Alpine Cattle Descent at Lake Klöntal

September 30, 2017 -- Sometime in mid-Autumn the cows that spent the summer in the higher alpine elevations have to be returned to their winter barns in the lower valleys before the snows come. To celebrate a successful summer of alpine grazing, the farmers decorate their cows with wreaths of flowers and flags, and lead them on processions, sometimes 10 km distance, down the mountains. This tradition has become a popular spectacle for non-farmers as well, and there are a myriad of such alpine processions all over Switzerland.

On this Saturday we took our friends Jeff and Carrie from USA to view such a procession at the beautiful Klöntal Lake in Canton Glarus. According to the schedule, the first set of cows was to reach the lake at 10 a.m., at the same time as the bus brought its load of spectators up from Glarus. But the cows were early and the bus driver had to stop on the side of the road to let them through. We all got off the bus to watch the first procession, which was great! The next two herds we watched with the beautiful fall backdrop of the lake, and the final one on the way down as we hiked through the forest.

This is an experience difficult to describe, as the clang of hundreds of cowbells resonates around the valley long before the cows (sometimes accompanied by goats as well) come into view, and once they do, their momentum is such that they cannot be stopped as they flow past and on into the valley. And if you happen to be traveling the same road by bus and catch up to the procession, the bus driver simply informs you that you might as well forget about your train connection when you get back into the valley.

These celebrations usually also involve traditional alphorn music, sometimes yodeling, and farmers selling their wares, in particular the cheeses produced in the alps during the summer. 

Our day ended with a tour of the city of Rapperswil on our way back home, with its lovely old town and castle. As per weather forecast, the rain held off till 5 pm, so it was quite a successful day.

Our excursion started in the city of Glarus, where we had 30 minutes to wait for the bus.

On the way up to the lake, the bus had to pull over because the first set of cows were already on the way down.

As we got to the lake, we could hear the sound of the hundreds of cow bells at the back of the valley

Here comes the next family with their animals on the way to the valley

The pretty headdresses are a tradition of thankfulness for a successful summer on the high alps

The lead cows wear larger bells. It is just for show, they wear smaller ones when they are in the meadow

And the babies are always so pretty, you just want to hug them.

Heading to the end of the lake to continue down into the valley

The celebrations also involve traditional Alp Horn music and markets selling local products

As we walked down the valley parallel to the road, we got to see another group of animals head down to the valley

Another farmer family with their animals coming down from the mountain alps

Another farmer family with their animals coming down from the mountain alps

The walk we had planned was about an hour along the river. We were lucky that the bus driver stopped for us shortly before the official bus stop (unusual exception) as the next bus wasn't for another three hours!

We had actually hoped to walk to this bridge, but had to view it from inside the crowded bus.

Back down in the Linthal Valley we spent a bit of time in Näfels, the actual end point of the cow processions.

Some of these cows have such unusual markings, nothing like I've ever seen before

Näfels in the Linthal Valley near Glarus

   

Before heading home we stopped to walk around old town Rapperswil, always work a visit.

View from the castle at Rapperswil on Lake Zurich

Last stop for coffee with friends in Rapperswil, Switzerland. The day turned out much better than expected.

A Hazy-Day Hike in the Emmental Napf Region

September 23, 2017 -- Sadly, this was not one of my favourite hikes, probably because the weather worked against us, although you could say the weather was actually pretty good.

It was my first time ever on Mount Napf, a prominent mountain in the rather low rolling mountains of the Emmental Region North of the Alps, and actually not so far to travel to as many of the places we go. It is a favourite of the locals as it offers spectacular 360 degree views once you have successfully scaled its rather steep slopes. Spectacular that is, if the air is clear, which it was not on this day we chose to climb it. Weather maps also showed the best chance of sun in this area, but as luck would have it, the single dark cloud obscured the sun for much of our hike, and it was COLD! (and frustrating because left and right the hills were bathed in sunlight). 

The section we hiked (which is also part of the National Trail No.3 called the "Alpine Panorama Trail") took us 4 and 3/4 hours to hike (at a good pace too) even though it was only 14 km, but there were two very steep sections which really add to the length of the hike. Much of the trail was muddy after recent rains, slippery with roots and gravel, and popular even on the off-season. But we had a nice lunch in a mountain restaurant to the sound of cow bells (always enjoyable), purchased Emmental Cheese from one of those self-serve farm shops, and the Emmental landscape and farmsteads are always pretty. Plus the bus ride up one valley and down the other on one-lane roads is always exciting! And now I can say I have finally been on the Napf....

Our trip started with a ride in the Kambly train and a stop at the Kambly cookie factory in Trubschachen, for our free samples of cookies (second breakfast), except the cookies are all too sweet for me now, so I go for the salty flutes or healthy biscuits instead.

A lovely bus ride from Trubschachen up the valley to our starting point at the Mettlen Alp. This is the village of Trub.

A lovely bus ride from Trubschachen up the valley to our starting point at the Mettlen Alp.

Our 14-km hike started with a 1-hour steep uphill climb to the summit of Mount Napf, and then another almost 4 hours walk to Lüdeneralp in the West.

The weather started out sunny, but the air was hazy and so we didn't get that stunning view of the Alps that is promised from this summit.

Hotel / Restaurant at the summit of Mount Napf

They must have Supermen measure these distances, because we walked fairly quickly, and it took us 3 hours and 45 minutes (walking time) to our destination at Lüderenalp.

This little guy was walking the trail, and I saved him from getting stepped on by moving him with a piece of dried cow dung. I was clever to not touch the caterpillar, as the bristles of this Pale Tussock Moth Caterpillar can give you a nasty rash.

