Hiking in Switzerland – Gabrielle and Urs

January 21, 2018

Olive Groves and Palm Trees on Lake Lugano

January 21, 2018 -- To escape the waterlogged North we headed South once again, but to our surprise it had snowed at least 10 cm all throughout our "Mediterranean"! Our excursion that started in the town of Brè was almost ruined for me by the bitter cold strong wind blowing and what looked like perhaps too much snow on the trail for our planned descent down to lake level, to Gandria, a village of tightly-packed mediterranean-style houses with narrow alley-ways terraced onto the steep hillside on Lake Lugano.

But the snow melted quickly with the sun, and as we descended the trail turned muddy, then dry, though by lake level the wind was so strong I was worried about our planned walk along the lake back to Lugano.

Worries were unfounded, though, as we discovered a most wonderful trail called "The Olive Trail", a tree-lined and thus wind-protected, cobblestone-paved trail which wound its way along the coast past SO many olive groves (I did not know we had this many olive trees in Switzerland!) and past huge cactuses, and villas landscaped with lush palm trees.... it reminded me so much of the popular Cinque Terre trail and if it hadn't been for the mountains across the water, we could have been on the Mediterranean. In all, a hike I ended up quite enjoying....

South of the Alps, lots of snow on the mountain tops and down to the valley bottoms, not so common here (This is Monte Tamaro)

Some shots of Lugano buildings while waiting for the bus to Brè

A little disappointed at the snow and bitter cold wind in Brè, the start of our excursion.

This is the hillside we want to descend, but here the snow looks daunting. The actual trail was passable though, getting drier as we descended. This is Monte Brè.

As we descended, the trail got slightly drier, and the snow disappeared.

Arriving in Gandria on Lake Lugano

One of many narrow alleys in the tiny town of Gandria, built on a steep hillside

Down at the lakeside, this view is to the East to Italy. This is very near the italian border.

It was VERY windy, I would not have wanted to be on a boat on the lake this day.

Looking westward to Monte San Salvatore near Lugano

First new flowers!

The first part of the Olive Trail loops around the town of Gandria. It was impressive. All along the trail were information boards describing the history and uses of olives and olive oil.

Gandria from above

The Olive Trail passes right through this private property. Passage is allowed, but you must not stop to lounge!

Starting along the rest of the Olive Trail westward to Lugano

Reminded me so much of the Cinque Terre Trail on Italy's Ligurian Coast

Lots of cacti, palm trees and olive trees

A particularly pretty spot was this massive cliff of striated rock, and the road built into it above.

A particularly pretty spot was this massive cliff of striated rock along which the trail is built

Ristorante Elvezia al Lago.... unfortunately closed for the season.

This cactus was HUGE, about 3 meters high

From along the trail, a look back at Gandria and the trail along the cliff face. The mountains in the back are in Italy.

Before descending for the bus, a look South along Lake Lugano from Parco San Michele

Across the roofs of Lugano

From Brè to Lugano along the Olive Trail, approx. 10 km.

In July 2015 we did a boat ride on Lake Lugano, this is what the hillside looks like from the lake.

In July 2015 we did a boat ride on Lake Lugano, this is what Gandria looks like from the lake, in summer

And this is what it looked like North of the Alps this day

January 13, 2018

Winter Hike in Sparenmoos near Zweisimmen

January 13, 2018 -- On average we spend about 6 hours of travel time total to and from our destinations for our day trips, but this one was an exception we won't be repeating often! We don't travel a lot to the Zweisimmen/Lenk region in Canton Bern for day trips because it simply takes us too long on the road, but on this Saturday this was the area where all conditions for us were most favourable: Sunshine, mountains, views, prepared winter trail, perfect snow, non-proximity to "Alpine-Ski-Areas-with-their-crowds-and-noises-on-this-particularly-beautiful-day".

Even though the extra bus ride up to the snow-covered plateau called Sparenmoos cost a fortune, and even though we spent altogether 9 hours on the road (what with train problems and missed connections) for just three hours in the sunshine, we still really enjoyed this barely 7-km round trail in an area mostly preferred by cross-country skiers. It was peaceful and warm... and I had a good book to read on the train....

Train station in Zweisimmen. There is a bus that takes us from here up to the snowy plateau called Sparenmoos.

The landscape here is wide open, lots of sunshine. The snow was perfect, not soft or wet.

One valley over lies the city of Lenk, just below Mount Wildstrubel. (The mountain right in the middle at the back)

Next to Mount Wildstrubel is the "Glacier de la Plaine Morte" ("Dead Plain Glacier" in French), a 10 km2 high plateau glacier (at altitude 2750m or 9000 ft.) on the border of Cantons Berne and Valais. In some places, the ice is 200m thick.

Mt. Gummfluh on the border of Canton Berne and Canton Vaud

We crossed a patch of forest where the North side of the trees had not yet been warmed by the sun, which looked magnificent...

This is what you want winter to look like.

Heading back down by bus to Zweisimmen

By public transit it took us 3 hours 40 minutes to get to the upper plateau Sparenmoos near Zweisimmen.

January 10, 2018

Bird-Watching and a Unesco Heritage Site at Lake Greifensee near Zurich

January 10, 2018 -- Often we travel many hours to find sunshine up in our beloved mountains, but sometimes we just don't feel like going that far, so we have to take what we get close by: Sometimes that means walking in the flat-lands or in the fog.

But fog has its own charm, especially when the sun is trying hard to get through. Just one hour travel from our home is a lake near Zurich called lake Greifensee, which is about 20 km total to walk around, and almost the entire circumference is reeded shoreline and nature conservation area. So we made this a bird observation day (although at this time of year it's just standard swans, coots, gulls, ducks, herons, and STORKS), and I rather enjoyed it, except toward mid-afternoon when the fog lifted, but the clouds moved in.... then it got cold!

We were surprised at the end of our hike to see that we had done 14 kilometers in just over 3 hours.... I guess you can walk way faster when there are no ascents and there's a cold wind blowing! We covered the southern half of the lake and will go back in Spring for the northern half.

One point of interest especially: According to a billboard on one of the wooden piers into the reeds, this area was one of several sites in Switzerland where ancient lake-dwellers had established communities about 5000 years ago. Under lakes such as these, archeologists have found remains of stilt-houses, and these sites were declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2011. It's always a thrill to come across these sites.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prehistoric_pile_dwellings_around_the_Alps

Our walk started in the village of Greifensee, same name as the lake. This town had the quaintest little old core with an unusual church and small castle.

The town of Greifensee on Lake Greifensee has the cutest little old core by the lake.

Castle in Greifensee. Mostly used for seminars and exhibitions

Fog at the lakeshore

The sun trying to get through the fog creates a lovely lighting.

In this area, early settlers built stilt houses about 5000 years ago.

Stilt houses were probably not built right in the lake as sometimes assumed, but rather near the water, on stilts for the times when the lake water was high.