Friday 6th September : Weather: 5°C at Griesalp: 12°C at Hohturli: 18°C at Kandesteg: Blue skies, sunny
Griesalp to Kandersteg: 15.4k walk: 14.4k Griesalp to Oeschinensee, cable car to Kandersteg, 1k walk Hotel
Ascent and Descent: Ascent 1403m, Descent 1209m,
Time: 7.45am to 6.00pm: Total 10h 15m: Walk 8h 15m + 3x20m stops + 30m cable car + 15m walk at end
Accommodation: Hotel Pension Spycher, Kandersteg
Stunning mornimg Naturfruendehaus
Coffee view up to Hohturli Pass
Ian up the steep steps
Top of the world Hohturli 2778 m
View from Hohturli 2778m
Oeschinensee above Kandersteg
Today was an absoulutely stunning day in the alps with blue skies, sunny all day and no wind - and no rain. Highlight was reaching the Hohturli at 2,778 metres after a four hour slog up hill from Griesalp at 1,408 metres.
We both slept very well, considering the bed had a down hill and sideways slant and the walls were paper thin. It’s dark when we wake at 6am, but breakfast starts at 6.30am, so no shower, and we’re down to breakfast early. The hot cup of tea goes well with the meusli and yoghurts followed by reasonably fresh bread, jam and cheese. We’re offered another cup of tea, which was piping hot as well.
Back to out room to pack, and by now, we can see out our window that the rain has gone and it’s a stunningly beautiful day. After paying the bill of 198 CHF for half board plus the beer and 3 pinot noirs, we leave at 7.45am. Our host takes a photo of us against a background of the snow capped alps and blue skies. It’s a cold 5°C as we walk down the road in the shadow of the alps, but soon the track leads up hill and we stop to take off a few layers. There’s a procession of hikers walkig up the Hohturli, most overtaking us as we plod along.
After two hours of uphill slog, we’re in the warmth of the sun just as a wooden bench seat appears, Coffee time at 10am. We’re only half way up the 1400 metre climb, with another 700 metres still to ascend. The track passes up over the glacier moraine, and is seriously steep, each step gaining height rapidly around interminable series of zig zags which eventually leads to several sets set of wooden steps laid against the slippery shale. As we gain height the views back to Griesalp are amazing and further to the north, we can see the Thunersee. More steps, ladders and cables and at 12.15pm we reach the top of Hohturli at 2,778 metres and join the umpteen hikers already there. It’s cool, but not cold and there’s no wind. Everyone is taking photos of each other to mark this auspicious occasion.
Time for a well earned 30 minute break to have lunch - stale bread, butter and cheese. Many hikers have walked the extra but uphill to the Blumlisalphutte, doing a roaring trade with coffees and lunches. The way down towards Kandersteg another series of zig zags over shale. It’s slippery from teh rain yesterday, with several washouts. The path follows the crest of another moraine wall before reaching pasture land littered with rocks and boulders, making the track even more difficult.
After two and a half hours, it’s 3.15pm and we come to the Unter Berlu hut which is serving refreshments. It’s perched on the edge of a precipice overlooking the Oeschinensee. We find a slab of stne to sit and have an afternoon cup of tea. We’ve still a few hours walking to do and need a break. There’s several yellow signs indicting different routes to Kandersteg. We follow the signs to the cable car to get down the last 400 metres descent. It cost 24 CHF each and soon we’re at the bottom with anothe 1k to walk to out hotel Pension Spycher. It’s 6pm when we arrive, and given the key to room 8 on teh second floor - more steps.
The Coop closes at 6.30pm, so we dump our geat and rush downtown 200 metres to nuy 2 beers, one tomato, ham and a loaf of super hot bread. Back to our room where we re arrange the furniture to set up a small table for dinner brought from the Coop, with the lettuce Ian carried all the way mixed with mayonnaise to slather on the hot bread ham and tomato. The beer is super cold.
Washing clothes and shower time and belatedly, I sort photos and blog before a late night at 10pm after a wonderful day.