Hiking in the Lötschental valley

Our destination this year was Lötschental a valley between the Valais and Bernese Alps. It stretches about 27 kms and on the one side there are wonderful and receding glaciers and on the other side mountain villages and alpine passes. The south-eastern part of the Lötschental has been part of the UNESCO World Natural Heritage site of the Jungfrau-Aletsch region since 2001. The villages Ferden, Kippel Wiler and Blatten preserve ancient traditions and customs.

We took the cable car up the mountain and started our walk among gentians, orchids and anemones. Lunch was at the end of a steep descent but we knew that not long after we would arrive at our wonderful alpine hotel with the great name of Fafleralp. Peculiarly it seemed to have electricity surges and power cuts so that my instant suspicion was that it had been specially arranged by our leader Toop to make sure I didn’t get too homesick for Delhi!!

One of our aims was a futuristic Alpine hut called Annenhutte at 2,355 metres. It took us 4 1/2 hours to get there. No short cuts anywhere. We walked through forests, craggy passes, dodged rivulets and scrunched over the icy snow. At the hut we ate a tresse which had been baked with pistachios and ham and was truly delicious but that was topped by “Hay soup”- we slurped it happily without asking too many questions about its contents. Unbelievably the hut was hit by a power cut and we missed out on our coffee. I take nothing for granted these days. My presence clearly confounded the Swiss electricity grid which made us all laugh.

 The glaciers on the upper side and the beautiful green alpine mountains and villages on the lower side.

The valley was full of  alpine passes, wonderful vistas of the snow capped mountains and walks in the extraordinary villages. Noteworthy were the construction of the houses and food storages on great pillars with round slabs of stones supporting them preventing the vermin from climbing in. A bygone era but one still carefully preserved. Equally intriguing were the intricately carved wooden masks which villagers wear at carnival time. Little is known about the origins of these masks which may have been worn to welcome spring or shock the girls. Pagan, punchy and very bizarre. Another occasion when Switzerland takes us all by surprise.India might be incredible but Switzerland specializes in the truly bizarre !