Neu-St Johann to Säntis

A funicular 1.2km/1mi long goes up from Unterwasser in six minutes to the much-visited Iltiosalp (1,350 m/4,429ft), from where a magnificent view of the Säntis massif can be enjoyed. There is excellent skiing (ski-lift to Alp Stöfeli, 1,480 m/4,856ft).

From Neu-St Johann, road 16 leads through the adjoining village of Nesslau (762 m/2,400ft), frequented as a summer vacation and winter sports resort. Towering above it to the southwest is the Speer (1,954 m/6,411ft), which offers a rewarding climb (five hours).

5km/3mi from Stein is Alt-St Johann (897 m/2,943ft), a popular health and winter sports resort, founded in the 12th C. as the monastery of St John.

From Grabs the road runs along the densely populated valley to the straggling village of Buchs (450 m/1,476ft) to join the road from St Margrethen to Chur beneath Werdenberg castle.

Chur is set picturesquely above a lake.
The castle was built around 1230. It contains a museum with 17th and 18th century furniture as well as an 1860 pharmacist's shop.

Gams (504 m/1,654ft) is a neat village with a church above it on higher ground. From here there is a road east to Hagg. Road 16 now turns south along the edge of the wide Rhine valley and comes to Grabs.

Higher up the valley from Nesslau is Germen, where road 16 runs through a narrow wooded pass, with the two Giessen Falls on the Thur (hydro-electric station). It then winds its way uphill to the little vacation spot of Stein (860 m/2,823ft) and continues up through the Starkenbach Pass (894 m/2,933ft; on the right the ruins of Starkenstein castle) into the Alpine high valley of Obertoggenburg, with innumerable farms and huts dotting its green meadow-covered slopes. To the right is the jagged ridge of the Churfirsten; to the left is a first glimpse of the Wildhauser Schafberg.

Grabs (482 m/1,581ft) is a large village surrounded by orchards. Here a steep and narrow mountain road (10km/6mi) turns off on the right and winds its way up the Grabser Berg to the Kurhaus Voralp, below the beautiful Voralp Lake (1,116 m/3,662ft).

From Unterwasser a narrow mountain road climbs steeply up (2km/1mi north) to the Kühboden Alp (1,050 m 3,445ft); from here it is an hour's walk to the charming little Gräppelensee (1,302 m/4,272ft).

Beyond the Luternbach gorge, a good road winds its way up to Rietbad (927 m/3,041ft), with a well-known spring of sulfurous water (drinking fountain 100 m/328ft beyond the Kurhotel), at the foot of the Stockberg (1,784 m/5,853ft; one hour; extensive views).

A little road from Unterwasser runs 3.5km/2mi southeast to the Schwendi (1,165 m/3,822ft) from where there is a road 3.5km/2mi to Wildhaus.

1.5km/1mi north of Wildhaus lies the little Schönen lake, with a swimming beach.

Just past the Rietbad the road follows a level course through the meadows of a high valley, passing in 1km/0.6mi the Kurhaus at Seeben. It then climbs over the meadows of the Alp Bernhalde (1,283 m/4,210ft) and continues through forest to the Kräzeren Pass (1,300 m/4,265ft). A short way downhill you arrive at the Schwägalp inn.

At the end of the village of Alt-St Johann, on the right, is the lower station of a chairlift (1.5km/1mi, 15 minutes) to the Alp Sellamatt (1,390 m/4,561ft; Schlamatt mountain inn): panoramic views, near which are the Churfirsten hut (1,450 m/4,757ft) and the Iltiosalp (30-minute walk). Good walking and cross-country trekking.

Road 16 leads to Unterwasser (927 m/3,041ft), a popular health resort (swimming pool) and winter sports resort in a beautiful sheltered setting between the Säntis chain and the Churfirsten, at the junction where the two streams combine to form the River Thur. In the Haus Rotenbrunnen in the village street is an alpine dairy museum, with exhibits illustrating milk processing and showing a kitchen and living-room (opening hours given).

From Wildhaus an 800 m/2,625ft long chairlift goes up to Oberdorf (1,270 m/4,167ft) from which another chairlift continues up to the Gamserrugg (1,771 m/5,811ft) on the Gamsalp. There is yet another chairlift from Wildhaus northwestwards to the Gamplüt (1,334 m/4,377ft).