In the Land of Gruyère Cheese

February 25, 2017 -- On this sunny Saturday our search for snow-free hills took us to the Gruyères countryside in the Western part of Switzerland. It's too early for the cows to be in the fields so we had to walk through the meadows without the accompaniment of the lovely music of the cow bells.

Our hike started in the little town of Neirivue, approx. 10 km South of Gruyères

There is still a lot of snow in the mountains, but we only ran across a few bits of it on the trail that we walked.

In the farming areas there are lots of Buzzards and Red Kites.

There are no cows in the fields yet, but spring is starting to make its appearance! The forest was all covered in Snow Bells in one area.

We walked 3.5 hours and approx. 12 km from Neirivue to Gruyères.

Even with the cold breeze blowing, it was a good 12-km walk ending with a visit to the old town of Gruyères and its castle perched on a small hill in the middle of the valley. The little town was already full of people, surprising at this time of year!

The old town of Gruyères and its castle are located on a small hill.

The old town of Gruyères and its castle are located on a small hill.

On the ramparts in Gruyères

View North from the castle in Gruyères

View South from the castle in Gruyères

 

There are already loads of tourists around

This is an ancient system of grain measurment

Of course we bought some Gruyère from the local cheese shop, although we avoided the expensive handmade chocolate bunnies from the Chocolate Factory. Down near the train station is "La Maison du Gruyère" (The Cheese Factory) where robots are used to prepare 5000-7000 HUGE (35 kg) wheels of cheese per year.

This is the "Chocolate Factory" in Gruyères, the handmade chocolates are very expensive, but the shop was full none-the-less...

We bought some Gruyère cheese while in Gruyères. That is a necessity.

At the "Maison du Gruyère" near the train station, there are up to 7000 35-kg cheese wheels processed here per year.

Gruyère is also the home of the Giger Museum, a tribute to the weirdly disturbing work of Swiss Artist HR Giger, whose art was the inspiration for the creature in the "Alien" movies as well as the set design for the movie "Dune". Fascinating and totally macabre. HR Giger was obsessed with fusion of human and machine. Next to the museum was a Giger-themed Café/Bar, which I wanted to photograph, obviously a desire of many passersby as the sign on the window read "Pictures for Customers Only"... of which I did not wish to be.

HR Giger Art, a fusion of humans and machines. The inspiration for Sci-Fi movies....

This work is at least not as disturbing as some of the others...

On the way home, one last look at the pastoral Gruyères landscape...

Spring Hike Along Lake Thun

February 19, 2017 -- More nice weather in the mountains, but having just done a long winter hike three days earlier we were itching for the start of the regular hiking season. It is difficult at this time of year to know ahead of time whether a trail is clear of snow or not. But the North Side of Lake Thun near Interlaken is exposed to a lot of sun, so we were pretty sure we'd be OK on this one.

The trail we picked is Stage 10 of the "Camino de Santiago" trail, which also passes through Switzerland (Stage 10 = Interlaken to Merligen = 13km). We stayed near the lake (climbing at most 150m on the hillside above the lake) and although the trail was mostly through forested areas, we got several nice views of the Bernese Alps, especially Mount Niesen.

Near Interlaken on the lake is a nature reserve (Weissenau) where you can usually observe a variety of birds, but it is still too cold in the season for birds. But we got a nice treat as there were small European Roe Deer grazing in the fields. They feel safe here, knowing people can't come closer.

On the way to Interlaken along Brienz Lake

In Interlaken, you get some nice views of Mount Eiger and Mount Mönch, and the Jungfrau Saddle (on the right).

Walking through the Weissenau Nature Reserve on Lake Thun with views of Mount Niesen

There was a little heard of Roe Deer grazing in the park

We walked 13 km starting in Interlaken West, walking along the Aar River and through the nature reserve, up past the Beatus Caves (closed at this time of year), above a large gravel pit, to Merligen. 
 

On the Saint Jakob's Trail along Lake Thun

Our trail continues up above that road. The trail to get up there was quite nice and not as steep as expected.

Heading up to the trail above this wonderful road.

On the Saint Jakob's Pilgrim Trail along Lake Thun

The Beatus Caves are a highlight along this portion of the trail, but closed at this time of year.

This is the entrance to the Beatus Caves, made for tourists.

View East across this hugh gravel pit

On the St. Jakob's Pilgrim Trail along Lake Thun.

