Hiking in Andermatt

Hiking buddy Hilary planned to spend the weekend at her Andermatt apartment, so we joined her there for our Friday hike, Gary given temporary girl status and allowed to join us. The original plan was to tackle the Gemsstock, but when we saw the dotted blue line on the map that indicates serious alpine hiking, and read about a vaguely terrifying "transverse", my vertigo began to kick in at the mere prospect of crossing that glacier.

So the plan was modified to a five and a half hour circuit of the Unteralptal, up through Maighelspass to Oberalppass and then a train back down to Andermatt. We started with an easy stroll up the valley, dogs Molly and Albi occasionally dashing off in pursuit of marmots, those silly creatures that sit atop rocks and chirp, too much for any self-respecting terrier to ignore. Towards the end of the otherwise deserted valley we came across a tiny alpine farming settlement, with cows and mobile milking shed to one side, and clambering across the steep hill to the other side, a flock of sheep several times larger than any I've previously seen in Switzerland, more reminiscent of a New Zealand high country farm, with shepherd and dogs in residence high above us.

Lunch was at the Vermigelhütte, at 2042m already 600m above Andermatt, and from there it was a steep and rocky climb another 400m to the top of the Maighelspass. Relatively easy for us with our leki sticks, but incredibly challenging for a number of cyclists making their way down the rocky trail. Most got off and walked, but several just bounced on down, mud-spattered, helmeted and completely crazy. "Twice in the last half hour", sighed one guy, changing his rock-punctured tire near the top. It was a spectacular hike, though, brilliant blue alpine bluebells lining the trail up, tiny lakes and moors dotted over the high passes, and the occasional patch of deep snow remaining from the winter.

A long trek down the Oberalppass, the winding, undulating rail at the end of the pass busy with day-trippers, brought us to the station and the Matterhorn-Gotthard train. Strangely familiar, this little platform and the cog railway lines - I'd skied here in February, a very different scene and temperature. The lake now rimmed with fishermen was then frozen and snow covered, and we huddled out of the biting wind in the small waiting room. Back then we left the train at the top of the road down to Andermatt and skied down the long trail, but this time we stayed on for the steep drop down to our cold beers and the train home.