From Leuk to Gampel on the Sunny Hillside above the Rhone Valley

Saturday February 27, 2021 -- We're back at it! Enjoying mountain hiking in February, what a treat!

The sunny side of the Rhone Valley near Visp in Canton Valais/Wallis is notoriously dry (hence the need to have built those magnificent irrigation channels in the side valleys, which we love to walk along in summer) and a favourite place of ours to walk along in February. In fact, we have covered well over 100km on the hillside between Sion and Brig, and most of that was done in February or late fall.... mostly because it is way too hot to walk here in summer!

This particular stretch we did this day, 14 km between Leuk and Gampel, finalizes a missing piece of the hillside which we hadn't yet covered. Of particular interest for us was the ancient town of Leuk, inhabited in pre-Roman times already, and guarding the entrance to the Dala Gorge through which the thermal baths at Leukerbad and the Gemmi Pass (South-North pass through the alps) are accessed. The town's main church (St.Stephan, Gothic-Style) includes a fascinating ossuary which you can actually enter and touch the 22,000 skulls and thighbones stored here! Other landmarks are the old castle (with modern additions by Swiss architect Mario Botta), and the city hall, formerly also a castle.

The area to the West of here is renowned for its vineyards, and at the bottom of the valley between Leuk and Sierre is one of Europe's largest pine forests, the Pfynwald Forest (17 km2). In the Middle Ages, the forest was populated by thieves, and travelers preferred to cross the dry rocky hillside and the Dala Gorge, rather than risk the dangers of the valley bottom. So we now walk those trails created by thousands of feet, hundreds of years ago!

Whenever we travel along the Rhone Valley we have observed high on the hill a conglomeration of satellite dishes, something we also have long wanted to see up close, so that was another highlight of the hike. And possibly the best highlight of all was the "High Bridge", an old Roman bridge spanning a very deep and narrow canyon. Simple stunning! 

As usual, there were so many interesting things to see and experience (including new-born Valais Black-Nosed Sheep and Valais Blackneck goats) and the weather so warm and pleasant, that we didn't even realize that we had hiked for 14 kilometers!

View westward from Leuk Castle down the Rhone Valley. Unfortunately the air was hazy. We have seen those mountains much more clearly on other occasions. On the hill is the cliff church at Varen, from which we walked westward to Salgesch on a hike a year ago.

Fotos from the hike from Varen to Salgesch in Feb.2020 can be found HERE

This building is the city hall in Leuk (later we walked up to the cross on the hill behind this building)

The old castle at Leuk was very run down, and when they decided to restore it in early 2000, they asked Swiss post-modern architect Mario Botta to do some interior design. This was supposed to attract more tourists.

City Hall in Leuk

Ancient meets Modern at the castle in Leuk (only open for visits starting in May)

Roof-line in Leuk, including the 13th Century bell-tower of St.Stephan's Church

Leuk's very own "Bridge of Sighs"

From the terrace of St.Stephan's Church, a look down main street, with Mt. Illhorn in the background (a mountain whose summit we can also easily reach, planning to do that soon!)

St. Stephan's Church in Leuk, current style is Gothic, ca. year 1500. The ossuary is the first place we visited, little door straight ahead

The ossuary beneath St.Stephan's Church contains 22,000 skulls and femurs from the 15th Century

Absolutely fascinating. These used to be people. The inscription reads "What you are, we once were, and what we are, you will become"

The first church at this location dates from the 6th Century. This most recent remake is from the Early 1500's, in the Gothic style of architecture.

We walked around Leuk for about 45 minutes before starting on our hike, admiring a lot of the old Valais barns

We peeked into one barn near the church. The Farmer was there, and he told us that these lambs were born at 11 p.m. on Feb.22, so they were barely two days old! (Valais black-nosed sheep, the BEST)

Our 14-km trail from Leuk to Gampel. Two climbs were required: One to the Satellite Station at Brentjong, and the next to the village of Erschmatt, originally a large producer of Rye Grain.

A view over the town of Leuk and the Rhone Valley (the river is known as the Rotten here) and the large, 17 km2 Pfyn Forest, one of the largest pine forests in Europe. In the Middle Ages, travelers were afraid of the thieves in the forest, so they crossed the valley on trails such as the one we are following.

Town of Leuk in the Rhone Valley.

The Satellite Ground Station at Leuk. These "Dishes" communicate with the satellites in orbit around the Earth.

It was magnificent to see these enormous dishes up close

Our trail took us around the satellite station on its North side

Heading eastward, we keep getting glimpses behind us of the satellite station and the Pfyn Forest below.

