A Waterfall Wonderland

13 June 2012

Last Saturday, after the market (of course!), we set off with our friends Dottie and Laurie in their car (such a treat to have a car!) for Lauterbrunnen Valley, the world's deepest U-shaped Valley. Although it was raining when we left Zurich, we had beautiful weather in the valley. The hang gliders thought so, too.

Our objective (other than having a lovely drive and visit) was Trummbelbach Falls, but as we drove through the valley, we saw a plethora of beautiful falls dropping effortlessly into the valley below. I later read that the valley has 72 waterfalls.

Our first stop was at Murrenbach Falls, which we chanced upon en route to its more famous cousin. We had a picnic supplied by Dottie and Laurie and then wandered around, taking loads of pictures of the falls and its surrounds.

 

Dottie and Greg

Greg and Laurie

We were very lucky when we got to Trummelbach Falls, famous because it flows down inside a mountain, because there weren't a lot of people there. As we were leaving, the tour busses were arriving and there was a huge crowd waiting to take the cog train to near the top of the falls. 

The Falls were amazing. Not only was there a great deal of water, but the water had chiselled through the mountain the way an ice cream scoop carves holes in ice cream, and then polished the stone to a glossy finish.

The valley itself is drop dead gorgeous. It's the kind of place you think of when you think of Switzerland ... alpine meadows, flowers, quaint houses and villages, waterfalls, snowcapped mountain peaks (the area is home to Switzerland's "Big Three": Jungfrau, Eiger, Monch) ... and cows.

 At Laurie's suggestion, we drove to the end of this box canyon and discovered the Unesco area crisscrossed with trails that, in true Swiss style, were themed and educational.

Laurie and I vowed to return one day and walk some of those trails and I hope we do.

Some Postscripts:

• I'm running way behind on blogging. I still need to add our trip to Lugano and a wonderful visit with my cousin Heather and her friend Margeurite last month. (We've temporarily lost the photos from that trip - long story.)
• My friend Jennifer Davidson has written a book that is funny, poignant and wonderful. I highly recommend it. Here's a link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/096610921X/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img