“You planned this, didn’t you!” exclaimed Jan after the precipitous 800m climb from Camorino to what should have been a relaxed picnic at idyllic Cima di Dentro. Our arrival had coincided with a Rally del Ticino stage. For two hours, while howling cars screeched past, we had to wait before continuing down to Isone.

That experience contrasted with Ticino’s serenity since descending the Via Tremola from the Gotthard a week before. The pass is the Via’s highpoint; it’s tempting to assume gentle walking thereafter. But I’d altered our route with extra climbs and descents to follow sections of the high-level Strada Alta.

In the valley, we pocketed pieces of Ambrì-Piotta’s fabled Pista Valascia ice hockey stadium days before demolition finished. Then, after transiting the romantic Piottino gorge, we enjoyed sublime nettle gnocchi at rustic Ristorante Marti high in sleepy Osco.

Italianesque Ticino

After another quad-testing descent, Ticino delighted with every step south via Lavorgo and Giornico. Angular stone church campaniles took the place of northern spires. Pasta replaced schnitzel. And local dialects reflected Italy’s profound influence. At Biasca, we donned waterproofs for the long valley walk to Camorino. By evening, rain and low cloud became golden sunshine and valley-filling rainbows.

Up in Pianezzo, our next rest day was wetter still. Among Valle Morobbio’s dripping chestnut trees, giant fire salamanders enthralled and we straddled the tectonic Insubric Line with feet simultaneously in ‘Africa’ and ‘Europe’.

Then came Cima di Dentro’s rally, Isone and, after our first distant views of Lugano, Tesserete. Hungry at day’s end, we ordered pizza and mentioned locally-based rock band Gotthard to our waiter. Minutes later, golden-maned band co-founder Leo Leoni – think ‘Swiss Jimmy Page’ – left his Sunday evening beer in the nearby Irish Club Alpino to meet us. And very friendly he was while chatting about our walk and plans to visit the grave of Steve Lee, Gotthard’s co-founder.

A week later, Porza’s poignant cemetery visit, Lugano’s beautiful lake and viciously steep Monte San Salvatore lay behind us. After 340km and Everest-high ups and downs, we’d reached Chiasso, taken selfies under the Swiss and Italian frontier flags, and celebrated our achievement at family-run Grotto Linet.

Back to Basel

Ironically, given Ticino’s sunny reputation, we left rain behind to speed north through the new Gotthard Base Tunnel – the train took hours for the route we’d hiked in a month. Back in Basel, autumn gold now coloured the Rheinweg’s linden trees. We’d walked the Via Gottardo. And if you fancy a slice of real Switzerland, we’d recommend you do too!