Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
General Subjects => Travel / Places to Visit => Topic started by: tonyg on June 18, 2009, 11:57:24 PM
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A very late booking took me off to Adelboden on 12 June. The weather was just what the doctor ordered and the walking was excellent. I spent two nights (one day) staying in Adelboden and two nights (2 days) in the berghotel at Hahnenmoos pass. This latter was a fantastic location. At over 1900m it was right in the alpine flower zone, had great views all round and was good value with excellent food! Adelboden itself was pleasant but a bit lively for my sleepy tastes.
I have 350 pics to sort and will take you on the walks in due course. Here are a couple of highlights to whet the appetite!
Pulsatilla alpina ssp alpina and Anemone narcissiflora were super abundant around Hahnenmoos pass.
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Lovely pictures Tony, I will look forward to seeing more. :P.
Anemone Narcissiflora is really lovely.
Eric
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Beautiful Anemone, Tony.
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Nice appetizer Tony ! :D
We'll let you work now to sort out your pictures... ;D
and will be waiting (im)patiently for lots more !!! ;)
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Lovely shots, Tony. More please?
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OK here are a few more. Time to do this depends on how busy we are at work!
Adelboden has an attractve centre but rather straggly edges! Above at Tschentanalp there were some curoius backpackers who seemed to be armed with windbreaks for the beach :) Unrolled these revealed their true passion. Model aircraft flying is very popular round here.
Not the most flowery site but there were other distractions, notably the butterflies which were abundant. As it was early (ish) in the day there was one which stayed still long enough for a photo.
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And the first few flowers.
Gentaina acaulis was frequently seen.
Plantago alpina quietly attractive with its pollen shimmering in the sun and the breeze.
Tussilago farfara where the snow has just melted.
Ranunculus alpestris at ita best on a North facing slope.
Pulsatilla alpina ssp alpina - the first one I saw.
And finally a hairy conundrum - you'll have to wait for the next batch to find out what it is .... unless someone wants to hazard a guess ;)
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Oh God,
Someone call the ambulance. I think Cliff has gone into a weakness after seeing those last photographs.
Paddy
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OK here are a few more. Time to do this depends on how busy we are at work!
Must be some good business about this week Tony?!
Lovely pics.
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Wonderfull :o :o :o
Eric
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Great pics, Tony. I particularly like the Swallowtail and the Ranunculus and Pulsatilla shots, but the mountain scenery is just so beautiful!
Thanks for showing us.
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On the first day in the afternoon I moved on to Engstligenalp. Cable-bus-cable journey but only took 1 hour thanks to integrated transport. Great views and spring flowers at Engstligenalp. The huge flat grassy bowl was not very flowery at this time but on the rocky outcrops and moraines around the edge there were flowers aplenty.
Firstly the hairy rosette in the last poat was Androsace chamaejasme. This was often seen in the area and links Tschentenalp and Engstligenalp. The former is directly above adelboden in the view from Engstligenalp.
Lots of lovely Gentiana acaulis and a huge colony of Pinguicula alpina.
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On the rocks were Globularia cordifolia and Helianthemum alpestre.
Here is a closer look at Gentiana acaulis and Gentiana verna, also common.
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Primula farinosa was locally abundant where there was sufficient moisture.
An outwash steam with a simple bridge across the sparkling water.
Gagea fistulosa flowering in small quantities but with its foliage so grassy there might be millions!
One last gentian rich view to close tonight :)
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Lovely images as always, Tony ...
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Super pictures Tony, just catching up after a long weekend away.
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Magnificent landscapes and plants there in Switzerland Tony.
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Fabulous pix Tony !!!
Great plants in great surroundings !!
Thanks for taking us on your walk !! 8)
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Tony,
Fantastic alpine scenery, beautifully photographed
Enjoyed your photos immensely. Thanks
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Spectacular pics as always, Tony. I really love your foreground/spectacular view in background shots... with a plant in flower with amazing views of mountains etc behind. Very enjoyable. Thanks.
