Today has been a day of rest and recuperation. We have lazed about shamelessly and have enjoyed the experience We have strolled about Basel a bit and now have a reasonable idea of its layout. A city with a stonking great river running through the place helps quite bit with geography.
Tomorrow we must collect together the bits and pieces we shall need for the rest of July, maps, timetables, accommodation lists and a sharpening stone for my knife. My trusty blade has coped with all sorts of stuff over the last three months and now it needs sharpening. From our bedroom window I can see a knife shop, so an early visit is in order I think to return my Swiss army knife to Switzerland.
It is an oddity that each country in Europe appears to have developed its own type of electrical socket. I have never expected the mighty British three pin plug, capable of carrying the power of an industrial arc welder, to fit its more refined continental cousins but the plugs we have for Italy seem able to coexist quite comfortably together with the sockets of France. It is here in Switzerland that things seem to have gone awry. The sockets look as though they could accommodate a French or Italian plug, but they won’t, no chance! So tomorrow we must find something to remedy this unfortunate state of affairs.
We are frantically relearning our German and some of it is beginning to surface again, let’s hope that it comes back quickly.
I won’t include a description, and pictures, of our wanderings about Basel in the guise of tourists today, only the stuff from the perspective of the long distance stroller. Stuff about Basel can be found all over the internet http://www.basel.com/en is a good place to start though.
As the French days and weeks went by we felt increasingly at home in France. Now we are starting the process of learning to be Swiss.We have bought chocolate, cheese and Janet has looked at some watches. Swiss German is a puzzle to those of us who have attempted to learn hochdeutsch, but we will make sense of it I’m sure, just as we are about to leave probably.
This morning we set out to find a shop where I could replace my worn out trainers. I had tried to get a new pair in France but my feet were too big for French shops,. I mean that French shops could not supply shoes in size 12 not that the doors were too narrow to allow entry. I hoped that Swiss feet might be larger than those found on the end of French legs, making the chance of getting a pair in my size in Switzerland more likely. The first shop was a dud but I had success in the second. The old pair, purchased in Charlie’s Stores Welshpool, are now languishing in a Basel skip.
With me proudly sporting my brand new pair of walking shoes we tried to get hold of some maps. A large book shop invited us in but was found to be wanting. Feeling a little down at this early failure we went to the tourist office just in case the officials there could help. As usual we were not really paying attention and wandered around the old town for a bit before we found the famous “i” sign. Although the tourist officer was keen to be helpful and was able to chat to us in English, we left empty handed and none the wiser. Our tourist officer did advise us to visit Thalia where he thought that maps might be found. If you need anything British when you are in Basel then Thalia is the place for you, digestive biscuits, books and all that sort of stuff. In addition to all that nonsense Thalia has an incredibly knowledgeable map person. We think that we have bought a good strolling map. The map has trails marked in red and roads in lighter colours, it looks a bit like the long distance walking map we had for the UK, but at 1:60000.
My trusty Swiss Army knife struggled to cut yesterday’s salami even though the salami had softened in the hot sun. From our hotel window there is the Messer Centre. I went in to the Messer Centre and became really aware of the difference between the UK and Switzerland. There were knives everywhere. There were folding knives of all types but also massive great cleavers of all sorts hanging everywhere. My tepid request for a knife sharpener seemed timid in such a forbidding environment particularly as there were some heavy looking individuals idling outside.
Having had a good look at our new maps we have nearly worked out how we shall stroll to Luzern. It looks as though we might be able to get to Luzern in 4 days, via the footpaths, as the terrain appears to be quite friendly. We can’t see anything above 560 metres in the way so, with a bit of luck, there won’t be too much up diddly up up and down diddly um down.
Another day off tomorrow and then we will be off to Luzerne.
Today is the last lazy day before we head out towards Luzern. I may have already mentioned the difficulties finding British/French to Swiss electrical plugs and today proved to be as fruitless as yesterday. We were advised to visit a particular sell everything shop as this would be where they could be found. As we strolled towards this emporium we stumbled upon the amazing Tinguely Fountain which is in constant motion and would gladden the heart of any Heath Robinson enthusiast. I have added a rather crude video to see if I can get videos to work. Unfortunately, the cement lorry blowing concrete into some new foundations rather spoiled the air of calm contemplation aroused by the fountain. If you watch the video it might be a good idea to turn the sound down.
I could have watched this thing for hours really but business called. We got to the shop and went the electrical department. Our German was up to asking for an adaptor but the device shown was a huge great thing that must have weighed half a kilo and cost an arm and a leg. With this device one could connect anything to anything, with variable voltage switches. All I wanted was a simple device, light and simple. I asked for a plug so that I could adapt our stuff to fit into Swiss tidiness, no luck. I shall have to look for a builders’ merchant tomorrow as we stroll.
The ferry, in which we crossed the Rhine, is a fascinatingly simple device. The ferry is tethered to a line, crossing from side to side over the river, by means of a sliding rope. The force of the river pressing against the rudder causing the ferry to cross using no power.
The market place was filled with flowers today.
After lunch we had the final planning meeting. We have put yellow marker spots on the map where we need to change paths, so that should do it. We shall see if this scale and type of map is any good tomorrow.
Today we bought our Swiss Half Price Passes which will entitle us to half price fares on all Swiss trains, funicular railways, cable cars and the Glacier Express. A couple of years ago we saw a programme on TV about a bloke who had strolled more or less where we are going and he went for a trip on the Glacier Express from Zermatt to St Moritz. Having looked up the prices for this thing our Half Price Passes should pay for themselves with one trip.
The sky looked rather threatening as we set out this morning. In fact the sky dropped a dollop or two of water onto our unprotected heads as we strolled past some impressive banking premises. We pretended that nothing was happening and chuckled at this feeble attempt at putting us off our intention of going for a stroll. After a minute or two it looked as though rainwear was once more the order of the day so we struggled into our coats and pressed on towards the Rhine and our path.
We wondered how we would manage with our new map, hoping that it would have enough detail for our needs. We have become accustomed to a 1:25000 scale and now we were to be using a 1:60000 so this was another potential source of banana skins. In theory the start of the stroll should have been easy as it followed the Rhine for a few miles. The Rhine is not easy to miss so we thought we would get the hang of things before needing to be clever.
Initially our stroll took us along a long boulevard and under some trees. It was under the trees that the rain really decided to show us what it could do if it tried. We saw a bloke just in swimming trunks walking along and disappearing into a house. I don’t know if he had been for a swim or was making a statement against the weather. The river side became more and more industrial as we left the pretty bits of Basel behind.
The footpaths, wanderwegs, are really well marked and we had no difficulty following them. We both agreed that today was the best way marking we have seen since we had strolled down Offa’s Dyke to Knighton. The only blemish on this otherwise perfect score was around the industrial area. We found ourselves way off beam and without satnav would have been in a pickle. The change of direction was marked and pointed over a narrow railway bridge, but in a place which was not clearly visible from the path at that point. If we hadn’t made the mistake then we would have missed seeing the huge and fabulous metal sculpture outside a welding factory, so we weren’t really fed up.
