Trans Swiss Trail - The longest Stage

It slowly dawns on us that we have an extremely long piece of work ahead of us today, but as always we take it easy (the benefit of age) and just start walking. Everything else will turn out (loosely based on Charlie in Two and a Half Man).

Albeit, the description of the two stages doesn't really sound that bad. Added up to 17 km? A good 6 hours? A piece of cake, you might think.

But as always, it turns out differently than you think.

The path runs over a densely wooded ridge. Unique view from the San Bernardo chapel over the Lugano lake basin. The city spreads more and more over the surrounding hills.

Farewell to Tesserete

The discussions with the jovial landlord at the Hotel Tesserete are revealing. It seems that a whole family clan has its hands on the hotel business in the region. The brothers are apparently known throughout the valley. One of them has taken over the Hotel Tesserete, the other another one up in the valley. But they manage to do their job well, the establishment is great, the dinner is without a flaw, the breakfast is top notch.

That's how it should always be, but reality sometimes looks a little different.

The hiking trail starts just below our hotel through a short stretch of forest and the residential area of ​​Vaglio, before diving into the green beech forest via a beautiful forest path. Where the chestnuts have gone is a mystery, maybe they only grow in northern Ticino.

Church of San Bernardo di Comano

The stage to Lugano offers a single, but impressive highlight, the church of San Bernardo above Comano, a suburb of Lugano. After a short ascent we reach the hill with the chapel, offering a view of a special class.

It is not surprising that the builders of the chapel picked this place. If the view were a bit more imposing, the sky even bluer, the air spicier, the senses would tire. The temperatures are perfect for a long hiking day, the sky presents itself as if it were not from this world. The air already smells a bit like autumn, of trees whose leaves are changing color. It's everything and more than you can think of for a perfect day.

The city of Lugano and Lake Lugano are at our feet, with the unmistakable San Salvatore towering behind. We still have to climb that today, but there is a funicular - the temptation will probably be too great.

In the northeast, the view sweeps deep into Val Colla with the Denti della Vecchia rocks. And so we sit in the sun, of course much too long considering the long distance, but in this moment we forget the tedious work that still lies ahead of us and simply enjoy the view and the moment.

Lugano - back in urban life

The proximity of civilization becomes noticeable in Comano at the latest. The clock on the nearby church tower strikes twelve just as we reach the village. First on a gravel road, we finally take the last few minutes on an asphalt road. The traffic becomes heavier, the noise louder, the people on the road more stressed, or do we just imagine that?

So once more back to urban life. It sounds very familiar to me.

I remember Neuenburg, Bern, Stans - Cities where, after a virtual absence of civilization, you arrive back in the modern world. Not always with joy, but in the end with a certain relief about all the wonderful things that life in the cities has to offer.

So also here and today. The Salumeria is enough to make you want to go shopping. Or all the restaurants trying to tempt us to all kinds of short visits. But we must remain steadfast, perhaps another time with more time and less scheduling stress.

Lugano is the largest city in Ticino. In addition to congress and business centers and banks, it is also the city of parks and flowers, which bloom much earlier here than in the north thanks to the mild climate. The historic city center is traffic-free. The numerous buildings in the Lombard style, the mountain view and the lake invite you to stroll.

From Comano it is not far to the center of Lugano and there is the lake, the boats, the people enjoying themselves on the banks of the lake. We have a gelato at the lake shore before we head for the valley station of the San Salvatore cable car. It's a long stage, so at least we get rid of this steep climb up Lugano's local mountain.

At the top of San Salvatore

The funicular, which has always been a tourist attraction of the first order, takes us up Lugano's home mountain in no time at all (certainly faster than on foot).

The summit offers a wonderful view of Lake Lugano, the Lombardy plain and the Swiss Alps. As early as 1213 there was a small chapel dedicated to Saint Salvatore. Soon after, the canons of S. Lorenzo enlarged the chapel into a small church. In 1703 the Archconfraternity decided to demolish it and erect a new building, which was completed in 1718.

The next destinations in Ciano and Carona can already be seen.

