Wednesday 25th September : Weather: 10°C in Altdorf to 13°C in Davos : Sunny spells, overcast, no rain
Altdorf to Davos: 4 hours in Train: About 10k walk Davos Platz to Davosersee.
Ascent and Descent: Ascent 000m, Descent 000m,
Time: Train Altdorf 10.06am to Davos Platz 2.00pm: Walk 4pm to 5.30pm 10k to Davosersee
Accommodation: Alpen Chic Promenade 73 Davos Platz
4 hours Altdorf to Davos Platz
Rhaetian Railway to Davos
Snow on alps Davosersee
ian cold at Davosersee
Hohe Promenade Davos
Davos Platz ffrom Hohe Promenade
A day travelling four hours by train from Altdorf to Davos Platz through the beautiful Swiss countryside, passing Lake Lucerne, the Zugersee, Zurichsee then the picturesque railway from Landquart to Davos Platz. Then a walk to the Davosersee and back to Davos Platz on the Hohe Promenade above Davos.
We’re awake really early before 6am with lots to do before we leave our farmstay at 9am. First a cup of tea, then sweeping and washing the floor, cleaning the benches before breakfast of Meusli and yoghurt for Ian and fried bread and banana for me. More packing and cleaning befoer a shower and a cup of coffee before we leave Rotem and Karl Marty’s farmstay at 9am. It’s a cool morning at 10°C when we walk the 1k up the road to the Altdorf train station carrying all the extra bags that we had left there until our return from three weeks hiking.
We check the train times and platforms while waiting at the platform. But the SBB site indicates there might be a “carriage difficulty” on one of the sections. I race back to the SBB office to check and they tell me no problem it’s OK, and gives me a printout of the platforms where we need to change trains. It’s always handy to know which platform you have to run to with only three minutes to change trains. We have lunch - more a bite to eat - a shared banana and shared chunk of cheese on the longer leg to Landquart.
The train arrives on time at 10.06am and the route is like a spectacular tourist train passing by Lake Lucerne, the Zugersee and Zurichsee. Wwe transfer easily between Zug, Thalwil and Landquart then change to the Rhaetian Railway into Davos Platz arriving at 2pm. It’s a cold 13°C as we walk the 1k to our Air BnB Apartment called Alpen Chic ny Bea. We’ve been given very clear instructions how to get there, and it was easy to go straight to the lockbox key and find our way into the small studio. It’s tiny but complete with all we need, including a balcony with a mountain view but it’s too cold to sit outside.
A quick cup of tea then down to the Davos Tourist Office where we pay the Tourist Tax of 56CHF which then entitles us to discounted bus, train and cable car fares. We’re told that all the cable cars are still running, despite heavy snowfall a few weeks ago. The alps glisten with a fresh layer of snow. The staff were very helpful and we left with maps and an ice of where to walk over the next few days.
Leaving with an armful of brochures, we decide to stretch our legs and walk up the teh Davosersee a few k down teh valley past Davos Dorf. We’re amaxed at the number of hikers floating around town, despite the colder than usual weather. We’re soon at the picturesque Davosersee, and return to walk back to where we had seen a sign back to Davos Platz via the Hohe Promenade. It’s a beautiful walk about 50 metres above the valley with views all round - across the valley and up to Davos Platz. Eventually we’re back near the Davos Platz station and follow Google Maps to Aldi Suisse. We pass teh Coop on teh way, and pop in to buy a packet of Norwegian Smoked Salmon - for some reason Aldi doesn’t have this style. Then to Aldi to by bread, meusli, yoghurt, honey, bananas, apples, onions and mâche, (miniature spinach leaves called Lamb’s Lettuce in English).
Back to our studio for a beer.wine with some macadamia nuts we’d bought from Australia and stored in Altdorf, then dinner of salad mixed in our cheap plastic bowl with smoked salmon.