To begin your walk on the Swiss wild side, first bring yourself to Canton of Valais, southern Switzerland.
If you drive there by car from the northern side, you will probably get stuck in your car on a train wagon like this, at the entrance of the Lötschberg tunnel.
20 minutes after shaking in the darkness (give some thought to the 116 workers who died drilling this hole in the mountain in 1908, several corpses still buried in the tunnel) you find yourself on the other side, in Goppenstein.
Down to the valley and up again towards Zermatt, here is the starting point of the the hike that will bring you to the wild side: it is the village of Randa, population 388 souls.
The round hike will take you on the longest pedestrian suspension bridge ever built: the Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge! To reach it you need to climb 999 meters up in forests pointed with archaic signs of primitive populations…
And here is the gate for the leap of faith: the Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge is half a kilometer long, almost 100 meter high and made out of 8 tons of steel.
It is provided with an anti-swing system, indeed no swinging despite winds and people on it for 500 meters!
It designs quite an impressive arc on the valley (here exaggerated by the long lens). Still, it is easy to start but exhausting to finish, when light swinging and uphill.
And here we are: welcome to the wild Swiss side! Along a narrow path that cuts the mountain side, above glaciers and hundreds of lousy streams, below the abyss.
Only wild animals as companion of this voyage, such as this chamois.
Other suspended bridges you will find on your path, don’t be afraid of them: you’ll never fall as long as you keep your thoughts raised high
You will then reach the high pastures back, the first sign of human civilization after hours in the wilderness
And the last animals you will leave behind will be not wild anymore
Finally back to Randa! Randa gave you the marvelous journey. Without her you would not have set out.
Pardon me Kavafy and here is a link to plan your journey. Enjoy!
