Corippo, Valle Verzasca

I visited the village of Corippo, Ticino, in the south of Switzerland, as my Scettrini ancestors came from there. This is the path I walked up from the PostBus stop to get to the village.

There are few people still living in the village, but this parked truck shows there is at least one Scettrini still in the area....

There were signs of old Christian piety to be seen near the walking tracks. Here you can see a cross and a path-side shrine, both near the village of Corippo.

Near Corippo there was an old mill building making use of the water flow in a small river in a side valley.

A water pump in the village, dated 1879.
This is a viewpoint down to the dam over the Verzasca River at Vogorno. In the distance you can see Lake Maggiore, near the Locarno end. (Seen on a beautiful walk from Mergoscia to Corippo.)
This was a scene of grazing animals in a flat section of Valle Verzasca, seen while walking down from the Sonogno end.

Corippo

My great-great grandfather, Giuseppe Scettrini, was born in 1835 in the mountain village of Corippo in Ticino, Southern Switzerland. I had a wonderful week based in Locarno exploring in this area.

These first two photos of Corippo are taken from the track that leads to Mergoscia.

In this photo I am standing on the path leading down the mountain towards Mergoscia and the mill at Corippo. The houses are all made of slate in a Ticinese building style.

These last two photos are of the parish church in Corippo, Our Lady of Mt Carmel. Giuseppe was baptised in this church (though I am not sure how old this particular font is.)

Madonna del Sasso

After getting showered and changed out of my wet clothes, I headed back down into Locarno. I took the funicular up the hill to Madonna del Sasso. If there is a church that should take the prize for most spectacular site, this should be a candidate. I am not sure if this is the church whose bells announce that it is 6.45am, but I imagine it might be. It stands tall above the town. It is when you get close on the funicular though that you realise how truly amazing its site is. The church seems to sit on sheer rock, the kind of sheer rock that runs alongside Val Verzasca. There is a Via Crucis that approaches from down the hill, and tall trees with spring green surround it. It is hard not to feel giddy when you stand outside the church and look down over the view of Locarno. (Yes you could see the view : it had stopped raining as I wasn't walking!)

Inside the church was full of paintings and plaques that individuals seem to have given in gratitude for some deed. There were groupings of people in sculpture like the Last Supper, and the descent of the Holy Spirit, and placing Jesus in the grave. These were lifesize tableau and I have not seen anything like them before.

I caught the funicular down again, glad I hadn't fallen off that mountain!

Sonongo to Lavertezzo

Second time lucky with this post: there was a warning in German last time, maybe that Blogger was undergoing maintenance but of course I could not read it!- so never saved the post to e-mail or anything.

Yesterday was another great day. Caught the Postbus up to the end of the Verzasca Valley to Sonongo. It was misty and overcast and began raining at the end of the valley so I never hung around at Sonongo to explore but headed off down valley. The track was on the right hand side of a small river looking down the valley to start with. Another lovely track with trees in spring verdure and rocks and waterfalls. The waterfalls were really pretty and full, maybe with all the warm weather of the past few days melting snow, plus the bit of rain.

The rain soon turned to just drizzle and the track crossed over to the other side of the river. By the time I got to Brione, what had been a calm little stream had become a raging torrent over some huge rocks. The track crossed again to the right hand side and as it was warming up there were as few lizards escaping as I walked by their rocks. Wildflowers came out again as the sun began shining too. So very pretty with all the flowers at present.

End of walk was ruined by a pervert who was using the road side of the valley to appear at various intervals across the river from me half-dressed. Not so nice and I rushed to get on to Lavertezzo and the crowds always at the bridge there as it crosses the river full with huge rocks and the lovely green water.

