SWITZERLAND SUNDAY 19TH JUNE 2005
Shirley Purves
The snow-powdered Matterhorn, which reaches to 13,000 feet, and dominates the ski resort of Zermatt, was a fine glistening sight in the early morning sunshine as pilgrims arrived in Victorian country attire at the Gornergrat Bahnhof to board the Gornergrat Monte Rosa cogwheel railway. This climbs to Riffenalp, a small mountain community at 6,000 feet, encircled by vast views of the Alpine panorama. Here, on the partly shaded tennis courts belonging to the Riffenalp Hotel, Father Stephen Roth celebrated a Memorial Mass for Richard Lancelyn Green with the liturgy sung in yodelling by three ladies from across the valley and accompanied by a gentle accordionist. This was a poignant and unforgettable event, and the plaintive harmony brought in many walkers to join us before setting out on their walking day in the mountains.
Then cameras came out as a plaque was unveiled to Sir Arthur who devised Holmes’ demise at the Reichenbach Falls at this very spot. After vin d’honneur, a fine buffet lunch was taken on the huge terrace of the Hotel overlooking the superb Alpine skiing terrain for which the Zermatt area is so well known. ACD’s connection to the area is popular and once again we became the targets of yet more walkers making for the wanderweggen requesting to be photographed with this splendidly dressed company from the 19 th and early 20 th centuries.
Another half hour ascent of nearly 3,000 feet took us to Gornergrat itself, truly on top of the world at 10,134 feet. Two charming St Bernard dogs complete with brandy flasks became the stars of the show as they patiently posed, with the Matterhorn background even more spectacular in the blazing sunshine, thankfully cooled by a breeze at this height. As we eventually descended back to Zermatt in the funicular railway, several hardy pilgrims alighted at wayside stations to complete the journey down 5,000 feet to Zermatt on foot and enjoy the variety of exquisite wild flowers en route.
There was then time for a short exploration of this lovely town of traditional Swiss architecture, where cars are banned and transport consists of small electric ‘trams’ about the size of a 4CV, and of course horse and carriage. But it is on foot that one sees and finds the treasures, the fine traditional buildings with steeply shelved roofs, the busy high street, (even on a late Sunday afternoon), with its unusual shops selling carvings and other memorabilia, the small chemist stocked with the most expensive cosmetics, the many traditional hotels with balconies bedecked with fantastic hanging baskets of flowers, Behind this street façade, steep steps lead to the pretty English parish church; in the poignant and sobering Cemetery are graves of mountaineers who fell from the Matterhorn and the Monte Rosa. Before returning to our comfortable traditional hotels, it was a delight to explore and then sit on the café verandas for that welcome cup of tea (or something stronger) and watch the world of many nationalities go by.
Dinner that evening was to be a special event at the 5 star hotel Zermartterhof. As the party gathered for wine on the lawns, a sudden burst of the “Dam-busters’ March on loud speakers heralded the advent at full tilt, of an extraordinary troupe (whose shapes were surprisingly recognisable even if their faces were partly hidden) with, strange to relate, red aeroplanes of unknown origin and manufacture on their heads. A mock battle ensued to the amazement of passers by… of course; the Red Arrows… must have been their Number 3 team. Defence cuts, you know!
Dinner was in a magnificent dining room and after the starter; a rescue mountaineer gave an illustrated lecture on the first ascent of the Matterhorn by Ernest Whymper in 1865,to a rapt audience, He had analysed the events and causes surrounding those two first known deaths on the mountain, and brought from the Town Museum the rope that broke and so plunge them to their deaths. From those far-off pre nylon days, some members of the party recognised the rope as closely resembling clothesline… to think this was all they had to rely on. Then came a fine and most unusual hand bell ringing display by a husband and wife team, which brought loud applause. It was a somewhat exhausted team of pilgrims who made there way downhill to their hotels, though it was noticed that one or two did slope off for a final dram. It was also noticed that two of our elegant gentlemen, like all the other men resplendent in white tie and tails, who prided them selves on having a fresh rose in their buttonholes each morning would once again achieve their goal…one particular table decoration looked decidedly lopsided. |
