Ruine
Valcastiel
The hill on which the ruin lies.
The bridge at the
end of the gravel road has almost been washed away, so currently
some climbing is involved in getting to the cache! Please be
careful!
The origins of the
Valcastiel ruin are shrouded in history. It seems they date from
the 12th or 13th century. Who built it and how it was used is a
mystery. See http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burgruine_Valcastiel
for more information.
You can park your car
at N 47° 05,87628' E 9° 51,39360'. Then follow your GPS and the
signs to the Burgruine Valcastiel. The Ruin is located in a small
steep-sided valley at the foot of the Vandanser Steinwand
mountains. The big stone walls you encounter when walking toward
the ruin have been built to protect Vandans from the dangers of the
Mustrigiel creek which has flooded the village catastrophically in
1910 and 1933.
The cache is not
located near the ruin, but at the base of the hill it is built
upon. After finding the cache you can walk up to the ruin using the
wooden steps and the steel-ropes available.
This is the upper part of the ruin. The trail up
there is very steep and dangerous. It is only recommended for
persons with climbing skills.
The second part of the
ruin is much higher up the hill and is only accessible to people
who are accustomed to climbing and have no fear of
heights.