Home again
Sep. 1st, 2003 02:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
azziriaBack from holiday (and back to the grindstone).
Had a good time in Switzerland and Germany, and we all enjoyed it although I think DS missed his friends a bit (DD, on the other hand, was in heaven - Mummy, Daddy and her big brother all to herself for 2 whole weeks...).
Day 1 (Aug 16): Cambridge to Epinal, France
Our longest drive of the holiday. Caught the ferry from Dover to Dunkerque (what a dismal place, just imagine flat desolate wasteground, industrial chimneys and rusting train carriages as your introduction to La Belle France). Stayed overnight in a very hot hotel in Epinal.
Day 2 (Aug 17): Epinal to Grindelwald, Swiss Alps
Lunched in Interlaken (rosti, very Swiss), then headed up the valley to Grindelwald. The campsite we stayed at 10 years ago is no more, but we found another. Less snow on the Eiger than I remember from before.
Day 3 (Aug 18): Grindelwald; Pfingstegg cable car
Took a trip up the Pfinsteggbahn. A big rainstorm hit, the kids got cold, so we came down again. Not an auspicious start to the holiday.
Day 4 (Aug 19): Grindelwald; Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg
Caught the cable car up to Mannlichen (to the great excitement of DS and DD) and walked to Kleine Scheidegg. Superb views of the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau. We wanted to see how the kids dealt with the altitude - the answer was ‘fine’. Took the train down to Grindelwald (I set off to walk down while DH took the kids on the train, but they have ‘upgraded’ the path until it is more like a wide gravel road, and isn’t very nice, so I hopped on the train at Alpiglen).
Day 5 (Aug 20): Grindelwald; Schynigge Platte
Took the (very steep) train ride from Interlaken up to Schynigge Platte. DH was having his day off, and set off to walk along to the First cable car station (a 5-6 hour walk, depending on which sign you read). There was a teddy bear exhibition at the hotel at the top station, so DS, DD and I visited that (DD thought it was totally marvellous), then we set off to walk down to the middle station (Breitlauenen). It took us about 2 hours (it would have taken me 1 hour without the kids) and was a charming little Alpine path, criss-crossing the railway line and going through Alpine meadows (including large Alpine cows - had to reassure DS that just because a bovine has horns it doesn’t mean it’s a bull), skirting the bottom of cliffs, and finally zig-zagging down through the forest. We saw several black squirrels (shades of Mirkwood here...) and a very large hare on the path.
Day 6 (Aug 21): Grindelwald; Schynigge Platte to First
My turn for a day off - decided to do the same walk that DH had done the day before (described in our guide book as an Alpine classic). Got the early train, so was walking early and was first out along the path. Saw loads of birds (including black redstarts and alpine accentors) and also several large fat marmots on the path (at this end of the summer they’re feeding themselves up for hibernating through the winter). All my time in the gym is obviously worth it - I made very good time along the path, reaching the Faulhorn in 3 hours flat despite feeling the altitude a little (here in the UK I live at sea level). Truly a fine walk. Met up with the family at Bachalpsee (they had come up on the First cable car). Spent some time at First watching the parapenters go off the side of the mountain - having done a couple of short (and low) flights myself I’d love to do some more... the flatlands of East Anglia aren’t the place for it, sadly.
Day 6 (Aug 22): Jungfraujoch
Caught the train up inside the Eiger to the Jungfraujoch so that DS and DD could see the snow. The views from up there are out of this world. Went out onto the snow - the kids were very impressed by being able to go sledging, and also liked seeing the huskies. DS got a little obsessed with the crevasses on the Aletschgletscher, and kept demanding to know what happens to you if you fall into a crevasse, and how many years it would take for your body to come out of the snout of the glacier. Morbid child.
Day 7 (Aug 23): Lauterbrunnen valley; Trummelbach falls
Got the cable car up to Mannlichen (got told off by a fierce German lady for being cruel to my child - I was very indignant, because the reason DD was crying wasn’t that she was scared of climbing the mountain, it was because I wouldn’t let her climb it first), then another cable car down to Wengen, train to Lauterbrunnen, bus to the Trummelbach falls (both children overwhelmed with joy at all these modes of transport). The Trummelbach falls are amazing - being a caver I’ve seen some underground waterfalls in my time, but these knock the socks off all of them. If you’re ever in the Lauterbrunnen valley, go see.
