Bavona Valley - Part 1 (Ticino, Switzerland)

Boulders, rock faces an boundless nature are the distinguishing features of this region, which man penetrated in ancient times.

Val bavona is the steepest and rockiest valley in the whole Alpine region. The rocky mountainsides enclosing it rise for undreds of metres and are the most obvious feature left by the glaciers which covered the region in a distant age. The Basodino glacier is the furthest point in this broad and sometimes wild valley. Working for hundreds of years, humans have managed to create meadows, fields and space to grow vegetables between huge boulders and precipices. Nowadays, this wild valley still offers visitors the chance to discover plenty of natural and cultural attractions. For instance, there is the Foroglio waterfall in the hamlet of the same name, which plunges with a mighty roar into the valley from 80-meter high rocks. The educational trail featuring the ascent to and descent from the Alpine pastures in the Bavona Valley is also of interest.Another special feature of the Bavona Valley is the absence of an electricity network: energy requirements are met from solar power alone, although the power plants in the valley itself produce large amounts of electricity.