The Gerrard Chronicles 2009 - Traveller's Tales 4

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Ken (66) still plods the Alps

August 31st to September 8th SILVRETTA TRIP

The Silvretta is the region on the Austrian-Swiss border. Again, the SNTO booked trains for me. It was possible to get to Landeck in the Tyrol in 12 hours & I had booked the Hotel Bruggner Stubn & the trip is described in guide-book style on my Alpine Advice Pages on this link but here are more photos from the trip. From Kapple, it was a long day over the Cuolm d'Alpe Bella into Switzerland. I stayed the night at the Hotel Laret, at Laret.

Kappl

The Rotkirche is not red

Inside the Rotkirche

I walked up to Samnaun (duty free, as only recently accessible from Switzerland 'proper' by road) & over the Zeblasjoch, briefly into Austria again as far as the Fuorcla di Val Gronda & down to the Heidelberger Hut, the only German (DAV) hut in Switzerland, much too comfy for a 'hut' with hotel standard food.

On the path from Laret to Samnaun

Samnaun - once a smugglers' paradise.

Heidelberger Hütte

Day 3 was further up the Fimbertal, over the Kronenjoch (nasty glacier this side & nastier path the other) to the Jamtal Hut, back in Austria. This was gourmet hut as well.

Looking back down the Fimbertal

Down towards the Jamtal Hut

Ken at the hut

The weather turned bad the next day & my scheduled walk would have been stupid, so I walked down the Jamtal to Galtur, a cute little ski village & stayed at the Hotel Alpina, which was very nice & cheap, Familie Walter. That day spent writing cards etc. As I was off course, I decided to join up with my original Cross-Swiss Walk at Gargellen, as it was an interesting walk to St. Gallenkirch (Hotel Adler posh but not expensive) for the next night, over the easy Zeinisjoch on the Rhine-Danube watershed & round high above the valley before dropping to Gaschurn & a road walk from there.

Galtur in dirty weather

New snow on the Ballunspitze

Looking back to the Zeinisjoch

South to the Swiss border

East Germans photoed me

I passed a cable car station

St Gallenkirch

In 1990, I had walked the last 2/3rds of the Gargellertal after hitching a lift at Schruns. This time, I walked the other bit before thumbing a lift to Gargellen, thus completing the route! Then, I walked over the Schlappinerjoch to Klosters again, getting better photos this time. I stayed in the Sporthotel-Kurhaus in Klosters Dorf. Despite its energetic name, it was full of other crumblies, who beat me down to breakfast.

Vergalden above Gargellen

On the pass

Schlappin village

Klosters Platz

Next day, I walked out, down the Prattigau to Schliers, thumbed a lift to Landquart & took a train to Zürich, staying in the Zic-zac Rock Hotel (!), getting put it the room called 'Rolling Stones'. I had time for a good look round Zürich the next day before a huge lunch & the trains home. I had a bit of luck: the Eurostar was 75 minutes late, so I get a free ticket for next year's trip.

Zürich in the evening light

Old Zürich in the morning

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Contact: Ken Baldry or Avis Saltsman, 17 Gerrard Road, Islington, London N1 8AY +44(0)020 7359 6294 or e-mail him or her
This page's URL: http://www.art-science.com/Xmas2008/travel4.html Last revised 1/12/2009 ©Ken Baldry 2009 All rights reserved but print it off if you want to.