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Thanks for your kind comments folks! The report on my 3 day trip is going to be spread over 3 weeks at the current rate :) but here at last is the finish of day one. An early evening walk from Unter dem Berg to Adelboden. I took the last cable run down at 5pm just in time for an ice at the cafe at the Talstation. Ice lollies always taste best late in a long hot day ;D. The valley flowers I saw were unremarkable apart from the quantity and quality of the display. Here is a taste for you.
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Day 2 - Hahnenmoos Pass.
On day two I moved on to Hahnenmoos Pass. At 1927m it is a 3 hour hike from Adelboden but you can make it easier with a bus/gondola ride :D I enjoy staying higher up, with wild nature on the doorstep. I have not gone so high as to need ropes and crampons ... yet! The Berghotel at Hahnenmoos pass has comfortable rooms, enough good walks for two or three days and the food was good too :)
On the morning of Day two I walked to Sillerenbuhl along the contour following Blumenweg. At the Sillerenbuhl end there were many well placed information boards.
I had never seen more than one Camanula thyrsoides at a time before ... here there were two!
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Some more of the plants.
Rocky outcrops above Sillerenbuhl.
Globularia cordifolia
Dryas octopetala
Orchis mascula
Polygala chamaebuxus
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Magnificent photos and views! :o
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I have really enjoyed this series of photos Tony. It is almost 15 years since I visited this region and I must return soon . :P
Eric
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Magnificent pics, Tony. So beautiful! (sigh)
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Magnificent photos and views! :o
From me the same. It must be glorious to wake up in a room with such sigths!
Gerd
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Great pictures Tony !
I guess you spent quite some time flat on the ground taking them... ;D
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lovely pictures Tony,glad you had such a good trip.
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Great photographs,
Paddy
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Ranunculus aconitifolius was plentiful and common in the high meadows. Dwarfed by exposure it can be just a few inches high but in lush conditions it luxuriates to make a spectacular display.
In the afternoon of day two I passed through Hahnenmoos and set off up towards a lookout point behind Mechstand. What you cannot see in the 'another view from the room' shot is the thousands of Pulsatilla alpina and Anemone narcissiflora on the green ridges in the foreground.
Crocus vernus ssp albiflorus was found by a couple of late snow patches - leaves from earlier flowering crocus were everywhere.
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Anemone narcissiflora was in photogenic good form. It is difficult to convey the effect of the massed display :)
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Pulsatilla alpina grows in huge colonies up here. At first they were exclusively white but I soon found the occasional pale yellow one.... more later on this.
The circular walk took me behind Mechstand with fantastic views from a small saddle both back towards Adelboden and down into the upper Simmental.
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Tony, I'm enjoying these immensely. Was it a Dad's 'escape' for a while or did the family go too?
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Another common plant in good form was Trollius europeaus which mingled beautifully with Anemone narcissiflora in one place.
Dryas octopetala put in an appearance between rocks on a precipice - definately a good idea to lie flat to photograph this one. I was accosted by a concerned Swiss couple during this walk, "I was going to ask if you were alright!" she said as I stood up after a particularly awkward shot. ;D
Arrived back at the Berghotel in time for tea at 630 .... by 631 the view had changed :o
Great timing :D
Thanks David - its was a Dad's escape. No-one in their right mind does this for a long weekend with the kids!!! We'll take alonger family trip another year I hope :)
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Super shots, Tony ... and I think it is worth emphasising that all these images were captured during one three-day stint.
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Thanks Cliff!
And there is still day three to come :)
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The treat continues Tony !!
Wonderful shots !
Look forward to day 3 ! 8)
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Simply wonderful photos, Tony, with Alpine flowers and scenery wrapped in to one breathtaking scene. Looking forward to '...and on the third day' of your photogenic creations ;)
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Day Three dawned grey, the remnants of overnight rain. A slightly delayed start saw me heading South along the pass. Climbing past the massed Pulsatillas and Anemone of the previous day, I rounded the base of Regenboldshorn. As the clouds lifted the light played nicely on the flowers and foliage.
Anemone narcissiflora is beautiful in bud.
Soldanella alpina in two colour forms - they really were growing just a few inches apart, I did not pick the flowers for the comparison picture.
Salix reticulata caught the eye with its softly hairy new growth.
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I headed for the base of Ammertenspitz, initially a grassy ridge but progressing into more challenging terrain. There is a path that goes up and over!