It's nice to be able to already see the two villages, but they appear to be cursedly far away. It should not bother us much, so we allow ourselves a coffee (although not deserved) and enjoy the view.

Ticino villages – extraordinary beauties

The descent to Ciano does not take long. But what a magnificent village.

This is how you imagine a Ticino village in your dreams (although dreams rarely correspond to reality). Yellow-painted rows of houses, washed out by wind and rain, rise high and towards the sky. Vines climb up to the roofs, and the hydrangeas in the shady courtyard have long since faded. The windows are closed or invitingly open, under the flat roof something like a terrace. You imagine drinking a glass of wine up there, perhaps after work or before bed, when the heat of the day has faded.

Cobbled alleys lead through dark passages, to somewhere. You think you might smell kitchen scents, perhaps a Ticino risotto or polenta bubbling on the stove.

We reach Carona after another hour. It's now half past four and it's still a damn long way to Morcote.

It means, of course, that we have no time for the botanical garden of San Grato, although azaleas, rhododendrons and conifers grow here on 62 square meters. You ought to be here in April and May, when the flowering bushes form a richly colored, fragrant carpet.

But right now (it seems to me like an ever-recurring dilemma that has accompanied me the whole trail) - no time.

Downwards

We no longer dare to look at the clock, but the setting sun on the opposing mountain mercilessly shows that it has become late (and yes, the clock indeed shows half past six). At least we catch the first glimpse of the lake. The destination Morcote should therefore not be far away.

Not far might be correct. However, we are still a few hundred meters too far up. The travel guide says in his usual laconic way:

From the Alpe Vicania it is practically only downhill. You descend around 400 meters in altitude over umpteen steps. This is definitely the most strenuous part of the stage. The destination is the former fishing village of Morcote, also known as the "Pearl of Ceresio". It is attractively situated on the headland of Ceresio on Lago di Lugano. The shore is lined with picturesque arcaded houses that are reflected in the water.

Anyone familiar with my hiking blogs knows my aversion to stairs, up or down. This has to do with my damaged knees, but not only. It is simply an imposition for any hiker. Every step puts such a strain on the basically incredibly resistant knee joints that one can only be amazed that they have lasted so many years without complaining.

But enough is enough at some point. The knee's feedback is extreme - and extremely painful. That's why it takes me an infinitely long time to climb the 400 meters (definitely over a thousand steps, damn it!).

Someone once said that a peculiar satisfaction can be achieved by subjecting oneself to physical exertion.

I confirm this. The two long-distance trails through Switzerland have proven that satisfaction can be not only peculiar but extraordinarily gratifying. Today will prove it as well, just not at this moment, practicing 400 meters of stair climbing after almost ten hours of hiking.

Stairway to Heaven

At least, despite just going down a bit out of breath, we believe having arrived at the destination Morcote. But surprise surprise - this is only the steeple of a church located quite above the village. So more stairs, (just the monumental church staircase counts 404 steps!), but the lake is getting closer, another church (there are countless of them), and then we have arrived.

It is indeed a village of a special kind. It is impossible to mention everything there is to admire.

Besides countless churches, chapels, palaces, castle ruins, unique houses and God knows what else, the average tourist (of which there are many) marvels at the famous cemetery, the arcades on the shore road, the park or simply the lake shimmering in all shades of blue.

That only interests us to a limited extent at the moment. The watch informs us of just under ten hours of hiking time, which can be deduced not only from the watch but from all the aching or otherwise out of step parts of the body.But as always - after an intensive shower and one (or more) beers, the world looks a lot better.

And the evening is mild, as it may be expected in these southern spheres, we sit under the arcades with a sumptuous dinner and let the longest day of this hike pass us by.

Tomorrow the last day. Is it possible that just four weeks have passed since the start in Pruntrut? It seems like half a year. All this is now entering into the inventory of great, once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

In this context I like to quote once again my favorite philosopher Fernando Pessoa, who stated:

Life is the search for the impossible by means of the useless.

So goodbye for today.

 

Matching song:   Led Zeppelin - Stairway To Heaven (the best song ever?)

And tomorrow the trail ends... in Mendrisio