Riviera, where that on the 28th December, 1478, the inundations in 1747, 1785, 1829 and the river Ticino receives the Brenno. celebrated battle took place and where 1868; since then important construe- Biasca possesses a church, mentioned 10.000 Milanese were completely rout- tions of correction, embankment and for the first time in 1213, as the princi- ed by 950 Swiss under the captaincy of reafforestation have repressed the pal Collegiate church of Val Blenio, of Troger of Uri, Frischhaus of Lu- destructive force of the elements.