Heidi Day in the Maderanertal

Another Friday, another "Heidi day" for us and our guest bloke, Gary, and we were back in Canton Uri on another gorgeous August day, this time to the Maderanertal, a stunning alpine valley with an access road that gets the adrenaline pumping. Only 3km long, the narrow road up to Bristen from Amsteg twists up a steep cliff, a vertiginous drop on one side and hairpin bends blasted through the rock. A notice top and bottom warns drivers to wait at certain times when the Postbus is taking the road - there's certainly no room to pass it.

True to form, we got lost almost immediately, taking the high road across the valley. Our extra ascent had its advantages though, not only distancing us from the many other hikers and cyclists, but also providing us with untouched treasure troves of wild strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. Back on the trail proper, we climbed again, passing the 150 year old Maderanertal Berghotel. Coffee on a sunny terrace beckoned, but we ignored the call, instead taking the trail straight up the mountain to the Windgallenhütte 1000m above. Some thoughtful person had added the warning "sehr steilen Bergweg" (very steep mountain path) to the yellow signpost, but we ignored this too, marching up a near-vertical trail, grateful for our Leki sticks as we clambered over rocks and roots, pausing for lunch near the top as the trail began to level out. Despite burning lungs and legs, we were grateful we weren't attempting to walk down this hazardous path - and watched in amazement as a couple of elderly locals cheerfully set off down it with only their wooden sticks to help them.

Perched at 2032m, high above the valley and with superb views across to the glacier covered Oberalpstock, the Windgallenhütte was a perfect drink stop before our more gentle descent to the Golzernsee, and a refreshing soak in the lake's cool waters before we took the cable car down to the valley and another hair-raising, bus-beating journey back to Amsteg.