Halfway up the Maggia valley in Ticino, a narrow side valley climbs steeply west from the village of Lodano into a forest that has been left almost untouched for decades. The Valli di Lodano, together with the neighbouring valleys of Busai and Soladino, form a forest reserve in which beech trees grow from the valley floor up to the tree line, and in 2021 they were added to the World Heritage site of the Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of Europe, a series of forests spread across eighteen countries. Walking up into the reserve, you pass through old chestnut groves, then into the beech forest, with moss-covered boulders, streams and the sound of falling water everywhere.
The Maggia valley is one of the most beautiful in southern Switzerland. The river flows over smooth granite slabs and boulders, forming pools of green and turquoise water, and the villages, such as Lodano, Maggia and Cevio, are built of grey stone, with stone roofs, narrow lanes and small churches, some with frescoes. Higher up, the Val Bavona is even more remarkable, with hamlets of stone houses squeezed between huge boulders that fell from the mountains, and no mains electricity. The river is tempting in summer, but beware: water levels can rise suddenly when hydroelectric dams upstream release water or after storms in the mountains, and every year there are accidents.
The road up the Maggia valley from Locarno and Ponte Brolla is a pleasant ride, with smooth surfaces and gentle curves along the river in the lower part, and narrower, steeper sections as you climb towards Bignasco and the side valleys. Above Bignasco, roads lead up to Fusio and the Lago del Sambuco, and into the Val Bavona, with hairpins and narrow passages. Traffic is light during the week but can be busy at weekends in summer, with cyclists and campers. Swiss speed limits are strictly enforced.
Losone, near Locarno, and the village of Cevio have fuel and shops, and the larger villages of the valley have grotti, traditional restaurants with stone tables in the shade of chestnut trees, where you can enjoy polenta, cold meats, cheese and a glass of Merlot from Ticino. On a hot summer day, a dip in one of the river pools, in a safe place and with care, is irresistible.