Not far from the snout of Switzerland, in the canton of Graubünden (pl. Grisons), is the small village of Wiesen. This is where my proposed tour begins and ends.

The Swiss snout

For those who don’t know what the snout is all about, let me explain that the Swiss territory resembles a wild pig in shape, or if you prefer, a wild boar. I would like to point out straight away that this is not my discovery, but a well-known curiosity.

Both the village and the entire route were deserted in October. In the background one could hear the bells and roaring of the cows, which were spending their last days before the frost and snow in the nearby meadows.

Incidentally, I should add that there are small, self-service shops in the village where you can buy local products such as honey, homemade challah, cake, syrups, cheese and eggs.

After leaving the village, the route continues through forest, mountain slopes and streams. At around 1’945 m above sea level, you pass through a mountain glade with wooden huts and a sensational view of the Alps.

Swiss Maiensäss

These mountain settlements are called Maiensäss by the Swiss. They used to be inhabited by local farmers, who in May (hence the name) led their flocks out to the higher pastures and stayed there until late autumn. Nowadays, they mainly function as ‘holiday cottages’ in a remote area. As far as I am concerned, this is a fantastic option for both summer and autumn. Especially as I noticed quite a lot of mushrooms and berry bushes in the area.

As for the fantastic panorama on this route, I will admit that most of it was covered by clouds and autumn mists. It wasn’t until the second day, with sunny weather, that I saw what magnificent mountain ranges were in the area. So the magic of autumn its way, and I intend to return there later in the summer to feast my eyes on the views.