Hiking in the Swiss Mountains

There is no shortage of valleys and mountains in Switzerland but each time I go to a new area I am once more thrilled at what I find and enjoy the experience as if it was the first time. On my recent trip we visited the area of Löschental which is between the Valais and Bernese Alps. The largely undeveloped valley with its small villages has been a surprisingly interesting venue to discover. The little villages in the area have a very peculiar tradition called Tschäggättä». During the carnival period, terrifying figures disguised in animal skins and carved wooden masks wander through the villages of the Lötschental to the loud clanking sounds of cowbells (“treichel”) worn on their belts.

Little is known about their origins but the suggestion is that it was a pagan tradition to signal the end of winter and as a way for the young men of the village to see the pretty girls without being identified. In my view it would have scared them off for life as they are so grotesque and wild but there are masks everywhere in this valley and even a museum dedicated to them.