Switzerland July 2007

[Diane Clement]

I suppose you have to hire a car?

Definitely not.  The two resorts we stayed in are actually car-free, as are several of the high altitude resorts.  Switzerland has an excellent network of public transport - trains, buses, boats and cable cars, all timetables linked together for good transfers.  And if you fly with certain companies, your luggage is transported for you to your hotel.  Once checked in, the next time you see it is in your hotel room.  And coming home, you check in for your flight at your resort when your luggage is registered for the journey home.       

[mark smyth]

will you send me the details of the brochure or I suppose put it here for everyone

[Diane Clement]

We went with Inghams this time as we often do

http://www.inghams.co.uk/lakes/index.aspx

but there's other companies offering Lakes and Mountains brochures: Thomsons, Crystal and others with similar resorts

[Diane Clement]

Last pictures from Zermatt
A walk to the Flualp hotel where they serve the most incredible prawn salad with tropical fruit - don't know how they get the food here, but very glad they do.

[Diane Clement]

Some flowers on the way to Flualp
Gypsophila repens
Gentianella campestris
Hieracium pilosella
Dianthus carthusianorum
Mossy Saxifraga
(any ideas or corrections on ID gladly received)

[Diane Clement]

And a final view of my other half, with the Matterhorn glacier behind

[Diane Clement]

And on now to our second centre, Wengen, in the Bernese Oberland. 
This is the view from our hotel there, early one morning.  The Jungfrau is at the far left with the ever snowy Silberhorn on its right.  Far down the valley is the Breithorn (a different one from that at Zermatt), closer views of that later

[Diane Clement]

Our first day started with a train ride via the famous Kleine Scheidegg
If you haven't been for a few years you would be surprised by the unlikely view of a teepee which serves refreshments

[Diane Clement]

We change trains here to go further up to the Eigergletscher station at 2320m.  This is the start of the Eiger trail hike which goes along the north face of the Eiger - sounds impressive - but it's a fairly straightforward hike through scree with a long descent at the end, best undertaken with trekking poles.  You can see the path through the scree. 

[Diane Clement]

Along the way ...

Myosotis alpestris
Saxifraga stellaris
Silene acaulis

[Diane Clement]

Ranunculus alpestris
Waterfall

[Diane Clement]

Towards the end the landscape changed as we got down towards Alpiglen station at 1615m

Aconitum lycoctonum vulparia
Gymnadenia conopsea

[Diane Clement]

So now to the next day.  Up the Schilthorn - made famous, all the literature says, because of a James Bond film featuring the revolving restaurant at 2960m

[Diane Clement]

Of course, at this altitude you need to be careful and appropriate clothing is recommended ...

 

[Diane Clement]

And you need to be careful where you stand with your hiking boots
- what's under the seat?  (See next pictures for answer)