Ethnographic Trail Val Vegornèss

Between granite rocks and emerald-green waters, a two-and-a-half-hour educational trail leads from Sonogno into the Val Vegornèss and on to Cabiói, where the road ends – passing six points of interest that bring the culture of the Verzasca Valley to life. The route begins at Casa Genardini, the headquarters of the Verzasca Valley Museum, which is well worth a visit, and follows a dense network of historic paths. These routes tell stories of mobility: the poverty-driven emigration of many chimney sweeps, the seasonal transhumance between valley and plain, and the timber trade, which once carried logs down the River Verzasca and across Lake Maggiore to Milan via the Po Valley. Shortly before Cabiói, unusual stone mounds appear on both sides of the valley. These are the remains of the “serra”, a dam built to block water, releasing it later to drive stockpiled logs downstream. Equally fascinating are the stone shelters known as sprügh, which once served as refuges. The trail uncovers hidden traces: impressive, educational, and deeply connected to a landscape whose use brought prosperity, but also left its mark – timber was at times sold for as little as one Swiss franc per log.