Day 8 (Aug 24): Grindelwald; Gletscherschluct
Nice easy day. Walked up into the glacier gorge, then up and over the footbridge that crosses the top of the gorge at its narrowest point. People bungie jump into this gorge. Can’t say I fancy it myself.
Day 9 (Aug 25): Grindelwald to Schonau, in the Black Forest
Moved on to the Black Forest. Found a quaint and slightly delapidated little family-run campsite in Schonau that was infested with garden gnomes. Have had to explain repeatedly to the children since then that, charming though gnomes may be in a Black Forest setting, they would be totally and utterly naff in a garden in Histon. Not sure DS and DD are convinced.
Day 10 (Aug 25): Belchen
Climbed Belchen, one of the highest hills in the Black Forest (it would be a mountain here in the UK). The path went up through woods in a nature reserve, and was delightful, and the view from the top of the Schwarzwald and the Rhine valley is superb. The kids walked a very long way and did it really well - I was very proud of them, they walk a long way for 5 and 3.
Day 11 (Aug 26): Basel
Caught the train into Basel to show DH and the kids where I disappear to for work all the time. Generally wandered around being tourists, rode trams, took the little passenger ferry across the Rhine, and climbed the Munster tower. We visited the little park I run past when I go jogging in Basel - I always think that the kids would love it, and they did.
Day 12 (Aug 27): Black Forest; Schwarzwald Park
A day for the kids. Took them to a park with animals (wild boar, bears, bison, monkeys, deer), a huge adventure playground, and various little rides, including a summer bobsled run (great fun!). A massive thunderstorm hit that night - scary stuff in a tent (the ground was shaking like an earthquake). The kids slept through it all. DH and I didn’t.
Day 13 (Aug 28): Black Forest to Reims
Stayed overnight in Reims on our way home. Went to look at the cathedral, which is very impressive indeed - soaring arches and beautiful stained glass, including some very blue (in colour, that is...) windows by Chagall.
Day 14 (Aug 29): Reims to Cambridge
Finally home again, to a distinctly chilly welcome from the cat (who never gave us permission to go away in the first place) and a glut of tomatoes urgently needing to be turned into tomato sauce and put into the freezer. Indulged in our customary end-of-holiday takeaway curry for tea. Nice to go away, but nice to get home again too.
Had a good time in Switzerland and Germany, and we all enjoyed it although I think DS missed his friends a bit (DD, on the other hand, was in heaven - Mummy, Daddy and her big brother all to herself for 2 whole weeks...).
Day 1 (Aug 16): Cambridge to Epinal, France
Our longest drive of the holiday. Caught the ferry from Dover to Dunkerque (what a dismal place, just imagine flat desolate wasteground, industrial chimneys and rusting train carriages as your introduction to La Belle France). Stayed overnight in a very hot hotel in Epinal.
Day 2 (Aug 17): Epinal to Grindelwald, Swiss Alps
Lunched in Interlaken (rosti, very Swiss), then headed up the valley to Grindelwald. The campsite we stayed at 10 years ago is no more, but we found another. Less snow on the Eiger than I remember from before.
Day 3 (Aug 18): Grindelwald; Pfingstegg cable car
Took a trip up the Pfinsteggbahn. A big rainstorm hit, the kids got cold, so we came down again. Not an auspicious start to the holiday.
Day 4 (Aug 19): Grindelwald; Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg
Caught the cable car up to Mannlichen (to the great excitement of DS and DD) and walked to Kleine Scheidegg. Superb views of the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau. We wanted to see how the kids dealt with the altitude - the answer was ‘fine’. Took the train down to Grindelwald (I set off to walk down while DH took the kids on the train, but they have ‘upgraded’ the path until it is more like a wide gravel road, and isn’t very nice, so I hopped on the train at Alpiglen).
Day 5 (Aug 20): Grindelwald; Schynigge Platte
Took the (very steep) train ride from Interlaken up to Schynigge Platte. DH was having his day off, and set off to walk along to the First cable car station (a 5-6 hour walk, depending on which sign you read). There was a teddy bear exhibition at the hotel at the top station, so DS, DD and I visited that (DD thought it was totally marvellous), then we set off to walk down to the middle station (Breitlauenen). It took us about 2 hours (it would have taken me 1 hour without the kids) and was a charming little Alpine path, criss-crossing the railway line and going through Alpine meadows (including large Alpine cows - had to reassure DS that just because a bovine has horns it doesn’t mean it’s a bull), skirting the bottom of cliffs, and finally zig-zagging down through the forest. We saw several black squirrels (shades of Mirkwood here...) and a very large hare on the path.
