Switzerland 4. Schynigge Platte

Schynigge Platte is reached by gog railway built in 1893, one of the highest in Switzerland (1,983 metres). The light was very harsh with light cloud and has given some interesting textures and colour to the landscapes. There are wonderful views to many surrounding mountains, including the Eiger, Mönch and  Jungfrau. I spent most of the time in the Alpine Garden and the slopes around. On the way down, there were great views of  Interlaken and the two great lakes of Thun and Brienz.

 

 

Switzerland 3. Afternoon at Eigergletsche

After lunch at Kleine Scheidegg, Holly and I took the train up to Eigergletsche while Peter did the Jungfrau trail arriving somewhat puffed along the wonderful moraine ridge walk. The clouds lifted enough to see detail in the glacier, the Hut and eventually the Observatory on the Jungfau Joch. Then down to Kleine Scheidegg and back to Wengen on the train.

Switzerland 3. Birds and Flowers on Our Walk

A few more images from yesterday's walk. Having started in the cloud and snow, by the time we got to Kleine Scheidegg, the clouds were clearing. As I took an image of the Eiger, a very large flock of Choughs came through and a Nutcracker landed on a nearby post. Flowers included here -  Knapweed, Rosebay Willowherb, Field Gentian, Sorrel, Golden Rod and Monks Hood

 

Switzerland 3 Mannlichen in the Snow

In the many visits I have made to the region, all in late June/early July, we only ever seen snow on the top of the Mannlichen so it was a new experience to see the area with its light covering of white. The clouds opened intermittantly to give views of the surrounding peaks.

Switzerland 2 Waterfalls

Yesterday was raining most of the day so we decided a trip to the waterfalls might be a good option. Our main target was the Trummelbach Falls. With its ten glacial water falls inside the mountain, the Trümmelbach alone drains the enormous glacial walls of the Eiger (3970m), Mönch (4099m) and Jungfrau (4158m)  a catchment area of 24 square kilometres of which approximately half is covered with snow and ice. It can have up to 20,000 litres of water per second, which would be deafening. On the way we visited the Staubbach Falls, the third highest waterfall in Switzerland at nearly 300 metrers. While I concentrated on a more distant shot, Peter and Holly walked up close to waterfall to put some scale in the photo!

A Week in Switzerland 1

This is the first time I have visited Wengen in the Bernese Oberland in any month other than June/July but the first view of the Lauterbrunnen Valley still looked very familiar!. The meadows are all cut in Wengen itself but the gardens all have plenty of colour. The weather for the first couple of days is due to be cloudy and fairly wet but it does give some great cloud and peak views. Last two images infrared.