Once back on the right track we made really good progress. The path then took us on a bridge past a great monster of a mechanical shovel
The Rhine continues on with a few hills to prepare us for what is to come.
More hills, this time we are a bit higher.
We have been strolling on the flat for a long time now and it took us a few miles to get used to going up and down.
More up tiddly up up.
As we approached Altmark the map showed us, very clearly, that we needed to stay on a particular side of the railway line but the waymarks told us to go over the railway line. Instead of following the waymarkings, reading the map or looking at the satnav we steadfastly stayed on the ‘correct’ side of the railway line. After about fifteen minutes of this I smelled a distinct odour of fish. My satnav suggested that we were in a field and leaving the railway line at right angles and at a great speed. We were in a new housing estate which explained the empty field bit but not the right angles to the railway line bit.
We have noticed that trams are a popular means of mass transport here in Switzerland. We hadn’t realised that trams go out of town and into the countryside. We had been following a perishing tram line not the railway line. About turn and a smartish retreat to our original position was the only option. We resolved to follow the signs from now on, no matter how outlandish they appear to be, well at least until the next time anyway.
Finally, Sissach was in our sights. No more up for today. We had measured the day’s stroll to about 15 miles. In the end I think that it was about 19 miles but it really was fabulous to be in the hills again. It looks as though the stroll to Luzern won’t be too high and it will prepare us for the Luzern to Lugano section, which will be high.
On the way into Sissach we spotted a bird on a fence post. It looked like some sort of predatory bird although it seemed fairly relaxed on its perch.
It looks as though the 1:60000 maps will be fine, as long as the waymarking stays as good as today has been. The only problem really is that we can’t estimate distance travelled along the map very easily yet. If it weren’t for the satnav we would have made a few blunders just because of the map scale. We’ll test the map again tomorrow on another stroll in Switzerland
Before we set out this morning I wondered if we would rise above the 3,000 ft marker. There was a place on the map which, had we gone that way, would have done the trick.
Perfect strolling weather today, a little sun, a light breeze and a few clouds overhead.
We passed a garden in which some lucky person had established an ‘o’ gauge train set. I’ve always fancied an open air train set but have never had the gall to spend that sort of money on one.
Leaving Sissach we found ourselves climbing steeply up to the top of the first of several hills. Our days of soft canal strolls are now firmly in the distant past as we look towards Luzern and beyond. At one point today we stood on a view point with a panorama diagram in front of us which told us where Jungfrau and Eiger were to be seen. I am glad that Switzerland has been gentle with us thus far and is preparing us for what is to come sensibly.
I decided to wear a T Shirt and sleeveless vest today as it looked as though it might be hot. As we climbed up the first hill I removed my T shirt and tied it to my rucksack to air. As a result of removing the T shirt and wearing only a sleeveless vest I felt cool and carefree for quite a long time. After a while Janet told me that I was turning very pink at the top of my arms. I looked for the T shirt in order to put it back on but it had gone. The sun became hotter and hotter and we were walking in a south easterly direction so one shoulder was always exposed to the sun. If each shoulder could have had a go in the shade things might have been OK but In the end I had no option but to put on my pullover as a protector. It is no joke wearing a wool pullover in the sun.
People strolling in Switzerland are treated to quite a few delightful picnic areas with barbecues, tables and chairs.
The pattern of today seems to have been a fairly stiff ascent followed by a stroll through a fabulous alpine meadow or finding a stunning view of a valley with hills beyond. Then, as we descend from our newly found alpine meadow or view of distant hills we have the pleasure of anticipation knowing that in a shortish time we will be repeating the experience once again.
I am still surprised that farms are in the middle of villages both here and in France. We saw a large dairy farm today right in the village centre, advertising milk sales 24 hrs everyday from a cooler at the road side.
As we toil up steep hills, over grassy meadows and through woods it is always a surprise when we arrive at a picnic place and hear the happy sounds of children playing or adults drinking and eating their lunches having driven there in a car.
Arriving in Olten we have moved a few miles nearer to the bigger hills we can enjoy later on. We didn’t get to 3,000 ft today, but we weren’t far away.
Before settling down to write this stuff I poured myself a cold beer as a refreshment after 12 or so hours in the hot sun. I managed to pour some of the stuff into my trainers so that will increase the interest flies have for me tomorrow.
After a day of inaction yesterday it felt great to be on the stroll once again. The weather forecast suggested that there could be rain in the afternoon but the morning was glorious.
We have seen delightful covered wooden footbridges over the rivers here. The ‘no smoking’ signs give one a lot of confidence when using these old structures.
The first task this morning was to find the start of the footpath. In general the markings are very good. They are also clear and frequent. This morning though we struggled to find the path we needed and wandered about quite a lot before we found it. Our breakfast was beginning to lose its effect and we were still roaming around peering at our map and hoping for the best when we saw an Italian wine shop. A bit early for a snorter you might think but we actually wanted an ice cream each. When we went in we were greeted in Italian, it was like being at home. We left the shop clutching our ice creams and feeling much more relaxed.
After a few false starts we knew that we were on the right track as it went straight up the side of a hill and into a forest.
People we see on the paths are very friendly, but always in Swiss German of which we know only two words. On the first path of the day an elderly gentleman was feeding a deer bearing a huge set of antlers and this gentleman had a chat, but in Swiss German. He then zoomed off up the path into the distance. He didn’t look particularly fit but had a good turn of speed uphill.
I think that one could navigate on the paths without a map or compass if very vigilant. The errors of navigation we have made are usually caused by lack of attention or being diverted by chat. The signs are detailed and give distances in time so there is no excuse for errors, particularly as there are yellow diamond shaped markers painted on trees and rocks at regular intervals.
Metal sculture seems to be quite popular here.
As we strolled through the woods today we passed some incredibly tall trees all of which appeared to be devoid of lower branches, they looked quite imposing in an odd sort of way.
Much of today’s stroll has been within the shelter of woods. We have not had the sudden emergence into alpine meadows or had stunning panoramas opening out before us today but the shade was wonderful.
We drank gallons of water today and were very grateful for the regular appearance of delicious cold mountain water.
As Sursee , Lake Lucerne and some rather tall mountains appeared we decided to get stuck into our penultimate item of food, a delicious, soggy chocolate coloured cake somewhat like a fairly cake in appearance yet larger. Today’s stroll did not get us to 3,000 ft or anywhere near but it got us nearer to Lucerne and nearer to Italy. The weather had stayed fine and sunny all day so all was very well with the world
In order to get a good start this morning we set our alarm clocks to trill at 6:30 am (5:30 am GB). Neither of us heard the alarms go off because a gully emptying lorry was hard at work emptying gullies outside our bedroom window. The window was left wide open in order to let in a tepid stream of air to lull us to a swift and dreamless sleep and so we were treated to the full majesty of this fine machine. So although we didn’t hear the alarms, we did get up at the right time.
