Saas Fee revisited

[tonyg]

Our family trip to Switzerland ended with a glorious sunset by Lake Geneva on Monday evening.  After two weeks of changeable weather there are about 800 pics to sort through.  I will spare you the extensive review of childrens play areas and concentrate on the plants (which to be honest had to take a back seat on this trip!)

We started with three days at Vevey for Lake and associated attractions.  Riviera Lodge backpackers hostel was the cheapest lakeside accomodation we could find.  A fourth floor room with fabulous views was very special.

The weather was unsettled when we arrived but soon improved.  We saw crested grebeon a trip to Montreux, never knew they carried their young like this.  The folklore market on Saturday (right outside our hostel) was very interesting.  Highlight was  a free ride arould the town on a horse drawn cart.

[tonyg]

Our first day out took us up to Spielboden and Lanfluh.  Reached by a gondola ride, the spur of ancient moraine is a green penninsula between the receding glaciers.  A vibrantly colourful community of plants grow on this often windswept place.  A few are illustrated below.  Spielboden is also famed for tame Marmots.  Usually shy of people, the animals in this restricted area have grown used to people passing through.  More of them later.

Gentiana nivalis, the snow gentian, is a tiny annual species which passes un-noticed when the sun does not shine. 
Senecio halleri is a distinguished member of an often weedy tribe.  I have some seedlings here at home, will report on their progress elsewhere. (Lost a few to over-enthusiatic watering from our 'care-taker' ... they are plants of dry places.
Sempervivum montanum is an alpine for everyone to grow.  It is still striking when seen in its natural habitat.
Campanula scheuzeri is a member of the rotundifolia clan.  Larger flowers, a dwarf habit and deep purple colour make it a striking plant in nature.

[Ragged Robin]

Lovely images, Tony, the room with the view in Vevey was a real coup......and the Grebe with young one 'back packing' is just wonderful

[tonyg]

From Spielboden to Langfluh is a steep walk (not for us as Jacinta's gallstones were in grumpy mood  ) or a short gondola ride.  Langfluh looks down on the glaciers (as well as up) and it was very chilly.  We found our first snow .. and our first ice cream!  Note the flowers behind Amy, a good use for old boots.
Other visitors were more adventurous

[tonyg]

PLants were fewer up here.  The Salix reticulata was photographed below Langfluh while the Gentiana verna (in the broadsst sense) and the Androsace alpina were in the rocks around the 'summit'.  The gentian pics show the difference between cameras.  I bought a Panasonic Lumix 'Bridge' camera (between compact & SLR) before we travelled.  It has great zoom and is has produced some excellent pics (most of those I will show) but it did not capture the gentian blue.  I must investigate the menus for colour balance correction.
The tiny Androsace alpina was the only one I saw on this trip.  It is plants such as this that inspire my love of alpines .... how many flowers on a plant little bigger than my finger-nail?

[Ragged Robin]

Great shots of walking in the snow and the first icecream 

Campanula scheuzeri is a member of the rotundifolia clan.  Larger flowers, a dwarf habit and deep purple colour make it a striking plant in nature.

What a colour and striking photo on the steep slope with the mountain in the background.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Wonderful pictures of outstanding scenery and flowers Tony !
Brings back fond memories of when I spent two hollidays there many years ago !
You definitely are urging me to go back ! 

[tonyg]

The weather was not always good.  However there were only two days with significant rain.  On one of these we set off into the clouds to find the fresh snow we knew was falling at the summer ski area Allalin.  It was perishing cold, winter hats and wooly scarves were not enough to keep out the freezing wind.  But above the rainclouds there were some breathtaking glimpses of snowy peaks and blue sky.
The mist swirled around, often hiding the view so we decided to return to sample the gateaux in the revolving restaurant on another day.  In the paving on the sun-terrace (!) there was a great example of how alpine plants can exploit any suitable niche.  Saxifraga oppostifolia was growing in the fractured cement around a drain!   There was evidence that it had produced a few flowers.
Dropping down to Felskinn we were treated to views over the glaciers and a glimpse of Langfluh opposite.  Further down at Morenia a brief foray outside showed that there were flowers to be found on the apparently barren screes.  Campanula cochlearifolia flowering by the exit door.  I was whisked away (the last ride down was due) but resolved to return later.

[cohan]

great stuff! the 'watercolour' moraine slope at the beginning is wonderful, and that senecio is excellent!

[tonyg]

On another day we took the chair lift above Saas Almagell.  Jacinta and Ruth enjoyed their first experience of this uplifting mode of transport.  I had an often wriggly 7-year-old for company ... but she was very good(e)
It was possible to ride down on a 'Trotti' ... a kind of scooter.  Grrreat fun and I noted two flowers that I have in my garden on the way.  Dianthus carthusianorum is often quite a dwarf plant in the Valais, this form makes a better garden plant than the rather leggy form that I have also grown.  Butterflys aplenty too - perhaps this one is a ringlet, I'll welcome correction if you know better.

[tonyg]

As the weather improved we travelled down the Saas valley to Saas Grund where the gondola whisks visitors up to Kreuzboden where there is the best play area ... in the area!  There is also the obligatory restauarnt where we enjoyed excellent ices.  In true, efficient Swiss style the tub came complete with its own folding spoon .... not just a sweet treat, a souvenir as well!

Plants in the next post - promise

[tonyg]

There were some nice plants around the play area. 
The tiny Euphrasia species was seen in vast quantities around and just above the treeline.  Flowers literally by the million.
Gentiana purpurea - in pristine condition with its flowers fully open in the sunshine
Campanula excisa was a plant I particularly wanted to see.  It was photographed growing in the rocks below the climbing wall seen in the last post!  I had seen it once on a previous visit while on a day long hike along a path on the opposite side of the Saas valley, it was a nice surprise to find it so easily this time.

[shelagh]

Great pictures Tony.  Tell me does Gentiana purpurea EVER open?

[tonyg]

Great pictures Tony.  Tell me does Gentiana purpurea EVER open?

Not (much) in my experience!

[tonyg]

The next day dawned damp so we were slow getting started!  While Jacinta and Ruth mooched round the street market Amy and I returned to Spielboden with a big bag of peanuts  which were to come in very handy.
The damp weather persisted (indeed at times it was persisting down ) however there were some nice flowers including more Senecio halleri than before.  There was also a solidago species (thanks Luit) which was plenitful, not such a showy plant but still bright and adding colour to the slopes.  Campanula barbata is ubiquitous in this area, I am very fond of it as it grows happily at home although it has not yet seeded around like it does in the wild!

The wildlife was fun - especially the Marmots who have become used to people.  Amy said they were like giant hamsters ... she was not far wrong

We also met some bigger wildlife but they will have to wait for another day.