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

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

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