Walking in the Valais
Tips on walking in the Valais.
Preparation
Knowledge of the various types of hiking trails and their signposts.
Check on the time of the walks and possible short-cuts, public transport with timetable (e.g. www.sbb.ch)
Monitor the weather forecast and do not forget that the weather can change rapidly in the mountains. Avoid climbing in a thunderstorm.
Inform hotel or friends if you set off alone on a long walk and leave contact details and the planned route.
As soon as you notice that you are short of time, that you cannot reach your destination before dark sets in, return to your starting point or take a short-cut.
Preparation
Knowledge of the various types of hiking trails and their signposts.
Check on the time of the walks and possible short-cuts, public transport with timetable (e.g. www.sbb.ch)
Monitor the weather forecast and do not forget that the weather can change rapidly in the mountains. Avoid climbing in a thunderstorm.
Inform hotel or friends if you set off alone on a long walk and leave contact details and the planned route.
As soon as you notice that you are short of time, that you cannot reach your destination before dark sets in, return to your starting point or take a short-cut.
Waterways, Rivers
Be cautious with waterways and rivers.
Rivers can suddenly flood caused by hydro-electicity plants. Avoid walking along riverbeds as it could be dangerous.
Emergency
Ring the Wallis Cantonal Rescue organisation 144
Signposts for walks.
Yellow = easy
White and red = hard with a climb
Blue = difficult and can be dangerous if walk is over glaciers when a guide and rope is necessary.
Yellow and red and white. Involves climbing up to a maximum of between 2,000m to 3,000m.
Yellow walks.
1. Lower Valais. St Gingolph to Le Bouveret. (1h 10) Start at the boat building centre where 'naus' or 'cochères' were used to transport goods across the lake and end at the Belle Epoque village at the mouth of the Rhone. Walk above the southern shore of Lake Geneva via Vignoles, Grande Forêt, Les Esserts and return by boat. At Le Bouveret, you will find a beach, theme parks as well as a miniature steam train.
2. Middle Valais. Tracouet to Nendaz. (2h 30) Start from Haute Nendaz where you take the cable car to Tracouet and walk all the way down alongside the famous suonen or irrigation channels. The Saxon suonen is the longest in the Valais, about 32 km. Check with locals whether water is there. Ring Community of Nendaz 027 2895600. (Note. A suon (bisse in French) is defined as a water channel at least a 1,000 m. in length which provides a minimum of 15 litres a second from its source, prise d'eau or Schöpfi, in a torrent to a piece of land to be irrigated.)
3.Upper Valais. Blatten via Kühmad to Falferalp. (2h) Start at Blatten where you leave the car and take the postbus to Falferalp. There you can walk all the down. Do stop at the Baroque chapel of Kühmad which is built on an ancient Celtic holy site. There is a hotel at the Falferalp where you can have the local dish of raclette. It is open. May to October. Ring 027 9391451
Red and White walks.
1.Lower Valais. Emosson to Châtelard. (2h) Start at Martigny and take the cable car, the panoramic train and the second cable car from which you can see Montblanc to Emosson dam. At the Hydro-elecricity dam, you can hike to the site of the Dinosaur footprints. Another excursion in this area is to see the village of Finhaut which was a popular destination for British tourists in the 19th century.
2.Middle Valais. Deborence to Godey.(2h) Start at Deborence and on the way you will pass through a nature reserve, a forest and along the shores of the lake and spectacular site of an avalanche of rocks to the Godey dam. Both ends are on the postbus route.
3.Upper Valais.Bettmerhorn via Riederfurka to Riederalp. Start at Betten where you can leave the car and take cable car to Bettmerhorn. The route has been designated a UNESCO heritage because Riederalp is at the edge of the Aletsch glacier. Before you walk down you can visit a museum, a cave which is the source of the ghost train or Gratzug and a cafe which shows a film of glaciers.
Blue walks.
1.Lower Valais.Champex to Trient Mountain Hut. (5h 30) Start at Champex where you can leave the car or arrive by train. Then by foot La Breya and continue to d'Orny Mountain hut (2868m) From here you walk over the glacier to reach Trient Mountain hut. (3170m) You will need a guide to cross the glacier because the danger of crevasses. If you want to cut short you trip back, you can return by chairlift from La Breya.
2.Middle Valais. Arolla to Vignettes Mountain Hut. (3h 30)Start at Arolla where you can park your car or arrive by postbus. Then by foot to Vignettes. (3160m) Tel 027 2831322. For further details check Swiss Alpine Club website. www.sac-cas.ch and look for the hut. It could take 2 hours down but if you want to stay there, details are given on website.
3.Upper Valais. Zermatt to Monte Rosa Mountain Hut. (3h) Start at Zermatt and go by train to Rotenboden. Then by foot to Monte Rosa. (2795m) Tel 027 9672115. The setting is spectacular with views of the Matterhorn. Spend the night in this high tech eco-friendly building and return the next day. If you are professional climber you may wish to ascend to Dufour (4634m).
Useful websites: The Swiss Alpine Club for the mountain huts is www.sac-cas.ch. The routes of the Postbuses can be found on www.postauto.ch/wallis.The comprehensive website for walks in the Valais see www.valrando.ch
For specialised walks like visiting the Celtic holy places contact Hans Steffen :
tel.0041(0) 27 923 5375 or Mob. 0041 (0)79 609 4592. The Association of mountain guides (Association Suisse des Accompagnateurs en montage - ASAM see www.randonnee.ch)
Be cautious with waterways and rivers.
Rivers can suddenly flood caused by hydro-electicity plants. Avoid walking along riverbeds as it could be dangerous.