Making our way out of Sursee the sun was already beginning to feel hot. We fell into our new Swiss routine of looking for the yellow wanderweg markers and set off towards Luzern.
The first section of the stroll took us past industrial sites and ran adjacent to the railway line. We were very surprised to see sheep grazing on the steep railway embankment in the industrial landscape. No grazing opportunities appear to be missed here. In the hills the smallest patches are cultivated and hay is made on incredibly steep paddocks.
We knew that if the sun shone today we would be baked as the map revealed very few shady trees. The sun did shine brightly and the map was quite correct in its prediction of open country.
Sursee lies at one end of Sempachersee which looks delightful with families having grassy lakeside areas with little huts in which to enjoy the water.
I must find out why some of the traditional houses are built with small bottoms and large tops. They look as though they might topple over at any moment.
The sun continued to get hotter and we began to flake a little. The path was mostly flat but it seemed like very hard work as the day wore on. Finding a seat under a tree seemed almost miraculous. We sat on this wonderful shady seat, removed our shoes and thought that we had found our hearts desire.
As Luzern was rawing nearer and nearer we couldn’t really believe our luck. A wonderful, shady dell appeared and the path went into it, not around it.
We were able to walk into Luzern along the River Reuss and the town looked fabulous. We knew that within the hour we should be in the cool with a drink in hand. Rather than describe the touristy stuff I have included a link to the Luzern tourist board http://www.luzern.com/en/
I asked Janet if she wanted to go to the tourist office to see about getting some maps. I knew that she must be exhausted as she wasn’t interested at all. Once in the hotel we just flaked out and slept for over an hour.After this restorative nap Janet was able to go map shopping once again.
We finished the day with a fabulous supper with Jean and Nick and ate a delicious Swiss dish which has a long name which I have forgotten. Apart from great conversation we learned a lot about what it like is to live in Switzerland and got a lot of info’ about walking routes. Thanks again for a lovely evening,
We are still not sure of tomorrow’s stroll but it will probably take us along the south side of the lake. How far we get is anyone’s guess.
Despite a lateish night last night we set the alarms for 6:30 am again this morning. Our slumbers were undisturbed and we arose refreshed. The lake at Luzern needed to be overcome in some way, north or south. The route to the north is quite long and involved. The route to the south is shorter and more interesting. So this morning we set off in a southerly direction towards Buochs in the sun. We ate no breakfast but bought some croissants on our way. Luzern was looking magnificent and the many cyclists and pedestrians give a really vibrant feeling. Pedestrians and cyclists are obviously very welcome in Luzern.
Getting out of Luzern was quite easy. The footpath signs began quite near to the town centre and were very frequent. The early start meant that , although the sun was warm, walking was very pleasant. The views of Luzern and its lake were slightly obscured by haze but not enough to spoil our enjoyment.
We did a big loop around Luzern in order to avoid the noise of rush hour but retuned to a suburb so that we could cross the valley and go up the other side. We went slightly astray here as the path was closed due to road works. By going astray we passed the start of the cable car which goes up to the top of Mount Pilatus. We thought about the need to get to Buochs and all that practical stuff for about a minute and went for the cable car ride.
The steps in the picture actually go to a church but this is where the path to the cable car goes until the works are completed. The initial ride is in two sections by means of little gondolas for four people. We shared our gondola with a local lady who was going for a stroll. Having just enough German for a chat passed the time very nicely as we looked at the toboggan runs and other stuff laid out for us to see below.
We arrived at, what we thought was the top and had a look around before deciding to return to continue strolling. At that moment a bloke turned and looked upwards and we could see two large cable cars going up and up and up, from below it looked like the cars were climbing a vertical face. This looked to good to miss and this last bit was a terrific ride as it passed over narrow a ridge with a huge drop and a view of a chapel perched on the side. At the top we found a stunning view an hotel, bars and some chaps playing alpen horns dressed in traditional costume. We also spotted the steepest rack and pinion railway in the world, paradise.
From above the cable car journey didn’t look quite so steep although an Australian bloke asked me if we had to make the return journey.
We were dressed in just tee shirts, shorts or skirt and it felt very warm. I tried to imagine how warm it would be at the top of a 7,000 ft mountain in the UK, even in July.
After a fabulous few hours, including a short climb up to one of the peaks, we had to return to earth in order to carry on strolling to Buochs.
The stroll was much as before, lovely scenery, plants and on one occasion we passed a couple practising duets on the alpen horn. The sound of the horns carried for miles, as it is supposed to do, and sounded wonderfully warm and mellow.
We knew that we would arrive in Buochs at a later time than we had planned but hoped that we would be able to get some accommodation organised. We didn’t need the accommodation for that night as we intended to return to Luzern.
We arrived at the bottom of a hill with steps leading upwards to a sharp bend, then to another bend, then to another, then to, then …………..
When we got to the top we agreed that it was the longest continuous up tiddly up up we had ever encountered. We were very glad that there was no one about at the top and that we were in a wood as we needed desperately to cool off.
As we approached Buochs the valley is quite narrow and holds a river, a footpath, a cycleway, an ordinary road and a motorway. On the motorway signs we could see our next targets. It is sometimes very hard to believe that we have walked every step of the way and that we are well over halfway now to the end.
The next, and last, boat back to Luzern was due at 8:25 pm so we ate a delicious supper at a lake side kiosk and sat and waited.
The journey back to Luzern was a magical experience as the sun gradually started to set over the hills, only to return again as we rounded a massive mountain and turned west.
So instead of strolling on day 114 we shall take the train to the start of the steepest rack and pinion railway in the world and go up Mount Pilatus again and climb a few more pinnacles.
The map looks a little odd today as I forgot to turn off the GPS in the cable car. The distances include the straight up and down cableway.
The day started quite badly from my point of view. I have never enjoyed buying clothes and get a headache when I have to be involved in this pursuit. This need for new clothing could have been avoided if the huge heavy boots I bought in Reims had not become a burden and needed to be sent on to a period of relaxation in Italy and, if I had not been reduced to one tee shirt due my own stupidity. The process of choosing the clothes was simplified for me quite a lot as there were only about 9 pairs of shoes in my size in the large department store in Luzern, all of which were displayed by the XXL notice. Janet drew my attention to some tee shirts, all reduced in price to 10 Swiss Francs. The only one of these which fitted me was orange so I bought it. Having to make all of these tricky decisions nearly floored me so I went to look at the bicycle display to calm me down.
After this very poor start to the day we set off to the railway station at Luzern to get the train to Alpnachstad to get a cog wheel railway ride.
The original cog wheel trains up Mount Pilatus were powered by steam which must have been exciting for the bloke chucking the coal on the fire as the engine was going up.
