Jump to content

Switzerland tour 2019


Gary Taylor

Recommended Posts

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

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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 :d

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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 :d

 

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.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

IMG_5985.jpg

IMG_5984.jpg

IMG_5982.jpg

IMG_6289.jpg

IMG_6287.jpg

IMG_6286.jpg

IMG_6283.jpg

IMG_6277.jpg

IMG_6267.jpg

IMG_6265.jpg

IMG_6252.jpg

IMG_6256.jpg

IMG_6260.jpg

IMG_6261.jpg

IMG_6262.jpg

IMG_6249.jpg

IMG_6246.jpg

IMG_6243.jpg

IMG_6242.jpg

 

  • Like 8
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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

14F79ADC-5B12-4594-B8F2-C82FCA41D4F2.jpeg

2245E314-B138-4567-9131-B69E98B50D0D.jpeg

BCACAF32-0E46-451F-9E37-C0FC1013A9A6.png

A54EE9A7-7B7A-4EC3-AF7D-0A8FE277396F.jpeg

3BE83773-14C7-41A0-AB70-60BAF5B24D5F.jpeg

  • Like 8
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

 

 

IMG_5348.jpeg

IMG_4456.jpeg

IMG_4448.jpeg

IMG_4443.jpeg

IMG_5354.jpeg

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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 :d

I tried but he moved too fast lol😜

  • Like 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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... 

IMG_20190605_115907.jpg

IMG_20190605_120808.jpg

  • Like 1
  • Sad 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ah, beer, dulls the pain!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

 

 

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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

 

I hope you like it.

 

 

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow!

Absolutely brilliant Geoffrey. Really enjoyed that.

Thank you for sharing it with us.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Please review our Terms of Use, Guidelines and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.