Sargans - Oberschan - Buchs

Sargans, first historically mentioned in 765, served as the residence of the Counts of Werdenberg-Sargans in the 13th century and received city rights in 1337. From the small town, we ascend the stone staircase up to the castle and follow the meadow path to Retellerstrasse, which we follow uphill to the next hairpin bend. Downhill we reach the hamlet of Vild, where the industrial railway of the Gonzen iron mine, closed in 1966, left the tunnel. Directly on the path stands the Marian chapel built in 1602. We follow the path to the Maiensäss Atscha and the Schollberg quarry. At Chlefibünt, we cross the Trübbach and Luterbach streams and climb the rocky mountain path past the scout home up to Böschen and through the Böschen forest. Below us lies the ruin of Wartau Castle, first mentioned in 1261, which gave its name to the community and landscape. On the field path, we reach Malans and Oberschan. The old building with the bell turret once served as a schoolhouse. Past the former small lake in the Schaner Riet, we hike over Martinis - Plana to Valschnära. Via Hof - Untergass, we reach St. Ulrich, a former Walser settlement with well-preserved and partly protected residential houses. Through the beautiful mixed forest, we head to Valcupp and over Rans to the district of Räfis. At the station, we cross the railway line and hike over Burgerau to the Werdenberger Binnenkanal, which we follow on the left side to Buchs station.