Switzerland tour 2019

[Jude - The Mad Widow]

The roses were just inside Italy. A totally different experience {from Switzerland} with its ramshackle buildings and tumbling flowers. 

[Marcus Barlow - Show and Events Co-ordinator]

2 hours ago, Jude - The Mad Widow said:

Thank you @David-hrv.

It's just another adventure! Will get a taxi to the garage to check out the car then a train to Paris. Spend the evening there with friends and come home tomorrow... Well that's the plan as I type.. Things can always be subject to change! 

 

Such a shame @Jude - The Mad Widow about your car but at least you managed most of the trip ! If I was you I would have jumped into @Geoffrey (Buttercup) - North Yorkshire AO passenger seat for the rest of the trip 

[Geoffrey Carter (Buttercup)]

5 minutes ago, marcusb said:

Such a shame @Jude - The Mad Widow about your car but at least you managed most of the trip ! If I was you I would have jumped into @Geoffrey (Buttercup) - North Yorkshire AO passenger seat for the rest of the trip 

 

We didnt have any spare room. I had Trina in with me and all mine, Garys and Trina luggage was all in Garys car.

 

if we had the available room then we would have done that.

 

The best and sensible option in this case was recovery and the hire car.

[Geoffrey Carter (Buttercup)]

This was my most emotional bit of the trip.

 

All my life I have wanted to climb up a mountain / big hill but never had anyone willing to do it with me and never seem to have the motivation to do it on my own.

 

When this opportunity came up I knew I had to do it. I am fat and the weather was so very hot and I know that without Gary's help I would have really struggled more than I did. I felt and still am so proud of myself for completing the climb. I got to the top and became a bit emotional and the same at the bottom so thank you Gary for sharing my moment with me.

 

Our goal was the awesome 1621 feet long, newly opened Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge in Switzerland. This has broken the record for the world's longest pedestrian suspension bridge. The bridge offers hikers views of the Matterhorn, Weisshorn and Bernese Alps.

 

We where given a police escort through the town to guide us to a parking place, and we where allowed to park in the police station carpark. The police and Paul Summermatter gave us such a brilliant and friendly welcome to their town. 

 

As we climbed heard avalanches, avalanche charges been set off, cuckoos and all sorts of birdlife. We also saw deer and a Chamois antelope on the snow. We passed a shrine to Saint Bartholemewe who is the Patron saint of Travellers half way up the mountain. One couple lost a dog and we don't know if they got it back but you could hear them calling for ages.

 

When we arrived back at the start we where given such great hospitality in the cafe and we wish to thank Paul Summermatter for his great hospitality.

 

Anyway I could write for ages about this most memorable, moving and fantastic time but instead here are a few pictures.

 

[Gary Taylor]

The climb to the bridge took us up to 6807 feet and yes it was hard going and emotional as I had a special reason to climb a mountain,

many years ago my mum and dad toured Switzerland by coach , my dad said he would come back and climb a mountain , alas this would never happen as he was diagnosed with copd and his climb would always be a dream until he passed away, So with my dads camera we climbed that hill and I know he walked with us

we all have our reasons and motives that drive us on and this moment was for dad

[Geoffrey Carter (Buttercup)]

We had a ride in the cable cars up to the Aletsch Glacier.

 

You go up three separate chairlift stations to reach the top and the views are absolutely breathtaking.

 

The Aletsch Glacier is the largest glacier in the Alps. It has a length of about 14 miles  and covers about 31.5 square miles in the eastern Bernese Alps in the Swiss canton of Valais. The Aletsch Glacier is composed of four smaller glaciers converging at Concordia Place, where its thickness was measured by the ETH to be still near 3,300 ft.  It then continues towards the Rhône valley before giving birth to the Massa. The Aletsch Glacier is – like most glaciers on this world – a retreating glacier. As of 2016, since 1980 it lost 0.81 miles of its length, since 1870 it last around 2.0 miles. It has also lost  more than 300 metres (980 ft) of its thickness.

 

I have more photos I would like to share of this place will will upload them on my return to the UK.

 

Here are a few pictures but will add to this later.

 

 

[Jude - The Mad Widow]

1 hour ago, marcusb said:

Such a shame @Jude - The Mad Widow about your car but at least you managed most of the trip ! If I was you I would have jumped into @Geoffrey (Buttercup) - North Yorkshire AO passenger seat for the rest of the trip 

I tried but he moved too fast lol😜

[Jude - The Mad Widow]

After I complained strongly to my insurers I am now awaiting a taxi to the station and a tvg to Paris... If it goes smoothly I promise myself an overnight stay and a glass of champagne!! 

Not a bad place to wait... Although I just trashed my arm on a sharp corner of the bar... Another larger will kill the pain me thinks... 

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Ah, beer, dulls the pain!

[Geoffrey Carter (Buttercup)]

Here is a video I put together of our trip to the Rhine Falls.

 

The sound and power of the water does not come across in the video.

 

There is an island in the middle of the falls, and the boats you see in the video, drop people off at the island so they can climb to the top of the high level viewing platform.

 

 

[Geoffrey Carter (Buttercup)]

Here is a video I have just made of our trip up too the Aletsch Glacier.

 

I hope you like it.

 

 

[David-hrv]

Wow!

Absolutely brilliant Geoffrey. Really enjoyed that.

Thank you for sharing it with us.

[Ali and Gail]

@Geoffrey (Buttercup) - North Yorkshire AOdenim skirt. He tried saying it's Trina's after I watched him iron it 😂

[Nic Chase (NICO) - Shropshire & Mid-Wales AO]

Brilliant Geoffrey. Those are two completely different videos. The Rhine Falls sounds, very noisy.

[Geoffrey Carter (Buttercup)]

18 minutes ago, Nic (NICO) - Shropshire and Mid-Wales AO said:

Brilliant Geoffrey. Those are two completely different videos. The Rhine Falls sounds, very noisy.

 

When you first go in you can hear the falls but then you keep dropping down to different levels. You go through a cave like tunnel and then you are below the level of the water as you can see in the video. It was deafening and it was a great experience.