Val Fex

Val Fex hangs above Sils Maria, its floor high and nearly level where the main Engadin valley drops away, which makes the walk in gentle despite the altitude. Private cars are not allowed, so the traffic is horse carriages in summer and sleighs in winter, and the absence of engine noise is the first thing visitors notice. The hamlets of Crasta and Curtins sit along it; the little church at Crasta, from the sixteenth century, holds wall paintings and stands with the Fex glacier behind it in what is probably the most photographed composition in the Upper Engadin. The valley ends under Piz Tremoggia and the glacier. Larch woods turn gold in late September.

What you actually see

• No cars at all - horse carriages in summer, sleighs in winter.
• The church at Crasta - sixteenth-century, with the glacier behind it.
• A hanging valley floor - level walking high above the Engadin.
• Larch gold in autumn - the woods turning in late September.

When to go

June to October, or midwinter. Half a day.

Honest expectations

The walk in from Sils takes about an hour each way; carriages run to demand and cost accordingly. There are two hotels and no shops. Altitude and sun are strong. Autumn colour is a narrow window.

Nearby

Sils Maria and Lake Sils are at the mouth; Maloja is up the main valley.