There’s no better place to start than the great mountains, majestic glaciers and incredible Alpine lakes that characterise the south-west of Switzerland. The Gorner Glacier was our first destination. Climbing up the left hand side of the 14km long glacier is a bit like being in a timeless space.
To the south, Breithorn, Pollux, Castor, Lyskamm and Monte Rosa frame it in one of the most beautiful landscapes in the Alps. From Rotenboden, which you can get to with the Gornergrat train, to the Monte Rosa Hut, the trail initially descends gently towards the bed of the glacier. Viewing these 4000m peaks from below, the peaks that tower above the glacial strip, the peaks that we often ski down, it has a certain effect. Those immense masses of continuously moving ice provide a sense of belonging and a feeling of fragility at the same time.
Having almost reached the bed of the glacier, we begin climbing back up to the Monte Rosa Hut which doesn’t take long once we’ve tackled some sections on fixed ropes and wooden walkways. From here the view is breathtaking. It spans from Monte Rosa to the Gornergrat and the Matterhorn.
The crevasses that mark the bed of the glacier seem to almost make it breathe, making it seem more alive and moving than it already is. The streams that flow through it and the various small lakes that form really give the impression that the ice is melting.
We stay another few minutes and then it’s time to go back, to follow those streams because water, in its various forms, is the element of our first stage and from the glaciers we’re now moving on to the lakes, one in particular. Leaving Zermatt, we head towards one of the Alpine lakes that we’re most intrigued by: Lake Oeschinen. This is an incredible place, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, an intact Alpine lake fed by glacial streams, perhaps the most beautiful mountain lake we’ve ever seen. Surrounded by 3000m peaks such as Blüemlisalp, Oeschinenhorn, Fründenhorn and Doldenhorn that are submerged straight into the water and give the lake an incredible look. We climb up a path that goes up to 2000m high. The view is truly fantastic, there are viewpoints everywhere, and the contrast between the blue water, the snow-capped summits and the cliffs is phenomenal. This place offers dreamy scenery from any vantage point and the colours change throughout the day.
It’s a place that leaves you open-mouthed, and somewhere we took photos of at every turn. A unique place, where the element of water certainly finds its perfect incarnation for us.
@loalesi