Graubünden
Although I have written about other Swiss adventures before this article, my trail running journey in-fact began in the largest canton in Switzerland, Graubünden. Like most of my travels, I had no expectations for this region and my prior knowledge was purely the extent of knowing where it vaguely was on the map.
Graubünden sits in the south easterly part of Switzerland and is the only canton to have three native languages: German, Romansh and Italian. This part of Switzerland is best known for the luxury Alpine Ski resort, St Moritz and it’s beautifully, rugged and untamed scenery.
Crestasee, Caumasee and Rheinschlucht
Arriving in Switzerland for the first time on my summer road trip, I settled for a campground in Trin, a pretty, hillside village which sits at 876 metres above sea level. From my camper van, I had impressive views over the sheer rock faces, towering above which was evidently a paradise for climbers. I just knew this spot would also be the perfect introduction to my trail running journey in Switzerland.
With the late August sun still beating down, it was far from ideal conditions to be planning a half marathon trail run, but it was simply impossible for me to miss the opportunity to run in this beautiful and picturesque area. From speaking to other campers, I knew there were a few nearby lakes which sounded insanely beautiful. This included Caumasee, which I’d been told by my Swiss friends was a real bucket list destination. Despite the 30 degree heat, I woke up, cooked up my favourite breakfast of porridge, with banana and honey, complemented of course with a strong coffee before hitting the trail.
My run that day started across the edge of farmers fields, before the trail dropped me into a dense pine forest, which even at 9am, provided some much needed relief from the heat and strength of the sun. The wide and undulating trails in this section were ideal to start my run, with the terrain proving fun, but with nothing too technical or challenging for the early hour of the morning. After a few kilometers, the towering trees parted to reveal the spectacular Rheinschlucht (or Rhine Gorge) in the distance. Known as the Grand Canyon of Switzerland, this impressive and dramatic rock formation, has the fast flowing Rhine weaving through the bends of the rock faces. Before I’d even reached the renowned lakes, my breath had already been taken away.
Descending back through the depths of another pine forest, I could sense I wasn’t far from my first destination and pit-stop for the day, Crestasee. Climbing and feeling like I was getting close to society again after being in the depths of the forest, I knew an impressive view was imminent. With an elevated view, I began to see glimpses of the turquoise water, through the majestic pine trees before being treated to a full view of the insanely beautiful lake. In need of a break, I made my way down to the edge of the lake, to dip my toes in the fresh, crystal clear waters. This did make me regret not including swim wear in my running pack, as a swim is a real must in this incredible spot, especially on a scorching, hot summers day.
After cooling down and re-fueling, I picked up the trail again, this time weaving through more beautiful pine forests before the landscape once more opened out, to give wide, panoramic views of the wild mountains above. Although it was a Saturday in August with perfect weather, the trails were a good level of busy, with plenty of quieter stretches to be immersed fully in nature, but also opportunities to chat to fellow outdoor enthusiasts, which for me, makes the experience even more enjoyable. For this short, exposed, yet undulating section, I followed a cyclist on the trail, who insisted on pushing his bike up every hill. We got into some form of rhythm for the next few kilometres, with me catching him up on every climb and losing him again on the descent.
Around 10 kilometres into my run, the trail signs told me that I wasn’t far away from the long awaited Caumasee. Nestled between the trees, I was treated to my first glimpse of the spectacular lake, which similar to Crestasee, had vivid, turquoise blue waters, which shimmered in the mid-day sun. I picked up my pace, and descended to get a close up view of this iconic lake, which is said to have formed as a result of the largest landslide in the Alps, almost 10,000 years ago.
With a trail hugging the edge of the lake, I opted to get a 360 view to fully take in the incredible surroundings. The landscape was totally breath taking but like many beauty spots, sadly it had been commercialised, with a very unfortunate fence around the edge of the lake, which did somewhat spoil the natural beauty to me. I understand the reasons for this, including to limit tourist numbers in attempt to preserve the incredible natural environment, but nonetheless, it was a shame not to see this beauty spot in all it’s glory.
