Another breath of fresh air...... The Engadine gave me another beautiful day that regenerated my body and my mind, with a high altitude excursion starting from Bunarivo, along the road that leads from Silvaplana to the Julier Pass, and arriving at the Lej da la Tscheppa, the final pearl of a very panoramic trek.

Trekking: Lej da la Tscheppa, Engadin, Silvaplana, Switzerland

I hadn't been to Engadine since the summer of 2020... How much I missed it! And how much this damned Covid is stealing from us!

Having glimpsed a window of good weather in this meteorologically capricious summer (in the Alps), I prepared my camping equipment, and, on Friday afternoon (31/7/2021), I set off for this wonderful Swiss valley.

On this occasion, I decided to try the Maloja campsite at Plaun Curtinac, which I had already spotted at the end of the wonderful excursion to Blaunca and Grevasalvas last year. And the discovery of this tiny and spartan campsite was the first wonder of these two days... An oasis of peace, to relax immersed in enchanted nature. Moreover, the African heat of the last few weeks in the plains had knocked my blood pressure down, and the mountains were just what I needed to bring it back to more normal values!

After a brief rain shower during the night (my old Ferrino Tenerè tent leaks, and will soon be replaced by a bomb-proof Ferrino Svalbard 3), I woke up in the morning at the campsite, on the shore of Lake Sils, wrapped in a thin mist that hovered over the surface of the lake, and on the slopes of the mountains, at lower altitudes. Above, you could glimpse the blue sky, which appeared every now and then, because the sun was starting to dissolve the morning humidity. An almost mystical atmosphere...

When the sun finally won the battle, around 10:00, I headed towards the starting point, Bunarivo (see map). Going up the road to the Julier Pass, there on the left, there is a dirt parking lot that can accommodate about ten cars. In the area, there is also the Autopostale stop, and therefore the itinerary is also accessible by public transport (tickets on the bus, if you don't find an open post office where you can buy them).

The route that leads from here to Lej da la Tscheppa is not technically difficult, but it is not trivial in terms of physical effort. In 5.4 km, you overcome a difference in altitude of about 700 meters (over 800 of positive difference in altitude). The travel time, at a good pace, is about 2 hours (1 hour and 45 to descend).

The signs along the route, and the signs that indicate the path, are frequent, and evident.

In short, from the parking lot go up towards the mountain, along a small path, along the road that goes up to the pass (unfortunately busy and noisy, and the annoyance of which you will get rid of only after half an hour of walking). Do not walk along the road! The path leads you, shortly after, to a small wooden bridge, beyond which you access a section of the Via Engiadina. Follow it for a short stretch in an easterly direction, and then, at a signpost, turn right, and begin to climb the steep mountainside that takes you, in about 45 minutes, to a plateau at 2300 metres, dotted with many small lakes (Lejets da Muttaun). This can be the destination for those who are unable to reach Lej da la Tscheppa, perhaps because they have children in tow. However, keep in mind that the stretch of path that reaches the plateau is steep, even if the route wisely cuts the slope with many hairpin bends. The overall itinerary is suitable for children of at least 12-13 years of age, except for smaller "goats", adequately trained. The plateau already offers a breathtaking view, first of all of Lake Silvaplana and Saint Moritz, below, which will captivate you with their turquoise colour. But looking up, just beyond the Fuorca da Surlej (read the itinerary from here to Chamanna Coaz), the Bernina group stands out, of which the famous Biancograt crest, the Piz Morterasch, is clearly recognizable, and, towards the South and further down, the entire beautiful Val Fex (read the article on an autumn hike here). Towards the Maloja Pass, the mountains of the upper Val Bregaglia, on the border with Italy.

From here, a long stretch of the route begins, with a mostly moderate slope, except for the occasional steep section, where you will "wander" among the lakes and the blueberry, rhododendron and mountain pine meadows. I have not met many hikers. Most of them probably flock to the routes around the Bernina group, where there are also more refuges. This allowed me to continue along the route, in a contemplative atmosphere, even in the middle of summer. And every now and then, especially in summer, and if you have previously been in more chaotic holiday resorts...., a little peace doesn't hurt. In any case, I shared the route with a couple of German hikers, with whom we outdid each other several times, and another ten people, met along the way, and greeted with the inevitable Gruetzi, in Swiss German, which is used in these parts.

After an hour and thirty minutes of walking, a bit of fatigue has emerged (perhaps, I kept a pace too high in the first part).

The final part of the itinerary is deceptive... The path presents you, on several occasions, with reliefs, and promontories, which delude you into thinking that the Lej da la Tscheppa is hidden behind them. The path, each time, increases its slope to overcome these reliefs, but then, at the top, you find yourself with another meadow where you can continue, and another relief to overcome....

But, after a stretch equipped with some chains (useful only psychologically, or to pull you up, because there is nothing technically difficult), having passed a last more imposing bastion (about 2675 meters), after two hours of walking, you finally find yourself in front of the blue shape and of non-negligible dimensions (almost 100 x 100 m) of the Lej da la Tscheppa. Wonder and satisfaction together will characterize your state of mind upon arrival at the lake (which rises at 2616 m). It is impossible not to admire and photograph its most beautiful corners, where the clear water shows colors that have nothing to envy of the Sardinian sea. Above the lake, the reddish rock buttresses of Piz Lagrein and the surrounding peaks.

I went down towards the lake's outlet, and I positioned myself in the sun and sheltered from the wind, for a pleasant picnic lunch, contemplating his majesty the Bernina. Not before having a nice couple of Italian-speaking hikers take some photos of me to immortalize the event. In this period, even a simple gesture like this (I also returned the favor and took some photos of them), causes some fear, due to the risk of contagion from Covid! But you can't live in terror. Or at least, I can't. That said, it wouldn't hurt to always have hand sanitizer on hand, ready to use.

Since the sky was gradually becoming cloudy (storms expected in the afternoon), after half an hour, I began the descent to return to the car along the ascent route. If you want, you can close a loop, going down to Sils (or up) and arriving near the Beach Club Restaurant (where there is a convenient parking lot). Be aware, however, that this path is much steeper than the one that leads to Bunarivo (in addition to involving almost two hundred meters of additional altitude difference). If you do not want to walk the entire loop (following a stretch of Via Engiadina to skirt Lake Silvaplana), you can take advantage of the convenient and punctual service of the PostBus.

The descent can be more tiring than the climb, and, in fact, I returned to the car very tired, but happy.

This time too, I left the Engadine, with a deep sense of gratitude and affection.

Allegra! Fabio Muriano

Click here for the complete slidegallery of the itinerary.