The track is built on a narrow wall which clings quite nicely to the side of the mountain giving terrific panoramic views of the rapidly shrinking lake and town as the train ascends.
Having arrived at the top of the mountain we wandered about a bit doing this and that in a touristlike manner, climbing up things and strolling down a tunnel.
The little paths to the various peaks at the top of the mountain were filled with little children running up and down apparently olivious to the massive drops below. It was quite refreshing to see parents giving their children a bit of space in which to have an adventure.
When we were wandering about in the tunnels we encountered an Australian family and passed the time of day etc. They are on a tour of Europe and had been in Sicily and had found it too hot. So, if they had found it too hot I think that it is a place to avoid for me, at least in summer.
After all the excitement of the train ride and the mountain we were happy to sit in the shade at the bottom of the train ride.
There was a trio playing traditional Swiss music on a species of three row melodion under the shade of an umbrella at the station. I had a chat to them but they didn’t give me a go, so I am still dealing with my accordion withdrawal problem.
The boat ride back to Buochs really meant the end of the Luzern bit, which has been even better than we expected.
Tomorrow we stroll onwards again, to Fluelen about 20 miles. We have two possible routes, one of these possibilities has an ascent of 500 mtrs in less than 1Km. We may choose the other route.
The weather forecast for today was not particularly promising, rain in the morning and thunder in the afternoon. We looked at the map and decided on a longish stroll which would take us to the end of the lake. The promised rain arrived but we couldn’t really decide about how long it would last so were in an out of our raincoats every twenty minutes or so. As we were strolling along, in the wind and rain, the weather and scenery reminded us very much of enjoyable strolls we have had in Scotland in summer, only warmer.
At this point in the stroll we were making really good time and feeling incredibly pleased with ourselves. We turned off the yellow diamond marked routes and onto red and white marked routes and started to climb. We climbed and climbed and climbed. This up and up really made a dent in our average speed and started to throw an enormous spanner into our particular works. At the back of our collective mind was the inevitable down down down followed by another up up up and so on. We were still going along quite nicely but in a more stately manner. The path needed some care in places but, with sticks, posed no real threat of falling off in a undignified manner.
The huge amount of water and long drops gave us our first sight of a waterfall worth talking about.
The path didn’t give us any real opportunity of making up lost times so we decided to head for Bauen instead of Fluelen our intended destination. The path into Bauen took us down a long flight of beautifully made stone steps. Today’s stroll has taken us through some fabulous scenery on paths which must have taken many hours of heavy labour to make and to maintain, so whoever did it, thanks very much.
At Bauen the sun came out and we ate our delicious packed lunch seated at the water’s edge. After a leisurely late lunch we sat on the terrace of a bar and ate an ice cream. The thunder ad heavy rain started in earnest as we, plus some Swiss people, huddled under a small pergola. The pergola had the same peculiarity as that which I have observed in other pergolas, it developed a massive bulge which eventually dripped masses of water onto the bloke sitting under it. The bloke did what everyone does to remedy the situation and poked the bulge with his hand. The bulge did what all these bulges always do and made sure that most of the water went over the bloke doing the poking.
We didn’t finish the walk at Fluelen but, so what? We had a really good stroll.
The weather forecast this morning was quite detailed but could be distilled down to the phrase ‘bucketing down all day’. Wet weather looks more interesting than does clear weather in a photograph but on balance fine weather is more enjoyable when out for a stroll.
Very reluctantly we got into the wet weather stuff and, with a merry song on our lips, set off. Just like yesterday, the sun came out after about twenty minutes and the scene was transformed. As we strolled yesterday we had to tread very carefully as hundreds of little frogs, about as big as a thumbnail, were hopping across the footpath. The little blighters were at it again today, causing us to hop about as well.
It looked as though we might as well just take off the wet weather stuff and then allow the sunny spells to dry us out.
The volume of water pouring down from above was a clue to the quantity of water which had fallen in the thunderstorm we had had overnight.
The path ran alongside the lake and alongside the road but inside a tunnel for about 1km, occasionally popping out for a breath of fresh air. In the sections where it emerged into the air some nets had been thoughtfully provided in order to protect any rocks which might fall from injuring themselves.
The rain started once again after we had emerged from the shelter of the tunnel but we followed the new policy of not putting on wet weather gear and carried blithely onwards. Up ahead of us on the path we could see a party of younger people with heavy rucksacks crawling along in the rain. By now we realised that the new policy was a dud but there was no shelter anywhere in which to take off the wet stuff and put on something dry, warm and waterproof.
Hastening onwards with no sign of a shelter we could see Altdorf in the distance. It was then that we spotted a mining museum at the side of the road which had an inviting canopy. Having scuttled under this canopy we threw caution to the winds and changed into dry tee shirts. The museum helpers seemed amused by all of this and they also seemed amused by our project.
Altdorf looked very nice, even in the rain. We were expecting to see Willhelm Tell shooting an apple off his son’s head but we had obviously missed it.
Tonight we are in a guest house above Altdorf in a village called Eggberge. No road up here just the cable car and some footpaths. At the moment there is a lot of low cloud outside so we are doing some paper work hoping that the clouds will lift and we can go for a romantic evening stroll later on.
We spent last night in a guest house at the top of a cable car route. The stunning panorama remained just a dream for us as the clouds closed in and concealed that which lay below.
Our breakfast this morning was plentiful and hearty and we ate plenty.
By the time we had stuffed our increasing belongings into our rucksacks and had an exploratory look around it was time to catch the cable car down and to continue our stroll. We were a bit flummoxed by the instructions inside the cable car and couldn’t see gow we could alert the bloke at the bottom that we were inside and ready to go. After the time of departure had passed by some minutes Janet got out of the car to look for someone who might know what was happening. I stuck my foot in the door of the gondola to avoid any possibility that I could be whisked to the bottom unaccompanied. Out of nowhere a klaxon sounded, Janet got back in, and we were treated to a fabulous view of the lake as we descended to the ground.
Making our way back to Altdorf, to start strolling once more, we spotted William Tell’s statue in the square. Tell’s son did not have an apple on his head but we filled in the gaps with our imagination.
In September and October there will be a William Tell extravaganza in Altdorf, perhaps we should return.
We wandered about Altdorf with the intention of finding the path towards St Gotthard. Sometimes we found it and sometimes we lost it.
Our first false start took us into a chemical factory. In our defence I must say that the sign pointed in that direction and a picture of people walking was painted on the road. Luckily for us the security woman popped out of her cubicle in order to remedy our error.
We did find the route again, although it had been modified by the construction of a new road and underpass.
Once out of Altdorf we could see the valley ahead of us through which we will eventually cross into Ticino via the St Gotthard Pass. The river Reuss has been our companion today, helping us with our navigation.