It was very windy here and there was a passing shower to add atmosphere to the occasion. This ridge was perhaps the highlight of the whole trip. Maybe it was enhanced by the less than perfect conditions but the sight of the massed pulsatillas was most exhilerating :) Needless to say there were great views from here too.
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The variation in these Pulsatilla alpina was huge. Both pure white and pure yellow were here, ssp alpina and ssp apiifolia and evident hybrids between the two. I have never seen them intermingled like this before, perhaps others have experience of this to share?
Mostly in perfect condition they were infinitely photogenic. Here is a small selection ;)
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I'm lost for words, your images are outstanding Tony, so exquisitely portrayed - a perfect third day to dream about with views that are endless.
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Tony, I agree totally with Robin's words. Beautiful and outstanding pictures.
Amazing it must be to see so much variation Pulsatilla in one place.
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:o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o The masses are amazing. The Pulsatilla variance is glorious!! Wow!!!! :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o
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I admire your pictures very much - especially those of the Pulsatillas.
I never tried P. alpina - is it an easy one in a lowland garden?
Gerd
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I can only add to the general applause Tony !
Stunning images of this Pulsatilla population ... and the backgrounds are'nt bad either ;)
I especially love the blue backed specimen !
Thanks again for showing... you should do this more often.. ;)
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I admire your pictures very much - especially those of the Pulsatillas.
I never tried P. alpina - is it an easy one in a lowland garden?
Gerd
Thanks Gerd and everyone - wish you could have been there to share the day(s) :)
I have tried Pulsatilla alpina from seed a few times, I have some babies now, but I find it tricky to raise to flowering size. I have seen the yellow form in a lowland UK garden so it can be done. All pulsatillas resent root disturbance and hate being in a pot so, having had success planting other species out young I will try that with the latest P. alpina.
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Tony, Thanks for the advice!
Gerd
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Fantastic trip Tony . Great photos conveying the lovely plants and their situation. You certainly packed a lot into 3 days.
For future reference where abouts it Adelboden?
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Adelboden is at the western edge of the Berner Oberland. Train via Bern & Spiez to Frutigen then connecting bus service. 3.5 hrs from Geneva. I flew out of London City airport which is super convenient and user friendly. Swiss have cheap flights to Geneva from there. Lonely Planet guide "Walking in Switzerland" was useful for research for this and some of my other slightly off the beaten track visits.
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Tony,
wonderful images. Just great! 8) 8) 8)
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Tony,
Some fabulous photographs there, really enjoyed viewing them. They give a great sense of the locality and the richness of the plants to be seen.
Paddy
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Adelboden is at the western edge of the Berner Oberland. Train via Bern & Spiez to Frutigen then connecting bus service. 3.5 hrs from Geneva. I flew out of London City airport which is super convenient and user friendly. Swiss have cheap flights to Geneva from there. Lonely Planet guide "Walking in Switzerland" was useful for research for this and some of my other slightly off the beaten track visits.
Thanks Tony looks a great place to travel . Must do a little research ;)
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Here at last are the final installments!
After the pulsatilla ridge I walked a lower ridge to Nassberg. A dry ridge, many of the plants already seen were noted along with Biscutella laevigata, Veronica fruticans and Hedysarum hedisaroides.
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In the late afternoon I descended towards Butschi. The descent passes some massive limestone boulders which had a few nice flowers on and around them, then I encountered moraines with a truly spectacular display of Globularia punctata.
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ENDPIECE
One of the great advantages of staying higher up is the chance to enjoy the mountains early and late in the day. Here are a few images from the last evening and final morning. The flowers, the mountains and the weather all played their part in making this a memorable long weekend. Hopefully the old man of the mountains will smile on me again next year :)
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A wonderful Epilogue to your long weekend on the mountain ridge - the views are so atmospheric and uplifting with the tapestry of flowers at your feet - what an album of images to take home, thanks for sharing them...a bientot
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Thanks Tony!! Beautiful. Love the Old Man of the Mountains! 8)
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Gorgeous series Tony !
Thanks again for sharing !! :D
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Tony,
I am amazed you had the time to carve the "old man of the mountains".
Well done, Paddy