The Senda Sursilvana stage starts in Sumvitg and follows the left-hand side of the valley to Brigels. This makes the village the starting point of a specific route through the Surselva. The Senda runs high above the valley floor along the mountain slopes, past steep mountain streams that later flow into the Vorderrhein, and through villages in GraubĂĽnden.
Hiking trails between the valley slope and mountain lake
Lag Serein lies near Sumvitg, above Alp da Glivers, at an altitude of 2,260 metres. It can be reached via Sogn Benedetg, Crap NĂ©r and Alp Glivers; the walk from Alp Glivers to the lake takes about an hour and a half. The walking time is a useful guide for planning your day, but remains an estimate. Trail conditions can also change.
Another route description presents the Alp Glivers circular trail, which leads from Sumvitg through Val Sogn Benedetg, via Alp Glivers and Clavadi, and back to Sumvitg. This means two different hiking ideas are presented side by side: for Lag Serein, an approximate walking time is given for the climb from Alp Glivers; the circular route describes a return to Sumvitg. Both descriptions include Alp Glivers, but that does not mean they follow the same route.
So, when choosing a route, a simple first question is: should Lag Serein be the destination, or would a circular route starting and ending in Sumvitg better suit your planned hike? On the Senda Sursilvana, meanwhile, the valley slope, mountain streams and villages along the trail shape the character of the stage. Seasonal conditions can affect access.
Chapels, local history and culture
The chapel ruins of Sogn Benedetg have a horseshoe-shaped choir dating from the 9th century and are considered the oldest documented chapel of this kind. A huge powder avalanche largely destroyed them on 10 February 1984; the site was restored in 2013. Their design, destruction and restoration give the ruins a distinctive historical depth.
Those wishing to focus on churches and chapels can take the church and chapel hike in the municipality of Sumvitg. It passes five different churches and chapels and can be started either in Rabius or Sumvitg. This outlines both the theme and the choice between two starting points.
The “Views in Space and Time” circular trail also combines walking routes with local history. It can be started at Rabius railway station in the direction of Surrein, or at Sumvitg/Cumpadials railway station in the direction of Cumpadials or Surrein. Using Sumvitg as an example, the project presents cultural heritage, craftsmanship and everyday life in the past through the memories of contemporary witnesses. It also features so-called viewpoints in the form of event stations set in the landscape.
Another way to explore the municipality’s history is the Archiv cultural Sumvitg in the schoolhouse in Surrein. It documents the municipality’s history through texts, images, audio recordings and objects. In the wider Sumvitg area, Peter Zumthor built a wooden chapel in Sogn Benedetg between 1985 and 1988.
Tuor, getting there and choosing where to stay
Tuor is the ruin of a small tower castle on a rocky outcrop near the hamlet of Clavadi, on the mountainside above Sumvitg. A route description dated 2023 estimates that the walk from Sumvitg-Cumpadials railway station via Sumvitg and the hiking trail to Clavadi takes about 50 minutes. The site is considered a possible residence of an official of the Imperial Abbey of Disentis—a historical interpretation that should explicitly be understood as a possibility.
The history of transport can also be set in context: Sumvitg was connected to the new cantonal road in 1854 and to the Rhaetian Railway in 1912. For the route to Piz Avat, the described journey is by Rhaetian Railway from Disentis or Ilanz to Sumvitg, followed by a taxi to Sogn Benedetg or Siltginas. Check transport arrangements and road access before setting off.
The route to Piz Avat follows an exposed ridge to a summit with a summit cross and 360-degree mountain panoramas. Conditions and safety requirements vary by season. This raises a different planning question than the church and chapel hike or the climb to Lag Serein: for Piz Avat, both the route and the journey there, as well as seasonal conditions, need to be taken into account.
When looking for a hotel in Sumvitg, it helps to first decide what you want to focus on during your stay: trails along the valley slope and to the mountain lake, churches and local history, or the route to Piz Avat each raise different questions for planning your day. An approximate walking time from Alp Glivers is given for Lag Serein; for Piz Avat, transport arrangements and road access should be checked before setting off.
Discover more destinations: Disentis/Mustér, Ilanz, Breil-Brigels, Schluein, Morissen, Sevgein, Vrin, Ladir.
Return to the overview of destinations: Surselva.