Part of the path went through the tunnel of the angels. People have left little models of cherubs and angels all over the place. They are stuck into crevices and onto ledges. I’m not too sure what this is about but it must mean something to someone.
Tomorrow we are hoping to get to Amdermatt. This will be a challenge but, if we make it, then we shall have a go at going over the St Gotthard pass the following day.
Tomorrow is National Day here in Switzerland. The Swiss have started to celebrate already by creating very loud bangs and playing some loud guitar music. Being a generous people the Swiss are sharing the bangs and music with us.
We were looking forward to today very much as it would take us nearer to our first Swiss mountain pass. Several times we have nearly taken the road over the pass in the car rather than take the tunnel, but have been prevented from doing so by a poorly car or by the weather. The weather today was perfect, warm and very clear enabling us to see for miles.
We had no difficulty in finding the start of the path this morning and got underway easily. The valley is wide here with the mountains visible but not too near.
It wasn’t long before the valley started to narrow. A motorway, a railway, an A type road, a big river, a cycle path and the footpath all move together up this valley.
It was beginning to look as though our bit of the valley was getting smaller and smaller until we suddenly emerged onto a wide asphalt track.
We were beginning to enjoy the spaciousness of this new surface and wondered how long it would last. We reckoned that today’s stroll would be about 14 miles long and that we should climb up to about 4,000 ft. It was about this part of the stroll that we realised that we had forgotten to add in a 6 mile section.
We found ourselves strolling quite closely to the motorway at one point, indeed so closely that the path went inside the motorway services fence.
For the most part the paths have been really well marked only once or twice have we found ourselves in any doubt as to which way we should go….
We are obviously much fitter than before as we didn’t really notice the steady climbs of today. It was quite a surprise to look back and see how far we had wandered.
It was odd to find a public convenience perched on the side of the path.
At last we had the place more or less to ourselves. We had said goodbye to the motorway and to the railway line.
I have hundreds of photos of today as the scenery has been amazing and the temptation is to overdo bunging in what looks like the same photo, so I won’t.
It is really useful that the footpath markers have times to destinations printed on them as one can then pace the day quite easily. The times shown on the markers are very generous and even when dawdling and taking photos and relaxing it is quite easy to arrive before the times given. This may not be true if the weather turns nasty of course but it was true for us today.
We turned a corner, went up a steepish bit and Andermatt suddenly appeared.
It would be quite possible to have filled many pages with the account of today’s stroll but i feel about ready to switch off the cat and out our the light.
I think that today could be the best so far, but then, we have Andermatt to Airolo via the St Gotthard Pass tomorrow.
Mike has troubles with his SatMap today, and so has delegated to me the task of writing the blog. A heavy responsibility rests upon my shoulders to live up to his standards and sense of humour.
After yesterday’s glorious day of climbing up that valley, could today live up to expectations? Another fine day, and we set off from Andermatt with every hope of achieving our aim of reaching the summit of the Gotthard Pass and descending to Airolo.
A quick look at Andermatt, the centre of which is very pretty, rather like a Swiss chocolate box, and off we set along the valley shown above. We followed the River Reuss in a fairly level way before we started climbing up up up. We did a lot of down as well as up in order to follow the path and keep out of the way of traffic, and then emerged below the main road into a high valley where the river gurgled, the flowers were in profusion, the cows rang their bells and looked contented with their calves, and we felt privileged (and also smug) that we were in amongst such beauty.
We had a spring in our step and were light of heart as we made our way across the ancient paths to our goal.
Flowers have been a bit of a theme with our stroll, as we have seen spring arrive and pass, and summer is beginning to go over the top, but the flowers up here were stunning to see.
In a comment, Royce had told us that she had heard that the way might be cobbled. We were delighted to see from time to time traces of ancient cobbles, and we felt as we had felt on the Ridgeway, that we were tracing the footsteps of history.
As we climbed higher, we looked back at the valley we had just climbed, stunned by such beauty all around us, and the fine weather below.
In front of us, the weather looked rather threatening, but we laugh at such threats.
As we climbed higher, we were guided across the main road where an alternate road to the pass started, which I think must have been the old road. And this road was also cobbled for most of the way, but cobbled with fine, modern cobbles.
Not only modern vehicles were seen today. Today is the Swiss National day, and even at the top of the pass, we heard fireworks. We also heard loud jingling and a horn playing one of the Bishop’s Castle Drum and Bugle Band tunes. Two wonderful horse-drawn post carriages appeared, presumably for the national day. They were going right over the pass. There was a very long traffic jam behind them as they went up the main road before they went onto the old one.
We reached the top of the pass with no rain in time for lunch. We needed a bit of extra clothing on up there though, as the wind was no gentle zephyr. In fact, we got cold enough that when we went into an establishment for refreshment, we both had hot chocolate (even Mike).
We were pleased to have reached the Italian speaking part of Switzerland. We passed into the Ticino from Uri not long before the top of the pass. All the signs immediately were written in Italian, and we were no longer walking on Wanderweg, but Sentieri.
The summit was strange – hundreds of visitors, and not really very pretty or dramatic, so I won’t dwell on that.
We started our descent by going into a farm-yard, but once we had corrected that, we managed pretty well, but the going was very steep – much steeper than the going up – and there was lots of down down down on very skimpy paths, occasionally joining the old road for short periods. The view looking down at the road with all its twists and turns was very dramatic.
It took us three hours or so to walk down, and our knees were beginning to feel slightly wobbly towards the end. Well, mine were, anyway. The view of Airolo and its valley about half way down looked very inviting, and we were pleased to arrive there and enjoy a beer.
Could today live up to expectations after yesterday? It certainly could. And did.
On returning from our enjoyable day out on the hill yesterday we were treated to the sight of the two old mail coaches doing a tour of Airolo, each drawn by five horses. I particularly enjoyed the sound of the coachmen playing bugle tunes I know, as the coaches went on their jaunty way.
The Swiss National Day festivities continued with a quite a lot of fireworks, and other loud bangs, happening at intervals until well after midnight last night. Obviously nature did not want to miss out on the National Day fun and at about 3:00 am a massive thunderstorm started with copious quantities of lightning and rain. Our bedroom windows were banging and needed to be shut, which was a stroke of luck for me as I was able to retrieve my shorts, which I had washed and hung out of the window earlier, before they blew away.
The heavy rain of last night had well and truly stopped before we opened our eyes this morning. The air wasn’t particularly clear but encouraging enough for eager strollers to pack and go.
Our journey down the valley towards Italy continued with a stroll to Faido. The path was signposed to start at the railway station, conveniently positioned directly opposite our hotel.
After stocking up with rolls and stuff we made our way to the station and the start. We were to be going down the valley today and were expecting lots of down diddly um down.
We went into the station and looked around for the footpath signs, but without much success. As we are now in Ticino I could ask the news stand lady if she knew where the path started. She didn’t know anything but wondered if they might know something at the tourist information office. In fact the path went under the railway lines and out the other side, and so did we.
