Gemmi pass

Kandersteg was paused anxiously, awaiting the snow for which it is geared up and the accompanying influx of skiers on which the prosperity of the village depends. During my stay, it remained resolutely clear and sunny. The temperature fluctuated between -3C at night and up to 7C during the day. Wind was almost absent so the frosty air was pleasantly bracing for walking and during uphill stretches I would shed layers. On the first day, I followed the path of a cable car then walked a couple of miles to Oeschinensee, a lake with a sculpture path around it. There is skating and ice fishing when it freezes but in its liquid state it was disappointingly ordinary. Nevertheless, it was a good walk and I retired for a nap before dinner.

A walk to Blausee, the blue lake, some 300m lower in the valley, was marred by fractious children and I abandoned the pleasant terrace before my cappuccino arrived, to the consternation of the waitress. By the fourth day, I felt ready to tackle the longest winter walk accessible from the hotel. This entailed a gondola ride to Sunnbüel, an hour and a half walk to the remote Schwarenbach hotel where I stopped for coffee then a further hour and a half uphill to the Gemmi pass is at 2,400m. The route is well signposted, except for the point at which the path approaches Daubensee, a frozen lake which had been carved into cross country ski tracks. A direction pole had been stripped of its signs, only metal clips showing where they had once been attached and I continued ahead oblivious to a possible change of direction. After a while, I became aware of other walkers rounding the lake at a wider berth, retraced my steps and followed. Another change of mind led me back to my original path, only to have to scamper across knee deep snow later to regain the correct, upper track. The additional exertion combined with the steady climb and biting wind meant that I was cold and tired when I reached Gemmi pass and in no mood to appreciate the fine view. I took the gondola down to Leukabad, another 23 francs with the usual mystification exhibited when I timidly showed the guest pass the hotel had assured me would assure me reductions. Leukabad is a normal Swiss town with the usual non-descript apartment buildings and something of a shock after the two storey wooden chalets of chi-chi Kandersteg. I followed the standard yellow pedestrian signs to the bus station diverting via the adjacent tourist information office to check the route. The walk description referred blithely to catching a bus and train back from Leukerbad. In reality, this turned out to be a bus and two trains, with a journey time of two and a half hours. Given the additional time of the cable car and the walk through the town, it would have been almost as fast to walk back. At the ticket office there was another surprise in store. The journey would cost 43 francs, meaning that in total the day set me back some 90 Swiss francs or about £70 at the prevailing exchange rate. It seemed a lot for half a day’s walking.

My acquaintances at the hotel were able to cap my story: for supplying hot water to top up their tea, a café had charged them an additional six francs.