After a short break from the heat of the mid-day sun, I started to re-trace most of my steps back to the campground. Seeing these trails for the second time was just as breathtaking as the first time. I opted for a slightly shorter route back, which took me directly across farm fields towards the campground. Feeling like I was frying in the 30 degree heat, this ‘run’ home was merely more than a jog, but nonetheless, I enjoyed finishing a rapid pit stop of this beautiful part of Graubünden.
The Rheinwald Valley
I was desperate to stay in this beautiful and rugged part of Switzerland, but the intense heat was showing no signs of abating. Without sounding like a typical British person, moaning about the weather, I knew the temperature needed to be at least a few degrees cooler to be able to enjoy running and doing so without getting up at 4am, before the sun has a chance to wake up. The only way I could do this was to head somewhere a little higher in altitude, which is how I decided on my next running spot - a tiny, little village named Splügen.
This rustic, little conurbation sits at 1,500 metres above sea level and lies right on the edge of Splügen Pass, which links the canton of Graubünden and Italy. Running through the centre of the village and down the Rheinwald valley is the Hinterrhein river, originating near the iconic San Bernardino Pass. Arriving here, I was taken aback with the rough and wild scenery, with rugged peaks and dramatic pine forests covering the valley floor. This was quite a contrast from the lush lakes and vivid colours further north in Graubünden.
Unlike other parts of Switzerland, this area was quiet and remote, with only a few tourists. Cable cars visibly operated here in the winter months, to take ski and snowboard enthusiasts to the high altitudes, but presumably there were not enough tourists to keep these operational during the summer months. For me, this gave an even more magical feel, knowing I would most probably have these incredible trails all to myself.
I chose a campground right on the banks of the Hinterrhein river, with a trail right on my ‘doorstep’ which would take me through the depths of the Rheinwald valley. I’ll admit to taking the first few days easy after a busy start to my road trip, but I was eager to lace up my running shoes on the trails which I’d been teased with so close to ‘home’.
From speaking to locals and other tourists at the campground, I was told to watch out for wolves in the area. I couldn’t quite work if they were serious, if the meaning of ‘wolf’ had been lost in translation, or if they were simply joking. Wolves do apparently exist in Switzerland, including in the county of Graubünden and their population has been on the rise in recent years. It was probably for the best that I didn’t bump into these seemingly cute and cuddly creatures, but nonetheless, I was curious about their existence in this part of the world.
Like I had hoped, the Rheinwald valley was a wild, paradise for trail runners. On the edge of the Hinterrhein river, the trail I chose hugged the banks of the fast flowing river and weaved through the majestic, pine forests. Through the dense trees, I was treated to glimpses of the jagged rock faces framing the beautiful valley. My route was nothing spectacular on paper - simply an out and back route through this seemingly undiscovered valley. In reality, it was so much more.
After a few kilometres, the trail led me away from the river banks, across green pastures and through tall pine forests. The wider trails on this route allowed me to fully switch off and get into a comfortable pace, especially as the elevation was relatively forgiving on this particular trail. The terrain was rough enough to keep things fun, but I could also confidently take in the views of the towering peaks above me, without fearing I’d soon fall flat on my face.
Like I expected, the trail was deserted. Partly as I had been successful at peeling myself out of my sleeping bag at an early hour, but also because I was off the beaten track. Cow bells echoed through the valley, mixed with the sound of crashing waterfalls and birds of prey up above. The sun started to peak over the mountains, which gave a warm glow to the landscape, despite the air still feeling fresh. I felt completely calm and encompassed by nature.
Making my way back along the same trails, there was an element of familiarity but I also got a completely different perspective of what I had set my eyes on, just moments before. To my surprise, the way back to the campground was also, mostly downhill. I had wondered why I’d found my first leg of the trail more exhausting than I thought I should.
Completing my 10 kilometer run that day, I was treated to fresh alpine water, from the spring and a cool down, swim in the Hinterrhein river. There was simply no better way to end my running adventure in this beautiful and unspoilt part of the world.
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