Our hiking in Switzerland
In Sept.2016, we Joined Peter Look's Swiss hiking group ( with appreciation) from 30/8 to 22/9, hiking and touring around Montreux, Interlaken, and Grindelwald. While we only see the Canton of Vaud, Valais and Bern in the mid portion; the main group took 8 weeks to cover also Geneva,
Chamonix to view Mont Blanc in the south/west, also Matterhorn and Zermatt further south to feel the Glacier.
We all enjoyed and appreciated the deep valleys, gorges, glaciers and mountains.
Notes of my hiking tour are enclosed below.
Regards
Bill
The Swiss turned a vision into reality by starting the Construction of the Jungfrau railway at 1896,
built into the Eiger and Mönch mountains; and not completed until 1912. We visited the Jungfrau Railway - A Pioneering Work - YouTube
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=K7JFlTkZbfA.
The Jungfrau railway station is at 3,454 m, the highest in Europe and and is close to the summits of the Eiger, Jungfrau and . A complex of tunnels connects the railway station to the Top of Europe building, also to the summit of the Sphinx and viewing platforms, with views over the Aletsch Glacier.
Switzerland is a mountainous Central European country, home to numerous lakes, villages and the high peaks of the Alps. Its cities contain medieval quarters, with numerous landmarks , also known for its ski resorts and hiking trails。While the mountain peakswere once difficult to access, the Swiss makes it accessible by trains, cable cars and helicopters with splendid technology and detailing.
Switzerland is home to the majority of the 4000m peaks in the European Alps. It is surrounded by mountains, with 24 mountains are above 4000 m, 64 above 3500 m, 208 above 3000 m. The highest of all being Mont Blanc (4807M) that lies on the French-Italian border.
Switzerland is known for many things: reliability, high quality service, hospitality, punctuality and precision. That preciseness extends to how the Swiss define their highest mountain. For a mountain to be known as Switzerland’s highest mountain the criterion used is that the mountain must be entirely within Switzerland’s borders. Monte Rosa straddles the Swiss/Italian border and therefore is disqualified! Switzerland’s highest mountain is therefore the Dom (4,545 m ) summit, it is the third highest mountain in the Alps and the second highest in Switzerland and it is entirely Swiss.
Switzerland was founded in 1291, and a population of about 8 million, with 26 cantons. Mountains are part of the identity of Switzerland. The Alps and their foothills cover 2/3 of the country, with the main range- and its 48 peaks forming Europe's watershed. The mountains have become a focus for visitors, who are drawn by the peace, fresh air, clean water, breathtaking landscapes, and the natural affinity for climbing and skiing.
Montreux, a municipality in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland, the French- speaking portion of Switzerland, a population of nearly 90,000 in the agglomeration as of 2014. It was in the Roman road from Italy over the Simplon Pass. Under Bernese rule (1536–1798), it belonged to the bailiwick of Chillon. The Reformation made the region around Montreux and Vevey an attractive haven for Huguenots from Italy, who brought their artisanal skills and set up workshops and businesses. In 1798, Napoleon liberated the region from the Bernese.
Starting in the 19th Century there were three independent municipalities, each municipality had its own taxes and a mayor. During the Thirty Years' War, Switzerland was a relative "oasis of peace and prosperity" in war-torn Europe. Switzerland's emergence as one of the most prosperous nations in Europe—the "Swiss miracle". Switzerland maintained multicultural heritage, strong sense of national identity, and long tradition of direct democracy and civil liberties. In 1930s, The Swiss press vigorously criticized the Third Reich, often infuriating German leaders. Switzerland was an important base for espionage by both sides in the conflict and often mediated communications between the Axis and Allied powers.
Switzerland's most important exports during the war were precision machine tools, watches, jewel bearings (used in bombsights), electricity, and dairy products. During World War Two, the Swiss franc was the only remaining major freely convertible currency in the world, and both the Allies and the Germans sold large amounts of gold to the Swiss National Bank. Between 1940 and 1945, the German Reichsbank sold 1.3 billion francs worth of gold to Swiss Banks in exchange for Swiss francs and other foreign currency.
During World War II, Germany considered invading, but never attacked. Switzerland remained independent and neutral through a combination of military deterrence, economic concessions to Germany, and good fortune as larger events during the war delayed an invasion. In 1963, Switzerland joined the Council of Europe. Switzerland's role in many United Nations and international organizations helped to mitigate the country's concern for neutrality. In 2002, Switzerland voters gave 55% of their vote in favour of the UN and joined the United Nations. This followed decades of debate and its previous rejection of membership in 1986 by a 3-1 popular vote.
Refugee issues in Switzerland is not that serious than other EU countries as it has the high mountains surrounding the boundaries which minimises the influx of refugees.
