A Walk across the Pfyn Forest in the Pfyn-Finges Nature Park

Sunday August 1, 2021 -- Very rarely do we travel 3.5 hours to walk through a forest, but there were a couple of reasons for this two-day trip to Valais, the first one being the need to get out of our own city on August 1st, as this is Switzerland's National Day (730-year anniversary of becoming a nation) and the private fireworks go on for hours and days here, driving me as well as the animals out of our minds... (For a country that regulates everything, I am surprised that they allow this dangerous activity with no boundaries).

The only place with a nice weather forecast for Monday was in the Valais, but even there it was raining on Sunday with at least a promise to stop by the evening. So what does one do when it's overcast? A walk through a nature park was probably the best solution. As it turns out, one of the largest continuous pine forests (scotch pine) in the Alps is located in the Rhône Valley between Sierre and Leuk, a forest we have often admired on our hikes along the sunny hillsides in the area, but which we never otherwise would have walked through. So now finally, we had a chance to walk through the 10 km2 forest that is the Pfynwald, or "Forêt de Finges" in French, as the language boundary in Canton Valais passes right through the center of the forest. 

The trail through the lower Pfynwald between Sierre and Leuk is about 9 km long, and promised us a great variety of plants, animals, amphibians etc. of which we saw very little (We assume they were smart and stayed home...). Nevertheless, the pines were definitely special... according to studies done in 2015, the lower forest consists of about 60% scotch pine with average age of 86 years (the oldest being 150 years old) and 14% oak, which are much younger. Also, what we had once learned earlier about this forest is that it was feared due to the robbers and highwaymen who lived there, and folks preferred to travel via the safer mountain trails on the opposite side of the Rhône River.

(In fact, it was interesting for us to walk on the South side of the Rhône River as we could look across to the hillsides on both sides of the Dala Valley, where we had just recently been in July. Those photos are HERE)

We had rented a room for the night in Susten near Leuk, which was an additional 3 kilometers after leaving the forest, so in all we walked 12km on this evening. We were so happy to be able to spend a quiet night, with only about five minutes worth of fireworks nearby....

(In retrospect we should have read up a bit more on this park, as there is a Tibetan suspension bridge crossing the Illgraben on the East and upper side of the forest. This might have been a more interesting option for us).

Back in July of this year, when we walked out of the Dala Valley toward Salgesch, we got this very nice view of the Pfynwald below. 

We got to Sierre at about 3:30 p.m. and took a bus to the entrance of the Pfynwald in the Pfyn-Finges Nature Park. In 1997 the forest was officially put under protection by the Canton. This is apparently one of the most diverse biotopes in Switzerland 

Information about the Pfyn-Finges Nature Park from the Internet: www.myswitzerland.com

After a short uphill section we get a first look westward across the forest. 

Most of the walk through the forest was on level trails like this one. 

Along the way there were a few ponds which we could admire (no frogs, no birds....)

Along a clearing a look to the North side of the valley and the hillside above Salgesch, which we know well, having walked three times across the irrigation channels there (marked by the green lines of trees)

Here at the level of Salgesch and practically in the center of the forest is the French/German language boundary. This is evident from the sign which shows the "German Forest" to the left, and the "French Forest" to the right!

This was the largest lake in the forest, called the Rosensee. Most of the other lakes were hidden behind dense strips of reeds

Rosensee

At this point it started to rain a bit and it was very windy. But not for long. 

From here we can see the upper Pfynwald forest along the base of the mountain

Some interesting fungi

These are the Scotch Pines. They usually grow to about 30 meters, but are much shorter here due to the dry and Mediterranean conditions. These trees are an average of 86 years of age.

A watercourse which looks like it might flood soon!

Across the valley the sky is clearing in the mountains. I had hopes of going up into the higher elevations the next day, but due to the large amounts of rain, the peaks were still hidden in clouds. 

Crossing a canal near the eastern part of the forest. 

On the other side of the valley is the town of Leuk

Close-up view of Leuk with the Mario-Botta-enhanced castle (on the left... Mario Botta is a Swiss architect)

Finally getting some sunshine at 7 p.m. as we cross the Illbach river. After many heavy rains, there are often large mudslides that race down this channel (see video below). Further up this river is the Tibetan suspension bridge, which we missed seeing. 

VIDEO:

It seems that almost yearly a mudslide comes down the Illgraben. 

This video which I found on YouTube was made by a fellow named Pierre Zufferey who was able to make a video of such a mudslide. (Credits are on the video when opened in YouTube)

This photo taken in July when we were on the North side of the Rhône River shows the forest. We walked on this lower side between the river and the motorway. At the back is Susten, where we had rented a room for the night. 

Crossing the large fields between the Pfynwald and Susten. These fields are watered by old-fashioned irrigation channels which are aplenty here. In the background is the Turtmann Valley, where we have also often been. 

Across the valley is the Dala Valley (we hiked there in July) and the Leuk Satellite Station (another hike we did in February of this year). These hills are usually not so green at this time of year, but it has rained a lot here as well. 

A close-up of Leuk in the evening sunlight

In this tiny community of Gampinen (part of Susten) is where we spent the night. It was very quiet here!

We rented the basement studio apartment for one night. It even had a kitchen where we warmed up a can of Ravioli!

Next to the house is this glorious view into the Illgraben, a section of mountain that keeps generating those mudslides!!!

Our 12-km walk from the West access of the "Forêt de Finges" near Sierre toward Leuk, and then through Susten to our accommodation for the night. Total 12 km. We got to our destination at 8 p.m., having started only at 4 p.m., probably the latest we have ever started on a hike. 

This is the first time we have walked on the South side of the Rhone River here, starting near the city of Sierre and walking the 9-km length of the Pfyn-Finges Forest, then another 3 km to our room in Susten. Earlier this year we did two hikes on the other side, also the mint-green trails.