Passing through a little meadow and over a small footbridge the path started to climb upwards quite steeply. It was a bit of a scramble to get up over large rocks and we needed to become temporary quadrupeds in order to make progress.
We had not bothered to look at the map before setting out as the signs are so good and so plentiful that a map is not really essential. After a little had passed while we realised that we had taken the ‘Strada Bassa’ or Low Road and, although the going was easy, it took us very near to the motorway and to the railway line. I found the noise of the motorway to be quite trying and was delighted that Janet was also keen to find the ‘Strada Alta’ instead. Crossing the motorway was the fly in our particular ointment and we missed the crossing point. We strode confidently up the pavement at the side of the local road until it became obvious that we were heading back to Airolo at great speed. We abandoned the search and retraced our steps back to where we had turned onto the local road. By a stroke of luck we did spot the crossing point and crossed with great pleasure through a tunnel. We now had a path to follow by a small river and, even better, heading in the right direction.
After a spot of refreshment taken at a funicular railway station we headed up towards the Strada Alta. This path was a red and white type path and so we expected some steepish bits and were not disappointed in any way. Janet did mention that she thought that we were supposed to be going ‘down’ the valley as we scrambled and puffed up to around 4600 ft.
The views back up the valley were not as spectacular today as they had been yesterday as the air was not as clear and the slopes of the hills were very wooded. Still, it was a great pleasure to look back through the clouds and trees at yesterday’s hills.
We passed through a number of small villages and were quite delighted by the older houses. Quite a number of the smaller buildings appeared to have chunky stone tiles on the roofs. The newer houses have started to look more like those we see in Northern Italy. The roofs appear to be much flatter here, in order to stop the winter snow sliding off and taking the tiles with it.
The valley bottom started quite narrowly with the roads, rails, river and us sharing a very narrow neck of land. It quickly broadened out and became populated and full of industry. The traffic on the approach to the St Gotthard Tunnel appeared to be nearly stationary, which made us feel grateful that we were not part of it, at least not today.
Of course having climbed up and up we had, inevitably, to climb down and down. The down and down went on forever passing enormous boulders, waterfalls and took us over huge tree roots.
We noticed hundreds and hundreds of grasshoppers bounding about as we walked along the grassy paths through the meadows and disturbed them in their mysterious activities.
The hills are thickly forested and, in places, extra hillside reinforcement has been provided. This reinforcement is to prevent boulders and snow from falling onto the railway line below rather than to protect the person of the passing stroller.
Today’s stroll has been quite different in character to our two previous days in the mountains and could easily have been an anticlimax if we hadn’t taken the high road to Faido.
After the super strolls of the last three days we felt that we needed a day in which to laze about and also to do some of the less interesting tasks which a stroller’s life makes necessary. Both Janet and I visited Lugano when we were very young and have intended to visit, in order to walk down memory lane, but have somehow never managed it. I was a little put off Lugano when I read that mega rich Italians had sought financial refuge here and that it was a bit like Monaco now.
We travelled by train this morning and were particularly looking forward to the spirals that the train must do in the tunnels in order to lose height. We weren’t disappointed as we were able to see the same view twice as the train popped out of a tunnel mouth much lower down.
On arrival in Lugano our first need was a laundrette and, as Janet had spotted one on Google, we headed straight for it with great eagerness. We toiled up the hill in the heat and eventually found it. Curses and despair when we realised that the blighter was closed. The next move was to find the tourist office in order to find another laundrette. The assistant told us that there were no laundrettes in Lugano only dry cleaning places. If Lugano is like Monaco then I suppose we should have expected this and brought our household staff along as well.
We have really noticed the heat here after the relative coolness of the high mountains which have been our home lately. We are looking forward to returning to the mountains tomorrow to continue strolling to Italy. In the meantime we have found a beer cooler in the bathroom so we can refresh ourselves.
Returning to an earlier theme of the jolly Swiss character I spotted eggs with the Swiss flag emblazoned on them in a supermarket.
We have done nothing of interest today just dozed, eaten ice cream, been for a ride on the funicular railway and hand washed our small clothes. We are now ready for tomorrow and more super strolling.
Our stroll through Switzerland has been helped enormously by the vast number of signed paths criss crossing the country. Swiss Trails 2 and 7 seem to have been constant companions for much of the trip making the daily stroll much easier to plan than when we were in France. Today’s stroll took us along Swiss Trail 2 which was shown on the map as a red dotted line. We have strolled on these dotted red lines befroe so were not expecting many difficulties.
Leaving Faido behind we started the inevitable upward stroll. We passed the Capuchin monastery on the way up and the path appeared to disappear in a walled lawn. It was just hiding in a corner in order to tease, thank goodness.
The upward climb became more and more difficult with very long steep sections. We continued to get glimpses of the valley below as we climbed higher and higher. The landscape is very rocky with waterfalls everywhere and vivid greens of thick vegetation.
We soon realised why everything was so green as a very heavy rainstorm started. Although we were strolling high above the valley floor we passed through a number of small communities. The roofs of many of the older houses are made of tiles which appear to be massive slabs of raw stone gathered from the hillside and put on largely as they were found. The houses with the stone roofs look terrific but I’m not sure that I should want one.
The rain did not stop or give any indication that it might stop. It was as we entered Anzonico that it really got going in earnest. What a stroke of luck, there was a restaurant and it was open. We went in and had what was on the menu, risotto with roast pork. We both agreed that it was one of the best meals we had had since Chaumont in France. Not only was it very good but the price was reasonable, the waiter wasn’t trying to show off and the food arrived quickly. All of this was been a novelty for us and we didn’t care about the thunderstorm outside.
The storm eased and we eased out of our seats and onto our friend path 2 once again. The section from Anzonico was more difficult than we have yet experienced. We needed to go around the edge of a large stony outcrop and the path was narrow, perhaps one foot wide, with a sheer drop down to the valley below. Janet told me afterwards that she didn’t enjoy the first half of this section at all hated the second part as it seemed to go on and on in the same vein.
Of course, having climbed up so high the inevitable descent had to start somewhere. The descent was just as tricky as the upward climb and to help us forward we could hear the sound of thunder all around. The rain started by gently falling on the canopy of the trees overhead. Not content with being gentle it began to increase in intensity. Swiss raindrops are larger than their British counterparts. They appear to be as big as marbles and just as hard. We adopted Janet’s rainproofing method, a waterproof coat over the shoulders and rucksack in the manner of a cape. This method works very well in a shower, it failed totally today.
The heavy rain made the ground quite slippery and the descent would have been very difficult without poles.
After a few false descents, which turned into ascents again. we arrived in Biasca, a pretty town.
Janet thought that today’s stroll was the most physically challenging of the trip so far and I think that she is probably right.
Tomorrow we shall stroll by the side of the River Ticino. Janet has indicated quite strongly that if I want to take a high road again, if there is one, then we shall stroll separately during that section.
