I spend five days in Andermatt and I must say, it is probably the most relaxing holiday I‘ve had in a very long time. I think I was very lucky. While the low lands were sweltering in a heatwave that lasted all week, up in Andermatt it was sunny and very pleasant.

I‘m taking the long way home to Basel. I exit The Chedi at 11:20 and cross the street to Andermatt railway station. I‘m catching the regional train at 11:37 to Oberwald, which then continues to Visp. The journey from Andermatt to Oberwald takes just over thirty minutes.

From Andermatt the train goes to Hospental and then Realp. Up until Realp it‘s a scenic ride that takes you deeper into the Urseren valley.

While Andermatt is still in Canton Uri, Oberwald is already in Canton Wallis. Realp and Oberwald are connected by the Furka base railway tunnel. Between the two places there is a regular rail service for cars, which can just drive up to the automatic ticket booth and then drive directly onto the train. The journey by train between Realp and Oberwald is about 15 minutes and runs entirely through tunnel.

At Oberwald I alight. I have forty minutes to wait for my connection with the Postauto up to the Grimsel pass.

My Postauto departs Oberwald at 12:50. It‘s a 50 minutes drive, going steadily upwards, to the Grimsel pass at 2130 m above sea level.

The views on the way up are spectacular. Some of the curves are quite precarious, but the driver of our bus manages them expertly. No wonder the pass closes in winter. Imagine coming up here is slippery, snow-covered conditions!

Up on the pass we stop for about ten minutes before continuing down the other side towards Meiringen. It looks as though a storm is approaching, but luckily it passes without a downpour.

The Grimsel Hospiz is the first stop after Grimsel Passhöhe.