Gornerschlucht, Blatten & Furi

Sunday was the last day of the full summer season at Glacier Paradise. Given our experience with the hordes at Gornergrat on Saturday, we decided to play it safe and stick to the lower slopes. So we hiked up from Zermatt through the Gornerschlucht to Blatten and on to Furi, followed by a downhill hike for the Four and a gondola ride down for Domq and me.

We said g’day to some neighbors living just around the bend.  Zermatt’s economy used to be built around wool production. The compound we’re in was the family sheep farm. Chalet Huwi, where we’re staying, was the family home.  The house next door, where granddaughter Lisa and her family now live, was the barn.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

We walked down the hill (always a good start to an uphill hike) to cross the Vispa river.

We passed a fabulous kids nature play center. I wanted to be ten again.

• 

• 

• 

• 

The Gornerschlucht (Gorner Gorge) is privately owned and charges 5 Swiss francs for the privilege of clambering across a mile or so of hanging walkways.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Emerging from the gorge, we crossed the Vispa again, climbed up a slope and found ourselves in the lovely village of Blatten.

We stopped for refreshment at the Bergrestaurant Blatten, featuring stunning views.

Ricola has an herb garden in Blatten which Domq and Judy were keen to visit.

• 

• 

Blatten has a sweet little 17th century church.

• 

• 

• 

• 

The trail out of Blatten headed downhill (of course), then rose steeply for the climb to Furi.

• 

• 

• 

• 

At Furi, we munched on packed sandwiches while enjoying the views and bustle.

After lunch, the Four hiked further to a suspension bridge which crosses the Vispa above Furi, then turned around and hiked back down. Below are pictures from their hike.

• 

• 

• 

• 

Domq and I boarded the gondola and went swinging down to Zermatt.

Exiting at the Matterhorn Express gondola station (located mid-way between the upper and lower parts of Zermatt), we walked down the hill into the center of town. We stayed together until we got to the bahnhof, then separated for the afternoon.  Domq wanted to visit the cemetery and check out an “alpine garden” I’d spotted on the bus the day before. (The “garden” turned out to be a plant nursery – oh, well.)  I picked up essentials at the CoOp and rode the bus back up the hill to the chalet.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Dinner that night on the terrace at one of our “locals,” Sonnmatten.

• 

•