The thunderstorm is continuing unabated outside as I am writing this. Let’s hope that it stops by tomorrow morning
The last week or so has been magical as we approached the St Gotthard Pass from Altdorf and then strolled over the pass and down to Biasca. When we set out from Gravels Bank last April this part of the stroll was something which we were looking forward to very much indeed. Today would be the day we turned our backs away from St Gotthard and headed down towards Lugano, Chiasso and then into Italy. Our last look towards St Gotthard made us realise how fortunate we had been when we did our stroll. The sky was filled with black clouds and the sound of thunder was everywhere.
If you look at the profile of the map of today’s stroll you will see that it is almost as flat as a billiard table. After yesterday’s epic up diddly up up and down diddly um down it was quite a contrast to be able to walk without being out of breath. For the greater part of today’s stroll we were once more adjacent to the River Ticino which was fuller than I thought that it would be at this time of the year. The recent heavy rains have obviously filtered down from the hills and given the levels a boost. We could hear thunder in the distance and hoped that it would stay in the St Gotthard bit and leave us alone.
As we strolled along today we realised that leaves were falling from the trees. I was able to collect some hazel nuts and the walnuts and chestnuts are becoming mature. It was hard to remember that when we set out on our stroll there was snow on the ground and the trees were all bare.
Today’s stroll was similar to some of the strolls in England and in France as we followed a water course, the terrain was flat, the path sides were wooded and it rained. At one point a horse and rider appeared from nowhere and quickly disappeared into the undergrowth again. The path is obviously used quite a lot by those of an equestrian nature. The local horses are obviously well fed and have no digestive ailments.
We approached Bellinzona via an elevated embankment which looked as though it was part of the river defences. Cyclists had their own nicely surfaced track down below and we walked on ruts above. Some cyclists chose to enjoy the rutted part on which we were strolling. It would be less of a shock if cyclists would announce their presence when approaching the innocent stroller from behind when the path is narrow.
Bellinzona looked fabulous in the sunshine which had broken out this afternoon. It was a shame that we were too tired and footsore to have a good look around. We must remedy the situation tomorrow before setting off for Tesserete
I’m not quite sure where we went today so I have added the map next in order to look at the route.
After looking at the profile map I can see why we felt a little jaded towards the end. I believed that it was the rain which had caused the tiredness.
We set off contentedly under an overcast, but not particularly threatening, sky. The sun was out and Bellinzona looked very nice. One can hire electric bicycles, cars and other green stuff at the tourist office. Being seasoned strollers we ignored these effete modes of transport and relied on our powerful bipedal propulsion units, which were to be tested severely today.
After visiting a very nice bakery and preparing ourselves for the day with some rolls and alpine cheese we set out to find the sentiero for today. It was to be our old friend Swiss Trail No 2 again so we would be completely at ease, no surprises for us today.
Bellinzona has changed hands a few times over the years, even the Pope has had a go at it Bellinzona on Wiki.
We were still well and truly in Bellinzona trying to find the way out when we saw a granite slab laughing at our feeble attempt at departure by telling us that we were only two days from Milano. How we laughed!
We knew that we had quite a climb ahead of us today and were really quite pleased when it got underway. Yesterday was such an easy day that we had nearly forgotten what it felt like to climb 2500 ft in just a mile or two. There were fewer nasty ledges today which meant that we made quite good progress and were ahead of the times given on the signposts.
One enterprising householder had erected a homemade lift, we speculated for quite a while on the type of thing that would be carried up this device.
Had today’s weather been clear the stroll would have been fantastic. We were inside woodland for the greater part of the day but on emerging into the open air were treated wonderful vistas.
Our climb went up and up through the woods and periodically we encountered soldiers darting around. They appeared to be looking for something as they were clutching maps and behaving as though something was missing. We wished them all good luck and to take courage.
We emerged from the forest and looked around for the next sign. We couldn’t see the blighter anywhere and seemed to be strolling haphazardly. We took the only course of action open to us and sat down and ate lunch. During our repast the thunder became more noisy and a strong, cool wind started to blow. We were sitting near to an array of aerials belonging to the Swiss army, the wind blowing through these aerials created a sound which would have delighted fans of the ‘Quatermass Experiment’.
The weather was obviously not going to improve and we needed to decide quickly about putting on wet weather clothes and where lay the path. We found the path by retracing our steps and were able to continue with some degree of confidence. Our waterproof clothing became quite a burden as we strolled and we decided that it would be better to get wet than to suffer the perishers any longer. The signposts give distances in hours and minutes and we were confident that we were about 1hr 50 mins from Tesserete. We arrived at a sign which told us to carry on and that we would arrive in 2 hrs 50 mins. This news caused us much consternation, the jolly Swiss had forgotten to put the 1 hr 20 min route on the sign meaning that we had to first of all decide that the sign was wrong and then to try to seek it out. The shorter path was concealed behind a small concrete building and led downwards through a bushy tunnel.
We have no photos of tise stroll section down, and up again, from the military site as the rain came down in bucketfuls and made plodding the order of the day. An Alpine thunderstorm is a mighty thing and we wondered how we should cope if caught out on the hill in one. Now we have been caught out on the hill in one and it isn’t so bad, at least it isn’t in August.
Janet stayed in Tesserete as a child but remembers nothing of it. Regardless of Janet’s recollections it was wonderful to arrive and to be dry. The sun came out as we arrived and we have been treated to a lovely evening.
After yesterday’s rain today dawned brightly. The sun shone and there were just one or two fluffy clouds decorating the tops of the mountains. The clouds looked amiable and we hoped that they would not be influenced by their sterner brothers and sisters of yesterday.
The stroll was to be short and would be gentle in profile. Although the stroll was not quite as short as we had hoped it would be it was gentle in every other way. Throughout our stay in Switzerland I have been mightily impressed with the diligence with which way markings are maintained and also with the fact that they are placed where one might make a mistake if they were absent. Today the markings were a little more idiosyncratic than we have come to expect . There were lots of marks where the only route was obvious and no marks when decisions needed to be made.
After a morning stroll about the streets of Tesserete we tried to get onto the our old friend Swiss Trail No 2. The trail sign was standing in all its majesty at the old railway station building so we felt that the whole stroll would be very easy indeed. The route took us towards an open air swimming pool but did not explain how we should continue. We wandered about looking for signs, saw a post that might at one time have had a sign on it and followed this non existent but probable sign into some woods. Inside the woods there were many signs helping local people to enjoy a circular walk and to engage in physical exercises for the good of their health. Of our signs there was no sign. After a while I noticed that we appeared to be returning to where we had started. I expressed my frustration at the lack of signage quite forcibly and was mildly chided by Janet who does not care for such things.
We managed to find the route eventually but made quite a number of false turns on our way to the St Bernardo chapel. The final climb up to the chapel warns visitors that the owners are not responsible if the visitor has an accident.