This is the funicular that takes you up to Mount Beatenberg.

Arriving in Merligen, we are surprised to see so many palm trees here. It is nicknamed the "Palm Village" for good reason.

The sunny exposure along the lake seems to be ideal for these palm trees.

Final view of the Bernese Alps before heading by bus to the West, to the city of Thun.

Two Very Different Hikes in the Valais: Day 2 (Gemmi Pass)

February 15th, 2017 -- After a quiet restful night in a simple mountain hotel and a lovely breakfast buffet, we headed a few kilometers further West to the vacation village of Leukerbad, from where we took a cable car to the Gemmi Pass at a height of 2322m, 1300m higher up than the hike I did the day before.

Naturally at this height there is still lots of snow, and that was the plan for this day, a 10km walk through the high alpine winter landscape northwards from Canton Valais to Canton Berne, amid the stark rocky landscape, crossing a frozen lake, stopping for lunch at the historical Schwarenbach Inn (built in 1742 as a toll/customs station but later turned into an inn which housed many famous historical figures on this popular North-South Route across the Alps), and then descending to Kandersteg (again by cable car) on the North Side.

I am fascinated that Switzerland maintains winter routes through such high alpine landscapes so that we hikers can also still enjoy our sport at this time of year. The trail is advertised as a North-South trail, which would seem to be way more strenuous judging by the exertion of the folks walking in our direction. I think we were smarter to choose to cover the 400m height difference in the South-North DOWNHILL direction! It was a fantastic day and so warm, I wish I had brought shorts. And the trail so full that the only seating available for us at the inn (we were planning to have lunch there) was on the cement steps... 

Here is an interesting article about the Schwarenbach Inn and its history: http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/frozen-ghosts-haunt-gemmi-pass/14676

(Photos of DAY 1 HERE)

Early morning leaving our hotel on the South Side of the Rhone Valley

The hotel we stayed in was on the South side of the Rhone Valley in a mountain village called Unterbäch. To get where we were going for the day, we first had to take the cable car back down into the valley, then the bus westward a few kilometers into another steep valley, and another cable car up to the Gemmi Pass where our hike started.

Heading into the Dala Gorge, this is a vew over Leuk and the Rhone Valley. The village of Leukerbad is at the end of the Dala Valley

The Pfyn Forest

This is the Pfyn Forest, one of Europe's last large pine forests. The Forest used to be feared because of the robbers and Highwaymen who roamed here. Now it is a 10 km2 natural reserve of national importance. The Rhone River flows through this forest on its way to Lake Geneva. 

On the way up from Leukerbad to the Gemmi Pass

Look-out Platform at the Gemmi Pass, 2320m altitude.

On the lookout platform at the Gemmi Pass

Looking down at the vacation village of Leukerbad.

View South across the Valais Alps, which include the Matterhorn, and the highest peak on Swiss soil: Mount Dom

We walked 10 km on the Winter Trail, starting at the Gemmi Pass and walking across the frozen Lake. Had coffee and cake at the Schwarenbach Inn, then crossed the provincial boundary between Valais and Berne. After descending with the cable car on the Berne side, we walked another 3 km to the train station in Kandersteg.

Start of our hike. The first part of the 10-km walk crossed a frozen alpine lake (Daubensee)

Heading across the frozen lake (Daubensee)

This is the newest sport in the alps, snow mountainbiking.

Looking back South across the lake after our crossing.

What a super day for a high alpine walk.

Just a few more minutes and we reach the Schwarenbach Inn, where many well-known historical personages overnighted on their trek across these mountains.

Started at the Gemmi Pass, headed toward Sunnbüel

The trail is popular, and so is the hotel. There was not a single free seat inside. 

The only spot we could find for our coffee and cake was on these stone steps. We actually were planning on a cooked lunch, but there was no room at a table.

Very popular hike. These people are walking from North to South where they have more uphill than we did.

Heading North

Here is the border between the Cantons of Valais and Berne

This is the cable car from Sunnbüel to Kandersteg.... or 3 km from Kandersteg.

This historical building (storage barn) is the oldest building in the area. During restoration it was estimated to date from 1510.

Along the Kander River

We walked an additional 3 km along the Kander River to Kandersteg after descending with the cable car from the ledge approx. center of the photo (where the power lines/towers are).