Day 6 (Aug 21): Grindelwald; Schynigge Platte to First
My turn for a day off - decided to do the same walk that DH had done the day before (described in our guide book as an Alpine classic). Got the early train, so was walking early and was first out along the path. Saw loads of birds (including black redstarts and alpine accentors) and also several large fat marmots on the path (at this end of the summer they’re feeding themselves up for hibernating through the winter). All my time in the gym is obviously worth it - I made very good time along the path, reaching the Faulhorn in 3 hours flat despite feeling the altitude a little (here in the UK I live at sea level). Truly a fine walk. Met up with the family at Bachalpsee (they had come up on the First cable car). Spent some time at First watching the parapenters go off the side of the mountain - having done a couple of short (and low) flights myself I’d love to do some more... the flatlands of East Anglia aren’t the place for it, sadly.
Day 6 (Aug 22): Jungfraujoch
Caught the train up inside the Eiger to the Jungfraujoch so that DS and DD could see the snow. The views from up there are out of this world. Went out onto the snow - the kids were very impressed by being able to go sledging, and also liked seeing the huskies. DS got a little obsessed with the crevasses on the Aletschgletscher, and kept demanding to know what happens to you if you fall into a crevasse, and how many years it would take for your body to come out of the snout of the glacier. Morbid child.
Day 7 (Aug 23): Lauterbrunnen valley; Trummelbach falls
Got the cable car up to Mannlichen (got told off by a fierce German lady for being cruel to my child - I was very indignant, because the reason DD was crying wasn’t that she was scared of climbing the mountain, it was because I wouldn’t let her climb it first), then another cable car down to Wengen, train to Lauterbrunnen, bus to the Trummelbach falls (both children overwhelmed with joy at all these modes of transport). The Trummelbach falls are amazing - being a caver I’ve seen some underground waterfalls in my time, but these knock the socks off all of them. If you’re ever in the Lauterbrunnen valley, go see.
Day 8 (Aug 24): Grindelwald; Gletscherschluct
Nice easy day. Walked up into the glacier gorge, then up and over the footbridge that crosses the top of the gorge at its narrowest point. People bungie jump into this gorge. Can’t say I fancy it myself.
Day 9 (Aug 25): Grindelwald to Schonau, in the Black Forest
Moved on to the Black Forest. Found a quaint and slightly delapidated little family-run campsite in Schonau that was infested with garden gnomes. Have had to explain repeatedly to the children since then that, charming though gnomes may be in a Black Forest setting, they would be totally and utterly naff in a garden in Histon. Not sure DS and DD are convinced.
Day 10 (Aug 25): Belchen
Climbed Belchen, one of the highest hills in the Black Forest (it would be a mountain here in the UK). The path went up through woods in a nature reserve, and was delightful, and the view from the top of the Schwarzwald and the Rhine valley is superb. The kids walked a very long way and did it really well - I was very proud of them, they walk a long way for 5 and 3.
Day 11 (Aug 26): Basel
Caught the train into Basel to show DH and the kids where I disappear to for work all the time. Generally wandered around being tourists, rode trams, took the little passenger ferry across the Rhine, and climbed the Munster tower. We visited the little park I run past when I go jogging in Basel - I always think that the kids would love it, and they did.
Day 12 (Aug 27): Black Forest; Schwarzwald Park
A day for the kids. Took them to a park with animals (wild boar, bears, bison, monkeys, deer), a huge adventure playground, and various little rides, including a summer bobsled run (great fun!). A massive thunderstorm hit that night - scary stuff in a tent (the ground was shaking like an earthquake). The kids slept through it all. DH and I didn’t.
Day 13 (Aug 28): Black Forest to Reims
Stayed overnight in Reims on our way home. Went to look at the cathedral, which is very impressive indeed - soaring arches and beautiful stained glass, including some very blue (in colour, that is...) windows by Chagall.
Day 14 (Aug 29): Reims to Cambridge
Finally home again, to a distinctly chilly welcome from the cat (who never gave us permission to go away in the first place) and a glut of tomatoes urgently needing to be turned into tomato sauce and put into the freezer. Indulged in our customary end-of-holiday takeaway curry for tea. Nice to go away, but nice to get home again too.