Notes on Our Trip 2016
31 Aug - In Montreux, we take train to Rochers de Naye at 2042 m, site seeing then afternoon walk to Gouge du Chauderon.
1 Sep we take train to Gstaad, in Vaud; then bus to Col du Pillon, thenchairlift to Peak Walk by Tissot - Glacier 3000.
2 Sep 8:30 take bus 201 to Chateau Chillon. Castle to 11 am. Then to Veytauxstation to St Saphorin. After lunch, vineyard walk. Afternoon visited Chaplin Musee at Vevey.
3 Sep, take Golden Pass; from Montreux to Kandersteg ;Stayed at Hotel Blumlisalp ;
4 Sep - hiking at Leukerbad; , take cable car at Sunnbüel (1,934 m), walk Gemmi Pass at 2270 m for 10 km; stunning views.
5 Sep. Rainy, change plan; take train to Bern, see Clocktower, city tour, Einstein place; then train to Thun to see the city.
6 Sep. take train from Kandersteg to Spiez, then Grindelwald;
2 holiday apartments Monica + 4 ladies; we go by Bus 123; 11 rooms; Then We stayed in Grindelwald (6/Sep - 13/Sep),
7/9 - 9:47 train to Kleine Scheidegg （2061），then Visit Jungfraujoch (3454m) by train from Grindelwald (1034m).
The Jungfrau Railway - A Pioneering Work - YouTube
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=K7JFlTkZbfA
8/9 ---9.00 am train station. Take 9.17 train to Kleine Scheidegg station (2061) - Eigergletscher station (2320) to see Eigergletscher Glacier. then continue walk down to Alpiglen station (1616m). Walk from Kleine Scheidegg, then walk down to Alpiglen station.
9 Sep. take cable car to Grindelwald First(2168); Walk Cliff Walk; then to lake Bachalpsee (2265), Lunch time; - see Oberammergau Gletscher by bus to Hotel Wetterhorn, then walk to Cable car at Pfingstegg.
10/9 Rainy; 8.47 am to Grund, then cable car to Mannlichen (2230), to peak Tschuggen (2520) 4.4 km, then walk to Kleine Scheidegg （2061), then take train , afternoon visit Gletscher Schlucht Glacier Cannon - the gorge cave is located at where the glacier used to be, even continued another 500 metres 150 years ago. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LPQVKs-d2lI
11/9 8.45 am take bus no. 61 and cable car to Bussalp (1792) then walk 15.5 km; to Grosse Scheidegg;
12/9 Interlaken Lake tour;
13/9 9.49 am at Rail Station, To Wengen 4 days.Holiday apartment,
14/9 8.45 am at Wengen Rail station for 9.03 am to Lauterbrunnen, then take bus To Schilthornbahn, then take ecable car to Burren, Then Schilthorn Back at 12, the Schilthorn is a 2,970 metre high summit of the Bernese Alps in Switzerland, it overlooks the valley of Lauterbrunnen in the Bernese Oberland, and is the highest mountain in the range lying north of the Sefinenfurgge Pass. Stunning touring infrastructures attracting tourists all year round, despite its emphasis of the 1969 James Bond movie.
15/9 8.45 am at Wengen Rail station; for 9.03 am to Lauterbrunnen, then take bus To then Grutschalp station; Schilthornbahn, planned to take cable car to Murren, 6.30 pm buffet dinner together at Gary's Hotel. ( Sue missed the group; I walked to Mirren station; then Winteregg , then to Lauterbrunnen, then to Wengen, nice walk. )
八月十五是中秋，歐洲山川眾同游，電訉手信傳天下，足下心思份外明。
16/9 see Cattle show. Then 1 pm. Take train to Mannlichen , then route 34, dinner 7 pm
17/9. 10 am at station. Interlaken City Hotel at 11.56 am. Afternoon cable car to Harder Klum. Bus 324 & 325
18/9 Interlaken - City Hotel Bus 105 to Wilderswil , then train 50 min. to Schynige Platte(1967); walk along the Alpine Garden which is a botanical garden located at an altitude of about 2,000 metres, near the summit of the Schynige Platte mountain in the Bernese Oberland region of Switzerland; enjoy the Alpine horn used by mountain dwellers in Switzerland ;
19 Sep checkouut before 9 :45. Take train to Brienz (566) at 10:54. to hotel then Take train to Rothorn ( 2266), at 14.58 hr. , then cable car to Rothorn Kulm, rainy and misty; cancel hiking; Back at 5.40 pm
20 Sep (Tue) 9.15 am take bus to Ballengberg , Take bus 151 to museum - Swiss Open Air museum. 12.10 pm take bus; afternoon 1.25pmat Station to Gough, Aare Schlucht in Meiringen , see River Aare and waterfall;
21/9 9.am take train then cable car to Rothorn Kulm, Sightseeing from Brienz (city tour); see Jobin Living Museum (woodcarve)
22 Sep. leaving to Madrid, Spain.
Best Regards
Bill
