France and Switzerland, August 2022

18-21st August - Switzerland

After more high mountains and actually getting cold, the weather finally turned nasty, and the last few days were a bit of washout. I did, however, manage to run up to Edelweiss Zermatt, which from Zermatt looks totally inaccessible, but actually there's a reasonable (but steep and rocky) path up to it. Before the advent of helicopters, keeping that hotel supplied must have been awkward, as there's no road up to it. The descent from higher up the valley was one of those unforgettable exciting blasts down narrow twisty rocky paths, with any misjudgment near ravines likely to cause quite an injury.

After a short stay back in Ebmatingen, it was off to Zürich airport to compare the alternative to the train. The whole experience was totally slick: no queues, the plane left for the Netherlands on time, and the connection to Leeds was made with ease. They need to do a lot of work to make the train as easy as flying. Which is a shame, as once on the train, I think it's a much more relaxing way to travel.