Emergency
Ring the Wallis Cantonal Rescue organisation 144
Signposts for walks.
Yellow = easy
White and red = hard with a climb
Blue = difficult and can be dangerous if walk is over glaciers when a guide and rope is necessary.
Yellow and red and white. Involves climbing up to a maximum of between 2,000m to 3,000m.
Yellow walks.
1. Lower Valais. St Gingolph to Le Bouveret. (1h 10) Start at the boat building centre where 'naus' or 'cochères' were used to transport goods across the lake and end at the Belle Epoque village at the mouth of the Rhone. Walk above the southern shore of Lake Geneva via Vignoles, Grande Forêt, Les Esserts and return by boat. At Le Bouveret, you will find a beach, theme parks as well as a miniature steam train.
2. Middle Valais. Tracouet to Nendaz. (2h 30) Start from Haute Nendaz where you take the cable car to Tracouet and walk all the way down alongside the famous suonen or irrigation channels. The Saxon suonen is the longest in the Valais, about 32 km. Check with locals whether water is there. Ring Community of Nendaz 027 2895600. (Note. A suon (bisse in French) is defined as a water channel at least a 1,000 m. in length which provides a minimum of 15 litres a second from its source, prise d'eau or Schöpfi, in a torrent to a piece of land to be irrigated.)
3.Upper Valais. Blatten via Kühmad to Falferalp. (2h) Start at Blatten where you leave the car and take the postbus to Falferalp. There you can walk all the down. Do stop at the Baroque chapel of Kühmad which is built on an ancient Celtic holy site. There is a hotel at the Falferalp where you can have the local dish of raclette. It is open. May to October. Ring 027 9391451
Red and White walks.
1.Lower Valais. Emosson to Châtelard. (2h) Start at Martigny and take the cable car, the panoramic train and the second cable car from which you can see Montblanc to Emosson dam. At the Hydro-elecricity dam, you can hike to the site of the Dinosaur footprints. Another excursion in this area is to see the village of Finhaut which was a popular destination for British tourists in the 19th century.
2.Middle Valais. Deborence to Godey.(2h) Start at Deborence and on the way you will pass through a nature reserve, a forest and along the shores of the lake and spectacular site of an avalanche of rocks to the Godey dam. Both ends are on the postbus route.
3.Upper Valais.Bettmerhorn via Riederfurka to Riederalp. Start at Betten where you can leave the car and take cable car to Bettmerhorn. The route has been designated a UNESCO heritage because Riederalp is at the edge of the Aletsch glacier. Before you walk down you can visit a museum, a cave which is the source of the ghost train or Gratzug and a cafe which shows a film of glaciers.
Blue walks.
1.Lower Valais.Champex to Trient Mountain Hut. (5h 30) Start at Champex where you can leave the car or arrive by train. Then by foot La Breya and continue to d'Orny Mountain hut (2868m) From here you walk over the glacier to reach Trient Mountain hut. (3170m) You will need a guide to cross the glacier because the danger of crevasses. If you want to cut short you trip back, you can return by chairlift from La Breya.
2.Middle Valais. Arolla to Vignettes Mountain Hut. (3h 30)Start at Arolla where you can park your car or arrive by postbus. Then by foot to Vignettes. (3160m) Tel 027 2831322. For further details check Swiss Alpine Club website. www.sac-cas.ch and look for the hut. It could take 2 hours down but if you want to stay there, details are given on website.
3.Upper Valais. Zermatt to Monte Rosa Mountain Hut. (3h) Start at Zermatt and go by train to Rotenboden. Then by foot to Monte Rosa. (2795m) Tel 027 9672115. The setting is spectacular with views of the Matterhorn. Spend the night in this high tech eco-friendly building and return the next day. If you are professional climber you may wish to ascend to Dufour (4634m).
Useful websites: The Swiss Alpine Club for the mountain huts is www.sac-cas.ch. The routes of the Postbuses can be found on www.postauto.ch/wallis.The comprehensive website for walks in the Valais see www.valrando.ch
For specialised walks like visiting the Celtic holy places contact Hans Steffen :
tel.0041(0) 27 923 5375 or Mob. 0041 (0)79 609 4592. The Association of mountain guides (Association Suisse des Accompagnateurs en montage - ASAM see www.randonnee.ch)
Equipment
Footwear. Walking or alpine boots are necessary, specially with a maximum grip sole. They protect you from slipping and getting wet. Trainers are not suitable and are dangerous because of the risk of slipping.
Wear in new shoes on short walks before setting off to an extended mountain tour.
Clothes. Protect yourself with appropriate clothes, particularly with fabrics that are waterproofed and provide you with warmth. Recommended are ‘breathable’ clothes.
Miscellaneous. Take along enough to eat and drink. Eat or drink before you are hungry or thirsty.
Ensure that you have good maps or / and GPS.
Mobile phone.
First aid kit.
Use sunscreen and wear sunglasses.
Footwear. Walking or alpine boots are necessary, specially with a maximum grip sole. They protect you from slipping and getting wet. Trainers are not suitable and are dangerous because of the risk of slipping.
Wear in new shoes on short walks before setting off to an extended mountain tour.
Clothes. Protect yourself with appropriate clothes, particularly with fabrics that are waterproofed and provide you with warmth. Recommended are ‘breathable’ clothes.
Miscellaneous. Take along enough to eat and drink. Eat or drink before you are hungry or thirsty.
Ensure that you have good maps or / and GPS.
Mobile phone.
First aid kit.
Use sunscreen and wear sunglasses.
Farrol Kahn
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My favourite villages are Eischoll, Bürchen and Unterbäch.