A type of anemone called the pasqueflower (in German = Kuhschelle). So nice to see the flowers again!

Warm and mild weather, and great trails! 

One of the highlights of our excursion: The "High Bridge" (German = Hohe Brücke)

A look down to the modern automobile bridge, from the old stone bridge.

A magnificent bridge over a spectacular ravine

More nice views of the Rhone River as we head eastward toward Gampel.

After a one-hour climb, we reached the town of Erschmatt. Because of the dryness of these hills, rye was a crop grown in large quantities here.

In the middle of the town was a humongous boulder. The houses were simply built around it.

In fact, to reach the front door of this house, you basically have to duck under the boulder! The neighbour's house had a garage, although it really isn't possible to get a car in there.

And this overhang looked like it was supported by only the one diagonal beam....

Peeked in to another barn in the middle of the town: The farmer was just milking one of his goats, and didn't mind my "oohing" and "aahing" over these cute goat kids! These are Valais Blacknecked goats. Pretty cute with their half-and-half colouring!

Continuing eastward. Below, the town of Gampel (our goal) is just coming into view.

One more village to pass through before descending to Gampel. This town is called Bratsch.

Descending to Gampel. We were hurrying to catch the 16:30 bus. Any later and it would have gotten dark and cold before our trip back home.

More spring flowers: I believe these are called "Winter Aconite"

Made it to the bus stop in Gampel/Steg with about five minutes to spare for the 16:30 bus. We are pretty good with our timing! (The next bus wasn't till 17:10)

Our 14-km hike along the sunny and dry hillside above the Rhone River. Started in Leuk, and ended in Gampel.

We have walked over 100km along the North side of the Rhone River. This piece between Leuk and Gampel was a missing gap.

Location of our hike, in Canton Valais between Sierre and Brig

Long Hike on the Lötschental Valley High Trail

Thursday Sept.12 -- The reason we stayed at the Bietschhorn Hotel in the Lötschental Valley (previous day photos HERE) was so that we could start very early the next day on the 17-km, approx. 5+ hour hike on the Lötschental High Trail. That is, the other half of the high trail, having done the more popular part several years ago.

A short bus ride from the hotel is the large-cabin cableway to Lauchernalp, a popular starting spot for hikes in all directions. We were planning to walk out of the valley, and then overnight in the town of Baltschieder near the end of our hike.

We lucked out with another fabulous day! First a nice buffet breakfast at the hotel, then off in the cold and shade of the valley bottom, but glad of the sunshine on the trail above! The hike was superb. Not a lot of ascent, so the distance was manageable for me. The first half of the trail heading westward was above the tree line with extraordinary views into the Lötschental Valley (largest valley in Canton Valais) right down to the end where we had hiked the day before. Through alpine pastures and small communities of typical wooden Valais houses. Wonderful trails, lots of variety, we even saw what we believe is an Asp Viper (one of two poisonous snakes in Switzerland) right on the trail, spotted a rare Golden Eagle, and watched deer chasing each other through the meadows. 

The second half of the trail heading South was mostly on paths through the woods, although sometimes somewhat narrow with dizzying views into the steep valley below and the vertical flanks of the mountains across the valley. And then at the end an equally marvelous view from high up of the Rhône Valley before descending on the small cable car from Jeizinen.

When we got to the little town of Baltschieder (30 minutes with public transit) where we had rented a private room with a lovely family for the next two nights, we were thrilled to see Valais Black-Nosed sheep in several yards directly in the old town! We fell asleep to the lovely sound of their bells.

Large-Capacity Cableway from Wiler to Lauchernalp. At this time of morning there were only 8 of us riding up. That weird figure on the right is a local tradition in this valley. There are many such masks hand-carved here. They are called Tschäggättä masks and are worn at spring carnival to scare away the winter (pagan tradition)

Once up at Lauchernalp, the high trail we want to hike (along the right) is in sunshine, the valley below still dark, the air and view clear and exciting. The white mountain to the South is the Weisshorn, very prominent peak in the Rhone Valley

Heading West along the Lötschental High Trail

 

First stop after 15-20 minutes at the little collection of houses called Staffel. It was already getting warm and we had to peel off all the coats and leggings required in the cold of the shade below

As we admired the meadows below us, we saw these two chasing each other first round and round a little hill, then off across the meadow. Surprisingly close to where a farmer was mowing the meadow.

