Zermatt and the Matterhorn

After a quick look around Geneva we set off on our first mountain expedition, which started with a 3.5 hour train trip to Zermatt in the shadow of the Matterhorn.  Today is the first day of our 8-day Swiss Travel Pass, so we can hop on and off (most) trains any time we like.  It was a grey day with some rain expected.

Our train for Zermatt pulling into Geneva.

Hardly anyone was on board.  The trains are swift and smooth.

As we skirted Lake Geneva low cloud and rain limited our views.

My decision to rely upon my phone for photos instead of carrying a camera has proven perfectly fine.  This is the first time I've left home without a "real" camera, but the fact is my phone's three cameras give very good results.  I'm getting used to the awkward grip required to hold and operate it.

Lake Geneva, near Lausanne.

After about two hours we left that train in Visp, and switched to the one which would take us up the side valley to Zermatt.  We had time for a coffee and a sandwich by the station at Visp.

After we left Visp the next train immediately started climbing, up the valley.

We were surprised how steep the climb was up to Zermatt, with deep gorges and steep cliffs.  We got there about 2 pm, with still a couple of hours until we could check in, so we put our bags in the luggage lockers and went for a walk in Zermatt.

Almost immediately we noticed everyone staring up the valley, cameras clicking.  The Matterhorn had almost emerged from the cloud, with just a wispy shroud remaining.  It is a awesome sight.

Before long it faded from view.  We waited for a while, and it rained a little, but the mountain did not reappear.

The Matterhorn did not stay visible for long.

A statue for the marmots which live around here.

Later in the day we saw quite a few of these marmots from the mountain train (coming down from Gornergrat).  They were wandering about in the rocky mountain terrain, leaving footprint trails in the snow.  They looked a little like otters, or gophers.

Zermatt is a busy tourist town, with many shops and eateries.

We left Zermatt and trained one stop back down the valley to Tasch, where we found our little mountain apartment.  The weather forecast was for fine weather in the morning, turning to cloud and possibly a storm after lunch.  We decided to get up early (earlyish) and take the Gornergrat train up the mountain as early as we could.

Next day we woke to a clear sky, so sprung into action.  Back at Zermatt we joined the crush of people straining to get the best seats on the mountain train.  Cleverly deploying our elbows we managed to secure seats on the favoured side of the train, and were soon powering our way out of town and up the mountain.

The morning view from Zermatt.  Brilliant!

Halfway up, approaching the snowy upper reaches.

Gornergrat Station, at over 10,000 feet.

The train, with the toothed cog rail clearly visible.

These trains are amazing.  They pull effortlessly up the steep inclines (up to 1 in 5 here) so must big fat motors.

There's a large glacier down there.

Here are lots of photos of the Matterhorn, sometimes with us included.  Apologies to those who have already seen the Matterhorn.  It really is impressive though.

I'm surprised someone in the family hasn't got one of these!

The weird building is the Gornergrat Hotel.

A gilded (yes, with gold leaf) tribute to the early mountain trains.

We spent two hours or so at Gornergrat, admiring the view in all directions, reading about the railway, and having the occasional coffee and snack.  This railway was first opened in 1898!  Even back then there was a demand for tourism.  The attraction of Gornergrat is that is provides a great view of the Matterhorn and so many other high mountains in the area.  The railway gradient is extremely steep, and the electric engines use regenerative braking so that the power generated by the descending trains helps to power those coming up.

What I had not anticipated was the effects of the altitude, which left me light-headed and needing the walk uphill at an old-man's pace or risk needing a lie-down.  Imagine what it would be like if I actually was an old man!

The weather held up well, so it was not until mid afternoon before cloud started to gather around the peaks.

Back down in Zermatt.  We found these old houses, still preserved.

There were always a few of these crazy people overhead.

The mountaineers' graveyard behind the church.

These mouse-proof house piles were once popular.

We feel very lucky to have struck such nice weather for our Matterhorn day.  Coming here in the train from Geneva, looking out at the rain, it was easy to imagine we could come all the way to Switzerland and never actually get to see these iconic peaks.  It was so good today that we will still be satisfied even if we are less lucky over the coming week.