Gampel–Steg to Leukerbad via Albinen

June 14 - 15 2014

The Hausmen Hikers returned to Leukerbad this year but this time by walking up to it from Gampel, in the Rhone Valley, rather than arriving via the Gemmipass. Those taking part were Bruce P., Bruce S., Steve and Norval.

The route should have been about 24Km in total, according to the information published on the website giving some details of the route - approximately 18Km to Albinen on Saturday, with the remainder to Leukerbad on the Sunday. Maybe my tracking app is completely wrong but it (and my feet) told me we did a lot more. Apparently it was more like 23Km for just the first day, followed by another 12Km, the next!

Arriving in Gampel-Steg (642m) so we could reach the top station of the Jeizinen Gondola (1525m) in time for lunch worked out perfectly. It was quite a steep climb in some quite hot conditions but the weather held back the threatened rain.

Eventually descending down to Albinen (1311m) for our overnight stop, it wasn't quite all downhill, with the odd sharp rise here and there.

Arriving at "La Demeure des Elfes" made it all worthwhile. We have never received a warmer welcome than from our hosts on this occasion, Carolyn and Pierre. Being a Bed and Breakfast business, they recommended (and booked us in to) a wonderful restaurant called the "Godswärgjistubu", a few metres further in to the ancient village, where the food and wine were both delicious and great value for money.

This tiny village being in the region of Switzerland which is on the border of two languages, our hosts at the B&B spoke French (and English) while German was the language of the Restaurant!

After a lovely breakfast, featuring fried eggs Bulgarian-style and home-made jams we started happily on our way to Lukerbad and the Thermal Spa that awaited us there. With a gentle climb up to Flaschen lift station (1540m), little did we know what was waiting for us around the next corner. The only hint was a sign, in French and German, stating that the route was not suitable for those who suffered from vertigo.

After a few metres we could see the road far below and believed this is what the warning was about. After a few more metres we found out for ourselves that this was not the half of it. Waiting ahead of us was a series of 8 ladders and stairs carved into the rockface, supported by wire ropes - in places - which would take us down more than 100 metres. Afterwards, one of us voiced what all of us felt, "I pushed myself right our of my comfort zone!"

With all the time and effort taken on the last bit and still a fair walk through the woods to Leukerbad, we felt more the need for a drink and a bite to eat than we did the desite to jump in the pools. So, without further ado, it was off to have a beer and a Pizza.

Cheers - mainly because we all got down in one piece!