Hiking (mountain trail, in places narrow and exposed)
Alpine route (equipped or very exposed section, snow field, blocks)
R54
Buchboden » St. Gerold
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3h50 |
15.8 km
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369 m
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430 m
The Via Alpina route corresponds fully here to the so-called Walser trail. Follow the course of the Lutz stream mainly downhill over meadows and through mixed mountain forests and flood-plain woods, which are to the greatest possible extent still preserved in their natural condition. The small, idyllic villages and lovely farmhouses invite you in for a rest.
The course taken by Via Alpina throughout the entire route out of the Buchboden valley is identical to that of the regional Walserweg (Walser trail). In Buchboden, it takes the shortest route to the Lutz, a river that flows through the Große Walsertal valley. The route alternates between roads and footpaths but starts off constantly in the vicinity of the Talbach stream. Below the hanging village of Sonntag (888m), it changes over to the southern side of the valley, but then crosses the roadbridge in the Parzelle Garsella farmland (735m) back to the sunny side again (Buchboden – Garsella 2h). From Garsella, the trail leads on a comfortably undulating route alternating between mountain meadows and wooded ravine to the little village of Blons (903m, Garsella – Blons 1h 30min). From there, head rather steeply downward into the bleak Rüfitobel ravine. Once on the other side, climb up approx. 100m again through the ravine forest and across mountain meadows to the provostry of St. Gerold (approx. 1h from Blons). (Christina Schwann, OeAV)
Natural and cultural heritage
The Große Walsertal valley only gradually became accessible thanks to roadways as of the 1870s. Until then, the settlements could virtually only be reached on mule tracks and footpaths. Thüringerberg was always the main gateway to the valley. It is where the trails coming from Schnifis, Bludesch and Thüringen joined. From Thüringerberg, the most important mule track led approximately in the area of today’s main road to Buchboden. The erosion process caused by the Lutz, the main river in the Große Walsertal valley, had settled in such a way between two waves of different rock formations that on the northern side of the valley, the advantages of less steep and more fertile flysch slopes are coupled with more sunshine, while the steeper and less fertile terrain is mainly situated on the shady side, with the exception of Raggal. People only gradually realised in the course of the modern times that the cultivation of high-altitude areas, which in itself is desirable, also has its drawbacks. Walser cattle farming required greater pastureland areas, while the construction method using wood needed more lumber and the long winters could only be tolerated with sufficient firewood. This meant that more and more land was deforested, thus considerably increasing the risk of avalanches. Since the late Middle Ages, the number of avalanches reported has been increasing continually. By far the worst occurred in January of the year 1954, when out of the 70 to 80 avalanches counted in the Große Walsertal valley, around 30 penetrated settled areas. The alarming result was 80 deaths (out of 164 people buried) and enormous damage caused to farmsteads, public buildings, cable cars and wiring. 1954 in general became a turning point in the development of the Große Walsertal valley. From then on, support programmes were organised by bodies outside the area, the aim of which was to secure the community there by means of better traffic connections, economic structural improvements, avalance barriers and afforestation. By respecting the limits – also in terms of tourist development – people in the Große Walsertal have become aware that in this instance less can be more, if it means that even greater value is attributed to the proximity to nature and quality of life. The valley inhabitants have thus developed a development model with a markedly ecological slant. This concept was also accompanied by the chance to adopt the profile of an alpine biosphere park in the sense of the UNESCO “Man and the Biosphere” programme. The fundamental idea is to create a worldwide network of model regions for a sustainable economy and way of life. Across the world there are already more than 400 biosphere parks in 94 countries, including famous areas such as the Rocky Mountains, the Olympia in Greece or the Serengeti. The Große Walsertal has also been one of them since 9 November 2000. (Christina Schwann, OeAV)
Useful topographic maps
Wanderschönes Feldkirch ~ Amt der Stadt Feldkirch (1:25.000)
Wandern in Vorarlberg - Walgau-Sonnenseite ~ Amt der Vorarlberger Landesregierung (1:40.000)
Wanderkarte Biosphärenpark Großes Walsertal ~ Tourismusvereine u. Gem. des Großen Walsertales (1:40.000)
WK 364 Bregenzerwald ~ Freytag&Berndt (1.50.000)
Nr. 33 Arlberg - Nördl. Verwallgruppe; Nr. 2, Bregenzer Wald, Westallgäu ~ Kompass (1:50.000)
ÖK 50 141, 142 ~ Bundesamt für Eich- und Vermessungswesen (1:50.000)
Useful guidebooks
Großes Walsertal ~ Rother (ISBN )
Der Große Walserweg ~ Geocenter Medienservice Stuttgart (ISBN 3-930187-00-0)
Websites relative to natural and cultural heritage
Favourites, criticisms ? Make your personal comments on this stage. For more general notes please use the comments section of the page Over to the Via Alpinists.
