Foggy when we woke up this morning, and as regular readers will know, we don’t ski in fog. It started snowing at lunchtime – we spent most of the day doing laundry.
Popped up to the village for some shopping after lunch, and I can barely remember a more gloomy day all winter.
Val’s just off to her Pilates class, I’ll make a start on dinner, and later we’ll be off to Rocks for quiz night. Never a dull moment here.
It’s a damp, cold day here, it must be awful down in the valley with the cloud over Stechelberg.
We met Beanie & Sandro and the kids in the village. Lots of fun.
Aliena is fascinated by the phone, and she quickly learned to take selfies. Here’s a selection.
Fun and games on the way home.
A few years back the Berner Oberland Bahn wanted to widen the railway line so that they could create a passing place between Zweilutchinen and Wilderswil. Permission was granted on condition that the BOB also built and maintained a walking path alongside the river. The path makes a very nice walk. We start at Lauterbrunnen. It’s a mild day and the river is swollen with melt water from the mountains.
The path takes us past the little hydro station and past numerous little hamlets alongside the river. It’s all very chocolate-boxy.
The train stops on request at this tiny village.
The valley has been plagued by floods over the years, most recently in 2005 when much of the road and railway was destroyed.
There have been many attempts to prevent this over the years, mostly by removing the rocks from the river and making it as wide as possible. An unfortunate side-effect of this is that the fish could no longer swim up to their spawning pools in the mountains. Fish ladders have therefore been built to help them get around the most difficult bits.
Further downstream we come to an iron – smelting furnace. This was built in 1638, and it eventually employed 54 people. A small village sprang up nearby to accommodate them.
In 1831 the village was badly damaged by a flood, and subsequently destroyed by fire in 1854. Nothing remains other than the furnace.
Further down the path the valley broadens out. There’s still work taking place on the river here.
And eventually we arrive at the tiny village of Zweilutchinen. Despite its size it’s an important road and rail junction.
The train from Grindelwald pulls in.
Followed a minute later by the train from Lauterbrunnen.
The Lauterbrunnen train gently collides with the rear carriage of the Grindelwald service, and the two are coupled together for the rest of the journey down to Interlaken.
We had a quiet day today, sitting watching the snow fall in between the clouds that have enveloped the village for most of the day. Here’s a shot from our balcony in one of the clearer interludes.
It won’t be a quiet evening however. We’re having a party in Rocks with Duo Centrale providing the music. Very much looking forward to it. Tune in tomorrow for pictures.
It’s a lovely morning up at Männlichen, but the clouds over the mountains tell their own story – it’ll snow later for sure.
Lots of fresh snow meant good sport.
At Scheidegg the endless task of clearing the tracks is in full swing.
And sure enough, the first flakes started falling at lunchtime. Neat row of icicles on the path towards home.
Good night out last night night at the quiz, we came second with a lot of help from Sian on the music round. This morning was dull and gloomy so we popped down to Interlaken for shopping. The Swiss like their Primulas.
Walked up to the village later on and it started snowing.
Sat in Rocks talking rubbish with the usual suspects.
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