TRAVEL
Hiking in Switzerland’s APPENZELLERLAND By DENISE LUNDY
M y first trip to the Alpstein, in northeast Switzerland, was a mixed bag. The Alp- stein is a compact range of lime- stone peaks, very different from the heavily glaciated massifs in Swit- zerland’s Berner Oberland, but nonetheless stunningly beautiful in its own rite. The Alpstein is home to dramatic, towering spires, lush al- pine pastures and picturesque lakes with rugged backdrops. I came to Appenzell after a hut-to-
hut solo hiking trip in the Räitikon Alps, intending to do some scouting in the Alpstein for an upcoming trip I was leading, and to enjoy the larg- est ‘cow parade’, or Öberefahre, in the area. The weather, mixed with rain and thick fog, prevented me from tak- ing some of the premier hikes I had intended to tackle. I did, however, en- joy the Öberefahre, a centuries-old celebration of cows being led from the high pastures to the valley for winter. From the balcony of my hotel room
in nearby Urnäsch, I was able to gaze down on a steady procession of farmers leading their cows down from the high pastures through the cobbled streets of the town’s centre to the crowd’s delight. Each farm- er’s parade began with the arrival of young boys in bright mustard-co- loured lederhosen, white button-up shirts and red vests, accompanied by the farmer’s pure white, endan- gered Appenzell goats, known for their historical importance, excel- lent confirmation and abundant milk
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