Simplon Hospiz walks

Departure from the Simplon Hospice. From the hospice, take the Stockalperweg on the right after the tunnel under the Simplon road. Follow the signs for Rothwald. At Rothwald, the trail continues on the other side of the road and leads to Wäse and then Wintrigmatte. The trail bypasses the Furggubaum torrent at Scrickboden at the foot of the Furggubaumlicke and begins to climb towards the Bortelhütte. The trail descends towards the Schiess torrent (small bridge) and climbs slightly towards Stafel, which offers a panoramic view of the Bortelhorn. A gravel road leads to the top of the village of Rosswald.Markings: White-red-white.

Following on from ‘From the Great St Bernard Pass to the Simplon Pass’, here is ‘From the Simplon Pass to the San Bernardino Pass’. This is not the return journey from the Great St Bernard Pass to the Simplon, following a language study trip to Italy, but rather the continuation of the route towards the San Bernardino Pass in the Canton of Graubünden. This hike requires a very high level of fitness, as several stages involve more than 1,300 metres of ascent or descent. After two days in Wallis (the German-speaking part of Valais), the atmosphere becomes entirely Italian: two days in Italy (Val Formazza), nine days in Ticino (Tessin in Italian), and two days in Grigioni (Grisons in Italian). Lake Maggiore and Locarno are also on the itinerary.

Although Napoleon was responsible for the construction of the Simplon Hospice, this Alpine pass, already frequented by the Romans, has been developed many times. In the 17th century, Kaspar Stockalper developed a mule track here. From the Simplon Hospice to Simplon Dorf and Gabi, you will follow this path, known as the Stockalperweg. After Gabi, crossing the Furggu pass, you will descend into the steep-sided Zwischbergen valley.

This final stage will take you from the village of Simplon to the Simplon Pass. Along the way, you will notice two remarkable buildings in this arid landscape: the Alte Spittel and the Barralhaus. Once you reach the Simplon Pass, you can take a short detour to see the Simplon Eagle and the imposing hospice.

Classic stage of the Mineralien Tour. In Rosswald, signs point to the Saflisch Pass trail, Binn. The climb is quite steep up to the Fleshboden chairlift station. The path is always well marked and becomes more pleasant up to the Saflisch Pass. Stay on the AlpenPässe Weg to Binna Stausee. Descend to Binn via the Via Alpina Blue. The Saflischpass is the French/German language border. Markings: White-RedBwhite. AlpenPässe Weg - Via Alpina Blue D4

This sixth stage marks the return to Switzerland. You will cross the Passo dei Gialitt and pass through the last Italian mountain pastures of "Camoscella" and "Vallescia". After the Swiss mountain pastures of "Alpjerung" and "Corvetsch", you will descend towards the Simplon Pass road and rejoin the Stockeralper Weg at Alter Kaserne. This beautiful trail will take you to Gabi and then Simplon Dorf.

A pleasant trail through the woods will take you to Gibidumpass, a viewpoint overlooking the Rhône Valley. You will gradually descend into the Nanztal, a quiet valley at the foot of the Fletschhorn. The Bistine Pass is the last pass to cross to complete this lovely loop and admire the Fletschhorn one last time. As you descend towards the Simplon Pass, Monte Leone will catch your eye.

On leaving Zwischbergen, a fairly steep climb under the larch trees will take you to Passo Monscera. From this pass, which marks the border between Switzerland and Italy, you can see the Fletschhorn, the Lagginhorn and the Weissmies and, further to the left, the Pizzo d'Andolla. After passing the charming Rifugio Gattascosa, you will descend to San Bernado along a pleasant path. You will continue through alpine pastures to reach Vallaro and then Il Laghetto.

A route following part of the ‘Sun Trail’ on the southern face of the Bernese Alps, offering panoramic views over the Rhône Valley. The hike takes in typical Valais villages with a rich architectural heritage, such as Eggerberg, Ausserberg, St. German and Raron. In several places, the route runs alongside the railway line between Brig and Bern via the Lötschberg Tunnel, offering an opportunity to appreciate the technical feats involved in its construction at the start of the20th century. Due to its south-facing aspect and relatively low altitude, this hike is best enjoyed in spring or autumn.

A superb route that quickly offers views of the Aletsch Glacier. You’ll descend towards the gorges of the River Massa (Massschlucht), which flows from the Aletsch Glacier. To cross to the other side of the canyon, you’ll take the Massa suspension bridge, which is 124 metres long and sits at a height of over 80 metres. After the pleasant Riederfurka Pass, you’ll descend to the peaceful, car-free village of Riederalp.