Etape reposante et pas très intéressante si ce n'est pour les fraises de bois et les cerises, à s'en faire éclater le ventre en ce début du mois de juillet! Rencontré absolument personne sur le sentier.
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[Google]
Step resting and not very interesting if not for strawberries and cherries, to burst belly at the beginning of July! Met absolutely no one on the trail.
POPEYE GG - 2019-02-04
Dimanche 1er juillet 2018
Etape très simple jusqu'à Sonntag, pour lequel nous avons fait un petit détour. Malheureusement, après et jusqu'à St-Gerold, il fut pénible car mal balisé, toujours en montée et descente sur un chemin malaisé et sous la chaleur; de plus, sans grand intérêt sur les paysages rencontrés.
De plus, aucun hébergement libre, ni sur les villages suivants Thüringenberg, Schnifis, Röns: il a fallu aller jusqu'à Satteins, et encore grâce à un cyclotouriste que nous avons rencontré et qui a téléphoné pour nous réserver à l'hôtel zum Stern à Satteins, soit 10km que nous avons parcourus en 2h!
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Sunday, July 1, 2018 Very simple step to Sonntag, for which we made a small detour. Unfortunately, after and up to St-Gerold, it was painful because poorly marked, always uphill and downhill on a path difficult and in the heat; moreover, without much interest on the landscapes encountered. In addition, there is no free accommodation, nor the following villages Thüringenberg, Schnifis, Röns: it was necessary to go to Satteins, and again thanks to a cyclist who we met and who phoned to reserve us at the hotel zum Stern to Satteins, 10km that we traveled in 2h!
I got permission to camp on the football field in Garsella, (the Gasthaus was closed). GPS track between Garsella and Blöns was pretty slippery and a bit overgrown.
auf-guten-wegen - 2016-07-31
Korrektur: Ich meinte selbstverständlich Richtung ONO (nicht WNW)...
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[Google]
Correction: Of course I meant direction ONO (not WNW) ...
Unterwegs von St. Gerold nach Buchboden: Während der Walserweg bei Blons ins Dorfzentrum ausgeschildert ist, biegt die Via Alpina knapp unterhalb des Dorfs wieder talwärts ab in Richtung Raggal-Stausee. Bis ca. 730 Hm steil abwärts halten (Abzweigung ignorieren), dann wieder nach WNW. Auch unterhalb von Sonntag gab es im Wald kleinere Orientierungsprobleme: Der alte Pfad (gem. GPS-Track) ist zugewachsen, und der neue Fahrweg ist von Garsella her noch nicht markiert. In Buchboden ist die Pension zum Jäger sehr empfehlenswert.
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[Google]
On the way from St. Gerold to Buchboden: While the Walserweg near Blons is signposted to the village center, the Via Alpina just below the village turns back downhill towards the Raggal reservoir. Keep steeply down to about 730 meters (ignore the turnoff), then back to WNW. Even below Sunday there were minor orientation problems in the forest: The old path (according to GPS track) has grown over, and the new track is not yet marked by Garsella. In Buchboden Pension Jäger is highly recommended.
tof - 2014-12-27
Trieste-Monaco le 12/8/14 (R54 et R55 partiel)
Pas de ravitaillement sur Blons, Garsella et St Gerold. Tout est fermé. Eau disponible dans les villages.
A Innerberg au carrefour routier, possibilité de ravitaillement limité à une station service.
Automatic translation
[Google]
Trieste-Monaco on 12/08/14 (R54 and R55 partial) No refueling on Blons, Garsella and St. Gerold. Everything is closed. Water available in the villages. A Innerberg at crossroads, possibility of limited refueling at a service station.
berta - 2014-08-02
sollten sie in st.gerold nächtigen, empfehle ich die pension burtscher, ist zwar etwas außerhalb des ortes aber direkt am wanderweg der via alpina. freundliche, hilfsbereite besitzer, gute matratzen und leckeres frühstück
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[Google]
should they spend the night in St.Gerold, I recommend the pension Burtscher, although is just outside the resort but right on the trail via alpina. friendly, helpful owner, good mattresses and delicious breakfast
Monaco - Trieste
Voralberg county Austria, full of friendly and helpful people. transition stage. Pitch a tent in Blons schoolyard, restaurant, BB also available there
Mountain Girl - 2013-10-21
Be sure to turn R (downhill, toward river) at juncture where signage points to Sterisalpe on left or Sonntag on right. Via Alpina & Walserweg stay on the left bank of the river until Garsella.
|
3h50 |
15.8 km
|
369 m
|
430 m
Favourites, criticisms ? Make your personal comments on this stage. For more general notes please use the comments section of the page Over to the Via Alpinists.