Moderately difficult mountain hike with a bike ride to the Sesvenna Hut, followed by a hike to the Uina Gorge
– Hike there and back to the Schlinig car park or to Sur En (CH)

Start at Schlinig car park (1,654 m) by bike 
Finish: Sesvenna Hut and Pforzheimer Hut – Schlinig Pass at 2,310 m – Uina Gorge
Total elevation gain 1,469 m
Total distance 24.3 km
Total walking time, including a stop at the Schliniger Alm or Sesvenna Hut: 8 hours

The road from Sur En to Sent-Uina has to be closed time and again due to storm damage. The Val d’Uina is one of the wildest side valleys in the municipality of Scuol. The gorge path, carved into the rock, is spectacular.

The Val d’Uina is situated on the orographic right bank of the Inn. The side valley begins in Sur En and has always belonged to Sent; since the 2015 merger, it has been part of the municipality of Scuol. The name Uina derives from the Latine word Ovis (sheep), meaning ‘sheep pasture’. A characteristic feature is the deep gorge at the far end of the valley, the Chavorgia dal Quar. Val d’Uina is famous for its 600-metre-long gorge path, carved into the rock. The path leads to the Sursass mountain pasture, which for centuries was leased first to the Mariamunt monastery and then to the farmers of Mals. The path continues to Chamanna Sesvenna and on to Schlinig in South Tyrol. At critical points, the path above the gorge is secured. The locals refer to the path carved into the rock as ‘Las gallarias’.

The initiative to build the rock path came from the Pforzheim section of the German Alpine Club. They had built a club hut just beyond the Swiss border. The main initiator was Adolf Witzenmann. The client was the municipality of Sent. The construction work was carried out by the Baratelli company between 1908 and 1910, based on plans by engineer Richard Coray. Looking back, it was an immense achievement by the construction workers.

Once inhabited all year round

The valley is home to the two hamlets of Uina Dadora and Uina Dadaint. For centuries, both places were inhabited all year round, at times by several families. Marriages were mostly between the local inhabitants. Due to their remoteness, the Ruina-s-chs lived largely isolated from the rest of the Engadin. The nickname of the former inhabitants of Val d’Uina derives from the extensive scree slopes found on either side of the valley. In Romansh, scree slope is called ‘grava’, ‘gonda’ or ‘ruina’.

Descendants of the Ruina-schs include people with the surnames Valentin or Vital. It is believed that the first inhabitants of the Val d’Uina came from the Vinschgau. The first written document attesting to the valley’s settlement dates from 1475. In the Lower Engadine, a stubborn person is described as ‘dür sco la crappa d’Uina’ (hard as the stones of Uina). Disputes among the inhabitants of Uina Dadora and Uina Dadaint arose, among other things, over road maintenance or grazing rights; a dispute with Sent over levies even went to court.

Land of bears and smugglers

In the Val d’Uina, people engaged in livestock farming and forestry; charcoal and lime were produced, grain was grown, and there was even a mill. The millstone still stands by the roadside at the entrance to the Val d’Uina. In this wild valley, smuggling and poaching flourished, particularly in times of war. Bears lived in the valley until the early 20th century. The last female bear in the Val d’Uina was shot on 2 September 1897 by Andrea Lingenhag from Seraplana. There are numerous accounts of encounters with bears in the Val d’Uina.

Also well-known are the entertaining stories by Gudench Barblan (1860–1916) about ‘Alesch d’Uina’, which are similar in character to the humorous tales of the Schildbürger.

A hidden gem for tourists

In Uina Dadora, there are now only two houses with stables and haylofts left: the “Chà Casü” and the “Chà CajÒ”, as well as two further haylofts. The farm in Uina Dadora is now run by the Famos family from Ramosch. Their Engadine sheep are also kept there in winter. Two buildings remain in Uina Dadaint: a dwelling house and a stable with a barn. The farm is only in operation during the summer. Hikers and cyclists can stop off here.

A hike through the Chavorgia dal Quar is an unforgettable experience. This is offered, amongst others, by the Sent Tourist Information Centre. The “Smugglers’ Trail in the Val d’Uina” is a day trip. The hike is also suitable for families with children who are used to the mountains.

The information for this article is taken from documents in the family archive of the author, a descendant of Ruinas-chs.