First Trip through the new Gotthard Base Tunnel (To Monte Gambarogno)

December 14, 2016 -- As of December 11, the new 57-km Gotthard Base Tunnel is open to trips by the public, so what better idea than to use our maiden voyage through the longest train tunnel in the world to go to one of the remotest and hardest-to-reach places in the Ticino: Indemini near the Italian border, and a hike around Monte Gambarogno. As far as kilometers go, this remote valley is not that far from Locarno, but to get there requires a one-hour bus ride along a steep and winding road. 

Till now we could not have done this as a day trip, as there was no connection early enough for us, but the new tunnel cuts our trips down South short by 30-40 minutes, and in this case the connection works in our favour.

The 17-minute trip through the tunnel at 200 km per hour was so smooth you hardly noticed the speed. Plus we left home in the darkness and fog at 6:15, so there wasn't much to see anyway. And once we got to the starting point of our hike at 9:30, we were up in the sunshine while the rest of Northern Switzerland wallowed in thick fog. Yeah for the quicker trips to the South!

The white line is the bus trail; it took over an hour to get to our starting point at Alpe di Neggia. We hiked first to the cross, then to the highest point on Monte Gambarogno, then down to a mountain farm where in summer you can buy cheese and other products made on the farm. Next stop where we had lunch was the Oratorio Sant'Anna whose origins date from the 14th or 15th century, and whose hermit rooms have been converted into a hostel. After 3.5 hours' hike we got to our destination of Indemini, the only traditional Ticinese settlement to be built entirely of stone quarried from the site itself. Before heading back home through the super tunnel, we first had a 1hr+bus ride back down again!

Start of our hike at Alpe di Neggia at 9:30 a.m., looking down at Lago Maggiore at the entrance to the Verzasca Valley

Before reaching the summit, we stopped at the cross for some spectacular views of the Maggia Delta (Locarno)

Before reaching the summit, we stopped at the cross for some spectacular views of the Maggia Delta (Locarno)

Heading across the sunny ridge to the summit of Monte Gambarogno

At the summit of Monte Gambarogno, on the border to Italy. The hill at the center is in Italy, and the white peaks on the right are the highest peaks in the Swiss Alps (Dufour Peak and Monte Rosa Massif).

From the summit we head to the West side of Monte Gambarogno, to Alpe Cedullo.

Enjoying the sun and the views

Ticinese Forests

Alpe Cedullo. They have sheep here in summer and you can buy home-made cheese

Oratorio Sant'Anna dates from the 14th-15th centuries. We had a picnic lunch here. 

Oratorio Sant'Anna dates from the 14th-15th centuries. We had a picnic lunch here. 

3½ hours' hike brings us to the village of Indemini.

We were hoping to have a coffee before catching the bus, but the restaurant is closed.

The remote village of Indemini right at the Italian border, clings to the steep hillside.

This is a gas station in a small village! Probably for the bus. (It runs only three times per day)

The new Gotthard Base Tunnel shortens our trips South by 30-40 minutes!

The weather in Northern Switzerland since a couple of weeks already....

Walking in the Entlebuch UNESCO Biosphere

November 30, 2016 -- Still time for some late fall / early winter hikes, we just have to find the low places that are not sitting in the fog.

The Entlebuch UNESCO Biosphere is a 400 sq.km area of "unspoilt moorlands and idyllic Alpine pastures" West of Lucerne. It is Switzerland's only biosphere reserve and there are strict regulations as to what changes (construction, population, etc.) are allowed to be made to this area to conserve the landscape and environment.

We lucked out with lovely warm sunshine especially after climbing up the hill and walking across the ridge. Even in some of the shady areas where the morning frost no longer thaws, it wasn't too cold. 

And since this is close to the Kambly cookie factory, we celebrated another 12-km hike by visiting the cookie store to sample their Christmas offerings, and purchase some too, of course!

We started our hike in the valley at Schüpfheim and walked up to the low ridge, only 300 altitude meters, which I can do fairly easily now.

This is a typical house of the Entlebuch region.

And this is the best kind of Swiss dog, although a bit big for my taste.

The cows are off the pastures now and in the barns, but they have access to the outside and also enjoy a bit of sunshine.

Early winter sun still warms the pastures a bit.

The entire area consists of low hills dotted here and there with farmsteads and chapels. Very few villages and no real cities.

The low rolling hills and pastures are dotted with farmsteads and pastures.

After reaching the ridge, we decided this was a perfect place for our picnic lunch.

After reaching the ridge, we decided this was a perfect place for our picnic lunch.

As long as we were on the South side of the ridge, we had sun. But we still walked quite a bit through forested areas.

Enjoying some early winter sunshine in the Entlebuch.

Lovely views into the Entlebuch Valley.

This is the view North from the ridge (Fontannen Valley).

This is the view Northward from our ridge. Some of the pastures get no sun anymore at this time of year.

We passed a farmstead where all the cows were indoors, but when they heard us talking, all these cute babies poured out to greet us.

Heading down to our goal, the town of Entlebuch where we will catch the train to the Kambly cookie factory.

In Trubschachen is the Kambly Cookie Factory. They have a store at the far end, where you can sample as many cookies as you like. The first time I did this, I got sick. Now I know to limit the intake!

Our 12-km, 3 1/4-hour hike from Schüpfheim to Entlebuch across the ridge.

On our Local Mountain, Mount Zug

November 23, 2016 -- In the Alps there is a weather phenomenon called a Fön Wind, which blows warm air from the South over the Alps, which is the case right now, and all the lovely snow the mountains got at the beginning of November is pretty well gone or just not so nice any more.

This Fön Wind can blow up to 120 km per hour and we were not at all expecting it up on our local small mountain, Mount Zug, as we took the Funicular up the hill with the plan of hiking across the range for four hours to Arth-Goldau on the South end of Lake Zug. (This is something I have been wanting to do for a long time now, having lived here over three years and usually traveling much further away for our hikes.)

We stuck it out for an hour, but the strong South wind (maybe about 70 km/hour) hitting us from the front made walking tedious, so we changed plans and headed Northeast to Lake Aegeri on the East side of Mount Zug. At least the wind was behind us. And even though I will have to reschedule my goal to hike across Mount Zug, we got in another good 10km of afternoon exercise! 

Heading up Mount Zug with the Funicular

View of the North end of Lake Zug from Mount Zug

Walking against the South wind was tedious, and I wasn't ready to do another 3 hours of this.

After walking for a little over an hour, we escaped into the little Buschenchappeli (Chapel) to have a bite to eat (no photo, all I had on my mind was escaping the wind) then headed NE down the other side of the mountain with the wind at our backs.

Landscape on Mount Zug, our local hills, looking North. 

Approaching Lake Aegeri

This little chapel in the middle of a farmstead is called the Antonius Chapel, built in 1671. This is along the pilgrim trail from Walchwil to Einsiedeln. 

In Aegeri we are going to catch the bus back home.

Church in Unteraegeri (Lower Aegeri)

Our plan and change of plan, because of strong South Winds