The views from the chapel towards Lugano were very special as it was possible from one viewpoint to see both arms of the lake.
We had some difficulty finding the path down and have noticed that Lugano has not been mentioned on any of the footpath signposts. This seems an oddity to us as the paths go between towns which have rail or bus services.
We could see no path marks on the approaches to Lugano and needed to consult the map and the GPS very frequently. It would have been fairly straightforward for us to have followed a main road into Lugano but as neither of us enjoys strolling in this manner it is always something we try to avoid.
The last few days have involved a lot of climbs and descents, plus a fair amount of rain. On arriving in Lugano we fell asleep and have lazed about ever since, and we expect that we shall do the same tomorrow. Switzerland has two more strolls in store for us which will take us to Chiasso and to the Italian border.
We are very close to the Italian border and are eager to press on and actually cross into Italy. In front of us are two days of climbing and descending in order to reach Chiasso and then Como.
Two friends from the UK, Lee and Andy, have been spending a few weeks in Italy and were passing through Lugano today. It was really great to see them, have a spot of lunch, a chat and also to be handed my incredibly comfortable ‘Hotter’ sandals which had been resting in Italy. I am wearing these sandals now and have managed to overcome my British reserve and discard the socks even in public.
Over the last week or two we have started to accept that we don’t really need warm winter woollies and heavy underwear. Andy and Lee offered to return these British items to the UK for us and our packs feel considerably lighter.
Rather than drone on about our touristic activities I have attempted to include a few photos of Lugano. If this doesn’t work please let me know, it might be slow loading or it might just explode.
Lugano looked fabulous this morning as we set out towards Capo Lago. I had lost my smallish baseball type hat somewhere and have been a little hot in the head lately. As we strolled down the prom’ we spotted a hat seller about to open up his hat stall. As soon as he spotted people with ‘customers’ stamped on their foreheads he produced hats of all type, shapes and sizes. I am now the proud possessor of a rather natty straw hat and have been much cooler in the head as a result of this wise purchase.
We started the stroll by following the lakeshore and were paying great attention in order not to miss the signs which would lead us up San Salvatore, a hill over which we must pass. Due to great diligence we finally spotted the signs telling us which way to climb.
We were pleased to be climbing as the sun was climbing as well and getting hotter. We followed the funicular railway track for a little way and were able to enjoy backward glances at Lugano and Paradiso.
We arrived at a fork in our path and noticed a notice. To sum up all the blurb on the notice it told us not to go on this leg without ropes, helmets, skills or bravery. We looked amongst our meagre belongings and could find none of the above mentioned articles and so took the alternative route. We arrived at the same place but by a more gently scenic stroll.
The climb upwards was a bit steep in places and needed a certain amount of care, although we did see some young persons running down past us carrying climbing helmets and ropes, so they didn’t seem to need much care.
At the top of San Salvatore we found a fabulous view down towards the bridge we had to cross. The official path goes to a ferry but, being strollers, this was impossible for us so it had to be the bridge.
The funicular railway station at the top was depositing quite a lot of visitors and the path downwards was beginning to become busy as we set off downwards.
We passed a number of people coming up as we made our way down. For part of the descent we enjoyed the sound of a group of people singing “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” accompanied by loud clapping. Had they known more of the song than the word “Wimoweh” we might have enjoyed their efforts even more.
We passed through a number of very pretty villages on the way down from the hill and ate in one of them. The owner asked us how to translate ‘vitello tonnato’ for her English customers although we didn’t get a discount for this advice, freely given as it turned out.
We have crossed over the lake bridge at Lugano, on the motorway, a number of times. Walking over it accompanied by the railway and a minor road was new experience for both of us.
Having crossed the bridge it was a great relief to get way from the noise of cars, lorries and motorcycles. Finding some bars under ancient cool arches was a delight too great to pass by.
So, having refreshed ourselves with a cooling beverage we climbed up the other side of the valley. We could have followed a road at a much lower level but the woods, the calm and the fabulous views call very strongly to both of us.
So there it is, we have passed the end of the lake at Lugano. We shall be in Italy tomorrow. We still have quite a few miles to travel yet in order to reach our destination and still no idea of the next part of our route. So that after we get to Como we shall spend a day finding maps and getting to grips with all the practical stuff needed for a long distance stroll.
We had decided that we would stroll a little further yesterday in order to make today’s stroll a little shorter. It was just as well that we did make yesterday’s stroll a bit longer as it turned out.
Where the path begins above Capo Lago
We set off today in a reflective mood as it has been just over four months since we set off from Gravels Bank, in the snow, with little idea of what lay ahead and today we would cross the order into Italy. The path started with a nice flight of steps just past a lovely row of cottages….
Final glance backwards towards the lake
Having climbed up to the path it turned into a very nice flattish section of asphalt on which we could stroll along without much effort. Today’s stroll was turning out just as we had expected that it would.
…
It is quite astonishing to be walking along a quiet leafy rural lane in complete tranquillity yet, as one can see on the map, there is industry and a motorway only a few hundred yards away.
The sun was getting hotter and hotter and we began to think about getting some lunch. We had not made a picnic as we were to be passing through villages where we would eat.
Until today the path signs have been very good indeed. I may have mentioned the odd shortcoming on occasion but navigation has not been too difficult but today navigation was a nightmare. There were very few signs to be seen and the places mentioned on the signs were of no use. We seemed to be wandering around in a haphazard manner and I was becoming very hungry and, hard to believe I know, quite irritable.
We found a path going in, more less, the right direction and followed it downwards into a huge rocky basin in which was the enormous concrete skeleton of something industrial. It was here that we ate the few crisps we had and some slices of cheese. Fortified to some extent we ploughed onwards. We still were short of Chiasso and the Italian border and beginning to flag.
We eventually found our way down into Chiasso, the last town in Ticino, and the frontier with Italy. We were quite excited to be passing through the customs post and to step onto Italian soil. As it had been at Basel, we weren’t asked for a passport, or had our belongings searched we just strolled on through.
Now we were over the border and could make our way to our place of rest in Como. There was to be no choice as to which way to go so we followed the main road. After a while we deviated from the main road in order to find a quieter and more pleasant road. Usually we get this sort of thing right but this time we got it wrong. The road was bendy, narrow and had no pavement. The road also had lots of traffic moving at quite a speed. the motorists must have though that we were totally mad to be on such a road. In order to give the drivers a sporting chance at missing us I held out my hand waving my straw hat. We did pass the lake and it looked fabulous through the trees when we found the courage to look away from the road.
Janet had organised the hotel and had taken the precaution of writing down its name and also had drawn a sketch map. Once we had got into Como it took just a few minutes to find our bed.
I am writing this with my feet soaking nicely in the bidet. It is very hard to believe that we have made it to Italy although we still have a long way to go before we have done strolling.