Tuesday 5 March 2024 - Around Kandersteg

Rain. The cloud was down all day, but thankfully the rain eased between 10 am and 3 pm, offering us the chance of a dryish 13 km walk with 300 metres ascent. We took the pink (winter walking) routes, first to the Sunnbüel cablecar station, then back on the west side of the valley, over Höh. As pleasant a walk as we could choose in the circumstances.

Ancient hotel

We passed an ancient hotel, and the end of a 14 km railway tunnel that was built between 1906 and 1912. It's a busy route for freight, passengers and cars, saving a journey of several hours over high mountain passes.

Lunch was enjoyed on a bench outside a barn, where we especially enjoyed the slabs of cheese from the breakfast buffet, and listened to a medley of songs emanating from the pine forest:
Great tit, willow tit, coal tit, Long-tailed tit, Marsh tit, red crossbill, goldcrest, tree creeper and more.

There were wild flowers as well, amongst them:
Ling, white butterbur and the bright red berries of wall cotoneaster. 

We were back before 3 pm, giving us plenty of time to enjoy the sauna and contact Headwater, the part of Exodus who have organised this week for us, to discuss ski collection and any appropriate refunds given the unsuitable weather for skiing. There is one location nearby where skiing should be possible on Thursday and Friday, so watch this space!

Later: