Starting-point: Sluderno/Schluderns (921 mt)
At a glance: Sluderno/Schluderns - Churburg - Bergwaal - Leitenwaal - Griggwaal - Sluderno/Schluderns
Height difference: 280 m
Difficulty: two climbing-boots hike
Useful advice: this easy hike covers very well-maintained footpaths, showing us part of the ancient irrigation system and giving us a view of the rich and various flora of the sunlit side. During the hike visits to both the extraordinary Churburg and "Val Vanosta/Vinschgau Museum" in Sluderno/Schluderns are recommended.
Itinerary description: from Sluderno/Schluderns we go towards the park in the north-eastern side of the village. Here we take footpath number 20 in direction of the wood until the Churburg (1000 mt - guides arrange visits time, a very satisfying experience) and then we continue on the same footpath reaching the asphalt road that takes to Fernhalof (1152 mt, about three quarters an hour), From this point we turn left towards Bergwaal on footpath number 17.
Now we are walking on good footpath along ancient irrigation canals, stretch of way one time dangerous but now become safe, through steep, rocky and wooded slopes until the road fork of Leitenwaals in the Saldurbaches (River) gorge; from here we go down to the pelting river (bridge, 1200 mt.;1 hour and half far from Sluderno/Schluderns) and then we go up again on the Leitenwaal and on the sunlit side of Waalweg going westwards. Afterwards we arrive at Gandlegg ruins (the archaeological finds are placed in Sluderno/Schluderns Museum), we go on towards Kalvarienberg (Mountain) to turn left over Griggwaal river, whose waters continue underground.
In this place there is a beautiful panoramic view of Sluderno/Schluderns village. Then we take footpath number 18 continuing towards the dam to go back to the village. After Saldur gorge there is still to walk for an hour and half.
Maps: Freytag-Berndt, sheet S 2 (Val Vanosta/Vinschgau- südliche Ötztaler Alpen); Kompaß, sheet 52 (Val Vanosta/Vinschgau).
