Zermatt 1

We had decided to come to Zermatt due to a promising weather forecast. After the cloudy, cool and windy day before, today looked much better. Everything is very expensive in Zermatt, so with some help from the tourist info centre we made a plan for the day which involved buying tickets to the top on the Gornergrat Express and part of the way back down. A return ticket to the top costs 94 Swiss Francs, or about AU$130.

We left the train at Riffelberg and followed walk 19 via Riffelsee to re-board the train at Rotenboden. We saw large groups walking on other trails but almost had our trail to ourselves until we got to Riffelsee where you see a reflection of the Matterhorn in the lake.

We had a coffee at Gornergrat, sitting in brilliant sunshine. When we moved to get away from a smoker we got talking to a local couple who have spent a total of 6 years in Australia. After coffee we walked up to the panoramic viewpoint nearby, then caught the train down to Riffelalp where we followed the number 21 walk to the top of the SunneggaExpress, an underground funicular railway.

We didn't have tickets for the Sunnegga, but had been told we could take it to the bottom and buy a ticket there. There was some problem with the train, so we joined the large number of people sitting on the cold damp steps from which you board the steeply sloping train. After an hour the problem was apparently fixed and we were allowed to board. In France we have yet to have our tickets checked on any train or tram. In Switzerland you pay or you walk, with conductors checking tickets on every train, and at Zermatt your electronic ticket is required to get either on or off every lift or train.

We suggested to the man supervising the exit gates that, since we had waited for a full hour due to a fault, perhaps he could just let us out without having to buy tickets. He didn't take too much persuading and opened the gate for us.

Dinner included a very nice bratwurst from the barbeque in front of the butcher shop.

So many wildflowers I have created a Google Photos album: https://goo.gl/photos/mYWQYmBUcTvSTi517

11km 511mts climbingRead more