There were nice fall colours even if the view was hazy. Unfortunately, the single cloud in the sky gave us shadow for a large part of our hike.

We had to climb that hill, it was 100m of torture as the gradient was about 45 degrees! (or so it seemed) and gravelly.

Once in a while we saw a farmstead perched on one of the many rises here in the Emmental landscape

After the steep uphill section we came to Oberenzi, a farm where you can buy cheese, icecream, syrups and cookies, all on the Self-Serve principle.  

Oberenzi Farm where you can get some refreshments on the Self-Serve principle.

Looking back the way we came, in the back is the summit of Mount Napf, mostly in the shadow of the single cloud this day.

At the half-way point of our ca. 5-hour hike we had lunch at this mountain restaurant, Ober Lushütte.

At the half-way point of our ca. 5-hour hike we had lunch at this mountain restaurant, yummy Swiss Rösti.

Fall colours and hazy views over the Emmental landscape.

No denying it anymore, Fall is here. 

And it's always a pleasure to walk through the cow pastures. 

Two More Irrigation Channels and a Bone House in Naters (Rhone Valley)

September 20, 2017 -- Sometimes even when the weather forecast shows sunny all day, it can happen that a cloud sits right over the one mountain that you had planned to walk on...

That is what happened to us on this Wednesday, as we had planned an adventurous hike on one of the fascinating irrigation channels in the Valais, one of those built into the side of the cliff face, with narrow ledges to walk and tunnels sometimes so low you have to go on hands and knees. But as we hiked there, the "menacing" cloud didn't lift, and so we didn't want to risk getting caught in the rain on a narrow slippery trail. Luckily for us, there is a 1-km tunnel that also goes back into the Gredetsch Valley, built especially to bring the cattle to summer pastures high up in the valley, but also an opportunity to bring the water through it as well.

But never mind, it was a superb day anyway, which started at a mountain (Finnen, above Visp), which was home to the local gallows until 1799 (great last views!) then above the village of Mund, producing some of the best saffron in the world (harvest is mid-October, so we might go back), through the tunnel to a barren rocky valley and out the other side along a less adventurous but still fascinating irrigation channel (simply amazing what effort the farmers went through to get water to their fields). 

Since we were early yet and it was sunny and warm, we decided to continue on to Naters and Brig, and good thing too, or I would never have seen the ossuary (bone-house) in Naters, which we came across unexpectedly. (To make room in the graveyards, skeletons were dug up and stored in such bone houses; this particular one contains 30,000 skulls all marked with the names of the owners. Family members know exactly which skulls belong to their ancestors....)

But best of all on this wonderful 16-km hike, the lovely Valais Black-Nosed Sheep had recently been brought down from higher pastures and they were everywhere, freshly shorn, curious and smiling at us with their cute little black faces!
 

The day starts cold in Finnen, a vehicle-free village with its church dating from 1677

Until 1799 this was the place of the local gallows

Until 1799 this was the place of the local gallows

 

They look like they are smiling!

Heading up the hill we get a view of vehicle-free Finnen

 

From Finnen we headed to the Wyssa Canal above Mund, then through the 1-km tunnel into the Gredetsch Valley

Black-nosed Valais sheep everywhere, they recently came down from the higher alpine meadows

Black-nosed Valais sheep everywhere, they recently came down from the higher alpine meadows

This new-born was so darn cute!

Finally the clouds are lifting a bit so we can see the snowy peaks in the Matter Valley.

Another typical Valais village along the way: Bodma

We continue in the hope that that ominous cloud will be gone by the time we get to the tunnel. No such luck, though.

Above the village of Mund, this view is to Brig in the Rhone Valley

This 1-km long tunnel was built to bring the cows to higher alpine pastures at the back of the Gredetsch Valley.

On the other side of the tunnel it was still cloudy, but no rain. We could have attempted the trickier trip along the cliff

Heading further to the back of the valley, we look for the switchback to the other side 

There is not a lot of point in going further into the valley, as the mountains are hidden.

A few marmots complained that we were invading their space

 

Back out along the river, we are heading to the Obersta irrigation channels on the East side.

 

The bridge that crosses to the East side of the Gredetsch Valley

From here, another one of total four irrigation channels brings water out of this valley

 

We also had a good share of low tunnels to travel through.

 

After coming out of the Gredetsch Valley, we descended to Birgisch, then to Naters and Brig. Total 16 km.

On the other side is the cliff wall that we originally wanted to cross. Turned out it would have been good after all! Slightly disappointed that we didn't even try.

 

View across the valley to Mund, the Saffron capital of Europe (1-4 kg harvested each year. At 12 SFr. per gram, it is more costly than gold).

An unusual angle to view Mount Matterhorn, known locally as "The Horn"

Descending to Birgisch, with the town of Mund in the background

 

Another old Valais village: Birgisch

Birgisch, founded in 1232. That is about 800 years....

This peak (name currently not known) looks just like the Great Pyramid!

I think this cutie would have followed me home!

Arriving back in the Rhone Valley, in the city of Naters

This was the local shop (market, grocery) in 1508

Old Valais structures in Naters

THIS is the OSSUARY! (Bone House). The arch below the stairs has a "window" through which you can see the skulls. The building dates from 1514 and holds 30,000 skulls in the basement

Words to ponder:  "What you are, we once were / What we are, you will become"

Over 30,000 skulls in this ossuary, all of them marked with their owners' names.

The church in Naters dates from 1739

Quaint old town Naters

This door is a bit short for this man!

Old honey-comb glass windows in the church rectory

   

Altogether we walked 16 lovely kilometers on this days hike; we made a full day of it.