VIDEO: 

De3r chasing each other across the meadow

We started with a cable car to Lauchernalp, and ended with a cable car from Jeizinen to Gampel. There were only a few short uphill sections and the trail was so wonderful, that the length of it didn't bother me. At about the halfway point above Goppenstein, we no longer had the view into the Lötschental Valley, but rather of the steep furrowed flanks to the East, and then at the end into the Rhone Valley

Heading West, then South. In the center of the picture is a large clearing. That is the Faldumalp, the half-way point of our hike. The rest of the hike is mostly through forested area

Right in the middle of the trail was this snake (I checked it with experts, most likely the poisonous Asp Viper). We've encountered snakes on trails before, usually I almost step on them. I saw this one ahead of time, but by the time I had my camera ready, it was already disappearing into the schrubs. 

Still some cows up on these high pastures, but they are coming down in the next couple of weeks

The next community of Kummenalp. Here the trail heads South. (There is also a large Gasthaus up here). This place is a 1-hour walk from the Laucheneralp Cable Car Station.

First view into the Lötschental Valley as we head South. The day before we hiked at the very end of the valley, to those glaciers at the back. 

30 minutes after Kummenalp is another small alp called Restialp. The owners of this building and a few sheep and cows are up here for three months in the summer and cook small meals for hikers. 

Looking back at the small alp called Restialp, and the Lötschental Valley

The trails were beautiful, easy to walk, and the fall colours just starting, yellow and red (blueberry bushes) and sage greens

The prominent peak in the Lötschental Valley is Mount Bietschhorn, 3934m .

Extensive repair work done on these trails.

We saw a Golden Eagle, second-largest bird in Europe and a rare sighting as the population of these magnificent birds was largely decimated through hunting by end of 19th Century. One time when my photo is in focus, there HAVE to be branches in the way...

At the halfway point of our hike near Faldumalp is the best view into the Lötschental Valley, the largest valley in Canton Valais. 

A perfect spot for a well-deserved rest at the half-way point of our hike. (We started at Lauchernalp, which is just above my head in this photo). The day before we hiked at the very back of this valley, to the two glaciers.

Faldumalp

From Faldumalp was a short uphill section and then the rest of the hike was downhill

Looking way way down at the train station in Goppenstein. The trainline here comes out of the Lötschberg Tunnel to the North, and continues to Visp in the Rhone Valley to the South. From here we had taken the bus into the Lötschental Valley the day before

Lunch time at the highest point of the trail, the Faldumtörli. We were hoping for a bench, but it was high time to eat, so a large rock had to do.

The Rhone Valley is already opening up on the second half of the hike, with the Mischabel mountains (highest peaks totally on Swiss Territory) dominating the view. We had about 40 minutes of this kind of trail on the descent to the next alpine meadows.

At the alpine meadows called Underi Meiggu there were lots of these jet black Valais Ehringer cows. The trail continues as a mountain trail for the rest of the way, sometimes along narrow cliff trails with steep drops into the valley below.

A totally different landscape and trail than the first half of the hike. Very exciting.

This view is to the hillside on the South side of the Rhone Valley, to a community called Bürchen. Two days later we rode a bus through this community (a wild ride) for our fourth and final hike in the Matter Valley behind that rise.

This trail was wide enough to not be "dangerous", but exciting just the same!

This part of the trail already has quite a bit of shade mid-afternoon at this time of year. But this long flat stretch was very similar to the irrigation channel hikes which we like to do.

 

Shortly before our destination we are now high above the Rhone Valley. In the center of the photo is the city of Visp, gateway to the Matter and Saas Valleys, where we did hikes 3 and 4. 

A different kind of cow than what we usually see in this area

And our destination village: Jeizinen. From here we took the small-capacity cable car down to the village of Gampel.

Gampel-Jeizinen cable car

Gampel-Jeizinen cable car. From here we caught the bus to Visp, bought something for dinner, and headed to the nearby village of Baltschieder to our next accommodation. 

17-km trail high above the Lötschental Valley

Day 1 Hike: Fafleralp to Anenhütte and back, then overnight in the Hotel Bietschhorn in Ried
Day 2 Hike: Laucheneralp to Jeizinen, with overnight in a private room in Baltschieder.

Note: Baltschieder is a town at the entrance to the Baltschieder Valley, where we did the exciting hike along the irrigation channels two weeks earlier. (Those photos HERE)

Across from the cable-car station in Gampel were these Valais Black-Nosed sheep, and a tiny lamb, how cute! 

And when we got to the town of Baltschieder, there were sheep in yards and lots all around the village, getting ready for shearing. We fell asleep to the sound of their bells.