Zermatt and the Matterhorn
25/02/08 12:31 Filed in: ExploreBlog
On a clear day, Zermatt is all about the Matterhorn. But, on the day we arrived in this famously car-free town , where enclosed golf buggy taxis hum around the streets, the Matterhorn was teasing. It's head was stubbornly stuck in the clouds. We joked about our "room with Matterhorn view", but still it was not to be seen.
But there is nothing you can do about the weather, other than hope for a break. The following day the morning mists cleared just enough to tantalise. It was almost like a strip-tease! Little breaks in the cloud gave you enticing glimpses of parts of this famous mountain. Then gradually more an more appeared until we were sure it was worth taking the Gornergrat railway up to view the Matterhorn closer up.
Even from Gornergrat the Matterhorn still clung to its teasing little veil of cloud.
There are hundreds of climbers who tackle the mountain for real. It was scaled until 1865 by Britain's Edward Whymper and his team, in 1865. On the way back, one of the climbers slipped, pulling four others to their death. As was then the practice, all seven were roped together and it was only by good fortune that the rope broke before all seven were dragged to their deaths.
The local churchyard is full of memorials to the climbers who do not make it. Still hundreds of climbers tackle the Matterhorn each week and every year a number die in the attempt.
The Gornergrat railway gets you up to 10,132 feet (3089 m) where - as long as the clouds are clear - you can enjoy the full vista of the mountains around the Matterhorn and further afield. It is worth checking the webcam before going up to see how clear the conditions are.
The Gornergrat railway is not included in the Swiss Pass (which gets you unrestricted travel on most Swiss railways, post buses and many boats) – however, if you present your pass you will get a substantial discount on the Gornergrat ticket. Remember, also, as you board the train in the centre of Zermatt, near the main rail station, that the weather at 10,132 feet may be substantially different from the weather in Zermatt! If yo want to walk around at Gornergrat, pay particular attention to your footwear. Snow packed down by hundreds of feet can be extremely slippery, so choose something with good grip!
We spent some time at Gornergrat, just soaking in the atmosphere and the views, while also catching our breath. The air is thinner at this altitude and even slight exertion will have people who are not acclimatised gasping for air!
Revealed - the Matterhorn in all its glory
The following day Zermatt patience was rewarded when the Matterhorn finally discarded all its veils and gave us the promised Matterhorn view from our room. We stood and stared in awe. We scoured the surface with binoculars. It was hard to imagine that, at that very moment, parties of climbers were challenging themselves and the elements to climb the mountain.
The memorial stones in the churchyard beside the hotel were a reminder that some might not make it.
Zermatt itself is an unashamedly touristy town. Everywhere there are chalets with balconies and window boxes overflowing with flowers, even in late September.
Skiers set off from the town in the morning
We stayed in the Hotel Couronne, a modern hotel quite near the centre of Zermatt. Clean, comfortable, with friendly, helpful staff. Our only quibble was that the free wi-fi internet which they promote is very slow (to the extent that some pages just would not load) and the wireless signal was too weak to climb the stairs to the top floor. Otherwise, it rated quite highly in our books and even providing free internet is a definite feather in their caps.
The main street in Zermatt. Flowers cascade from window boxes everywhere in Switzerland.
There are plenty of eateries in the main streets around the station. Our favourite, though, was Pizzeria Roma which was close to the hotel. It is a cosy welcoming place, with good food and, on the night we were there, it was particularly busy with a pre-wedding party - yet the service was first class.
Find hotels in Zermatt. Book your flights to Switzerland and get your Swiss rail pass. Check out all things Switzerland.
Switzerland - a photographic journey book at Blur
But there is nothing you can do about the weather, other than hope for a break. The following day the morning mists cleared just enough to tantalise. It was almost like a strip-tease! Little breaks in the cloud gave you enticing glimpses of parts of this famous mountain. Then gradually more an more appeared until we were sure it was worth taking the Gornergrat railway up to view the Matterhorn closer up.
Even from Gornergrat the Matterhorn still clung to its teasing little veil of cloud.
There are hundreds of climbers who tackle the mountain for real. It was scaled until 1865 by Britain's Edward Whymper and his team, in 1865. On the way back, one of the climbers slipped, pulling four others to their death. As was then the practice, all seven were roped together and it was only by good fortune that the rope broke before all seven were dragged to their deaths.
The local churchyard is full of memorials to the climbers who do not make it. Still hundreds of climbers tackle the Matterhorn each week and every year a number die in the attempt.
The Gornergrat railway gets you up to 10,132 feet (3089 m) where - as long as the clouds are clear - you can enjoy the full vista of the mountains around the Matterhorn and further afield. It is worth checking the webcam before going up to see how clear the conditions are.
The Gornergrat railway is not included in the Swiss Pass (which gets you unrestricted travel on most Swiss railways, post buses and many boats) – however, if you present your pass you will get a substantial discount on the Gornergrat ticket. Remember, also, as you board the train in the centre of Zermatt, near the main rail station, that the weather at 10,132 feet may be substantially different from the weather in Zermatt! If yo want to walk around at Gornergrat, pay particular attention to your footwear. Snow packed down by hundreds of feet can be extremely slippery, so choose something with good grip!
We spent some time at Gornergrat, just soaking in the atmosphere and the views, while also catching our breath. The air is thinner at this altitude and even slight exertion will have people who are not acclimatised gasping for air!
Revealed - the Matterhorn in all its glory
The following day Zermatt patience was rewarded when the Matterhorn finally discarded all its veils and gave us the promised Matterhorn view from our room. We stood and stared in awe. We scoured the surface with binoculars. It was hard to imagine that, at that very moment, parties of climbers were challenging themselves and the elements to climb the mountain.
The memorial stones in the churchyard beside the hotel were a reminder that some might not make it.
Zermatt itself is an unashamedly touristy town. Everywhere there are chalets with balconies and window boxes overflowing with flowers, even in late September.
Skiers set off from the town in the morning
We stayed in the Hotel Couronne, a modern hotel quite near the centre of Zermatt. Clean, comfortable, with friendly, helpful staff. Our only quibble was that the free wi-fi internet which they promote is very slow (to the extent that some pages just would not load) and the wireless signal was too weak to climb the stairs to the top floor. Otherwise, it rated quite highly in our books and even providing free internet is a definite feather in their caps.
The main street in Zermatt. Flowers cascade from window boxes everywhere in Switzerland.
There are plenty of eateries in the main streets around the station. Our favourite, though, was Pizzeria Roma which was close to the hotel. It is a cosy welcoming place, with good food and, on the night we were there, it was particularly busy with a pre-wedding party - yet the service was first class.
Find hotels in Zermatt. Book your flights to Switzerland and get your Swiss rail pass. Check out all things Switzerland.
Switzerland - a photographic journey book at Blur
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