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Author Topic: Alpine Walks in Valais  (Read 87040 times)

Ragged Robin

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Alpine Walks in Valais
« on: April 29, 2009, 06:15:20 PM »
April and the Spring has only just begun with melt water pouring off the mountainside and in to the forest nature reserve nearby.  Mosses, ferns and lichens are all coming to life drinking up the wet and growing everywhere on rocks, trees and leafy forest floor.
Valais, Switzerland - 1,200 metres - Continental climate - rocks and moraine

Armin

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Re: Alpine Walks in Valais
« Reply #1 on: April 29, 2009, 07:22:24 PM »
Robin,
nice pictures and location in the Swiss.
You mention nature reserve. Does it have a name?
Best wishes
Armin

Ragged Robin

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Re: Alpine Walks in Valais
« Reply #2 on: April 29, 2009, 07:38:22 PM »
Robin,
nice pictures and location in the Swiss.
You mention nature reserve. Does it have a name?


It must be known locally by a name but will have to find out it is close to a village called Les Granges and has all sorts of flora and fauna that are protected species  :)
Valais, Switzerland - 1,200 metres - Continental climate - rocks and moraine

Maggi Young

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Re: Alpine Walks in Valais
« Reply #3 on: April 29, 2009, 07:41:01 PM »
What super photos.... I hope for lots of these walks, Robin!
Your last photo of the flower and the emerging needles on the larch really says 'Springtime'. 8)
Margaret Young in Aberdeen, North East Scotland Zone 7 -ish!

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Armin

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Re: Alpine Walks in Valais
« Reply #4 on: April 29, 2009, 07:58:56 PM »
Robin,
I've googled a bit - is it maybe nature reserve "Pouta Fontana"?
Best wishes
Armin

Ragged Robin

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Re: Alpine Walks in Valais
« Reply #5 on: April 29, 2009, 08:08:41 PM »
Robin,
I've googled a bit - is it maybe nature reserve "Pouta Fontana"?

Armin that one is near Sion in the valley....could be interesting too...everything up here a little bit more low key!!!!!
Valais, Switzerland - 1,200 metres - Continental climate - rocks and moraine

Hristo

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Re: Alpine Walks in Valais
« Reply #6 on: April 29, 2009, 08:23:01 PM »
Bravo RR, what a rugged landscape, it will be interesting to see it soften a little as the flora develops through the spring.
Hristo passed away, after a long illness, on 11th November 2018. His support of SRGC was  much appreciated.

Ragged Robin

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Re: Alpine Walks in Valais
« Reply #7 on: April 29, 2009, 09:02:57 PM »
What super photos.... I hope for lots of these walks, Robin!
Your last photo of the flower and the emerging needles on the larch really says 'Springtime'. 8)
Thanks Maggi - it was Hristo who actually got me going as I love his adventures into the wild but the Spring has only just reached this altitude!  I'm glad you liked the larch cone it's one of my favourite things I wait for, the colour is the most gorgeous deep pink in the sunlight (when it deigns to shine)  8)
Valais, Switzerland - 1,200 metres - Continental climate - rocks and moraine

Ragged Robin

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Re: Alpine Walks in Valais
« Reply #8 on: May 06, 2009, 03:00:24 PM »
Over the holiday our daughter and husband came out for a quick break - haven't seen them for 5 months so we made up time in the thermal pools (so relaxing) followed by cool mountain walks (very invigorating). We went up to the top of the waterfall in my previous post, hearing the massive volume of meltwater thundering down the ravine from about 1,700 metres to the valley below.  Up here the temperature drops and the snow has only just started retreat to the mountain tops.  In its wake the wild crocus spread like a carpet in to the distance only opening in the afternoon sunlight that reaches the meadows here. We marveled at them with the light filtering through and found some other plants brave enough to shrug of the cold and wet and be the first to flower too.  This is our record of photos - please correct any ID!!!!
« Last Edit: May 06, 2009, 03:06:10 PM by Ragged Robin »
Valais, Switzerland - 1,200 metres - Continental climate - rocks and moraine

Ragged Robin

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Re: Alpine Walks in Valais
« Reply #9 on: May 06, 2009, 03:03:02 PM »
and more...
Valais, Switzerland - 1,200 metres - Continental climate - rocks and moraine

Maggi Young

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Re: Alpine Walks in Valais
« Reply #10 on: May 06, 2009, 03:19:28 PM »
I really believe that these walks in the mountains is doing me good 8) I appreciate the nice companions who take me along with them too!
Margaret Young in Aberdeen, North East Scotland Zone 7 -ish!

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Luc Gilgemyn

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Re: Alpine Walks in Valais
« Reply #11 on: May 06, 2009, 03:29:17 PM »
Wonderful pictures Robin !!  :o
Can't wait to see (lots) more !  ;D
Luc Gilgemyn
Harelbeke - Belgium

tonyg

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Re: Alpine Walks in Valais
« Reply #12 on: May 06, 2009, 04:17:52 PM »
Wish we were still coming over in a couple of weeks ..... there's always next year of course!
Lovely pictures, capturing the feel of spring as well as the beauty of the plants.  Thanks :)

ranunculus

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Re: Alpine Walks in Valais
« Reply #13 on: May 06, 2009, 04:50:15 PM »
Beautiful posting, Robin ... many thanks.
Cliff Booker
Behind a camera in Whitworth. Lancashire. England.

Ragged Robin

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Re: Alpine Walks in Valais
« Reply #14 on: May 06, 2009, 06:14:32 PM »
Maggi, Luc, Tony & Cliff,
Thanks for all your generous comments, knowing that you are interested in the walks makes every venture more rewarding  :)
Valais, Switzerland - 1,200 metres - Continental climate - rocks and moraine

 


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