Today is my last day in Locarno and I imagined a lovely walk up above the city, getting all the views. I had had these wonderful views the other day as I had climbed up to Mergoscia on the bus. But aha ha, it has to rain everywhere sometime and I never took my raincoat despite the cloud. I took the Mergoscia bus as far as Contra (Posta). Armed with a map from the tourist office of the higher walk, I began, and so did the rain. Drizzle first, but soon continuous rain. Just as well I was only planning a two hour walk on this occasion! The walk was still a great one but where I had imagined views there was only hazy misty things in the distance. Seats placed at spots where you could get a view did not get much use this morning! The Swiss are spoiled for all these great accessible walks.

I got a bit lost when I should have only had about 15 minutes of downhill walking left. I ended up heading uphill on a trail I should have instantly realised was too hard for the kind of track I was doing. Turns out I was headed up Mont Bre. No harm done, just in wet clothes a little longer.

I had envisioned finishing the walk with a trip along the ridge to a church then taking the cablecar downhill. Instead it was back to the hostel for shower and complete change as fast as I could. Luckily, as always it seems in the Locarno area, there was an alternative to the winding downhill roads, and I was soon on some steep steps taking me down to Locarno a lot more swiftly. Now it is 1.30pm, and I have actually found a slightly cheaper internet where I can actually sit down, and use a proper mouse, so here is a longer post for once.

Head off to France in the morning. Have a train ticket as far as Avignon, but if I am not too tired when I get there will take the bus then for Arles. First night I am not 'booked' for accommodation on this trip. Bit scary to be a 'real' traveller again!

Mergoscia

This morning I discovered something everyone who comes to Locarno should do: take the bus up to Mergoscia. It was a sunny calm earlyish morning, and I think the views were probably the most stunning I have seen on a bus ride anywhere. We zigzagged our way up the hills above Locarno and the views down over the lake were just stunning.

Then I took the walk above Mergoscia in the direction of Corippo. I don't know if my ancestors often took this walk or not, but it felt like I was walking in their footsteps. Again, stunning views to mountains and down to the River Verzasca. Talked to some German speaking people staying in Corippo about my Giuseppe Scettrini, born 1835 in Corippo. Then walked on to Lavertezzo and over its bridge before catching one of the limited number of Postbuses back on a Sunday. Now doing laundry and escaping some sun.

Lago Maggiore

Let the boat do the walking today and took a day pass on the Lago Maggiore. Began early when there was hardly anyone out. By mid-afternoon boats had lot.s on them. Great views. Mountains and houses all round the lake. Went to Brissagio first. Found a wonderful little suntrap on seats in a grassed area beside a medieval church. Could have stayed there all day. Went to Botanical Gaardens on Isolo di Brissago - had New Zealand plants there that I have in my garden. Anscona was almost too picture perfect on a warm siesta type afternoon with all the umbrellas out on the restaurants on the waterfront.

Valle Maggia

Tried walking in a different valley today, Valle Maggia. Went by Postbus to the end. Lots to explore up there by car in other side valleys. Missed the track at first but enjoyed bush walking once I found it with a bit of help from a craft house stall owner. Then got to know how the yellow signs worked. Waterfalls, snowy mountains, stone houses, lovely. Town of Cevio especially beautiful. Old churches and bell towers in every village. Not many other walkers. More industrial as I got back down and they were extracting granite from the mountainside and cutting it to various sizes.

Internet 16 NZ dollars an hour so can't write much.

Corippo

Got up this morning to make the 9.05am Postbus up into Valley Verzasca and I remembered the sight of the village of Corippo from my last visit, sitting up against its mountainside. I perhaps enjoyed this return visit more: I was less over-excited at the sheer beauty of it all and was able to take in every little sight. There were more little waterfalls - melting snow I expect.

The Church was able to be opened. Someone, maybe a Scettrini, had freshy decorated the altar with flowers. I had time to look at the baptismal font etc that my family would have been 'done' in. Then I wandered up and down and around the houses. I sat by the mill down by the stream. And I had lunch on the track to Mergoscia, looking back at the village as the midday bells sounded while I ate my lunch.

I then walked up the valley to Lavertezzo and had quite a few good convos with Swiss walkers along the way.

Greatday. Short account. INternet expensive and hard to use. Catch ya later.