My adventure into this valley was no more than a day hike during a short break from rock climbing, though I wish I could have spent weeks in this luscious Alp valley. The Val Calnègia is a hanging valley above Val Bavona in the Italian speaking state of Ticino, Switzerland. People have eked out a living here for thousands of years surviving on chestnuts and livestock. When spring and summer came they moved their livestock up from the lowlands to the fresh grasses in these high up tiers and used these tiny rock cottages as their summer home. In fact, this area was not even their final stop. At the head of the valley they built a monstrous staircase near a waterfall which allowed their livestock to scale up yet another tier to even more grass land.
Shot handheld at f/10, 1/160 sec, ISO 200, on May 22, 2010
Shot handheld at f/10, 1/160 sec, ISO 200, on May 22, 2010
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6 comments:
So pretty!
Wow! Sounds like quiet a place!
Such a darling little cottage, I would happily summer there!
I wonder how hard of a hike it is to get up to this area? My future husband and I might go to Switzerland for our honeymoon next year.
Rebecca, the hike is not too bad. You must ascend a steep trail of switchbacks alongside a waterfall, but it is not too long to reach the top. And once you are in the Val Calnègia the trail is fairly level and easy going. I hope you make it there! It would be well worth it and, tho a tourist spot, is very cute and beautiful and off the main path. Thanks for visting!
I really like your work! Thanks for sharing!
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