Living the high life in Zermatt…
Summer in the Alps is glorious. Why don’t more Brits come here on holiday to Zermatt? My flight with Swiss was seamless and then I enjoyed stunning views of Lac Leman as the train hugged the shore line. In the morning I woke up in the best hotel in Zermatt to spectacular views of the Matterhorn and we were then treated to a helicopter ride circling the iconic mountain.
our ride is here...
Our heroic helicopter pilot Daniel had recently taken part in the highest known helicopter rescue in Nepal so we knew we were in safe hands as he flew us seemingly within touching distance of the North Face. We were so close we could see the early climbers as they made their back down and we hoped that our intrusion did not hinder their concentration. Upon landing on the glacier we were transported to the highest ice palace in Europe by either piste basher or snow mobile. There were plenty of people enjoying summer skiing. After visiting the palace, we made our way to the viewing platform at 3883m above sea level where the panoroma is simply breathtaking. You can see 9 peaks over 4000m and numerous glaciers all glinting with hidden menace and with their own sadly shrinking story to tell.
With Clare on the sunny glacier!
After a brief refuelling stop we headed down to the mountain restaurant Blatten for a late BBQ lunch. Following a trusty guide we ducked off the visible path and soon it was time for our next treat which was a zip wire crossing over a vast gorge gushing with glacial melt water. It was a great experience to be dangling in a harness over the void that the whole group enjoyed. We then gorged oursleves on a salad of pfifferlingers (chanterelle mushrooms but i loved the sound of the Swiss German name) before the main course of deliciously rare beef, lamb and chicken arrived. We were just thinking it would be impossible to consume more when the restaurant owner offered seconds. Pudding was strawberries with home-made rhubarb ice cream from rhubarb grown in their back garden. We waddled back to Zermatt to enjoy the spa facilities of our respective hotels, I was staying in the fabulously romantic 5* Hotel Zermatterhof. Our evening hosts at the Monte Rosa, the oldest hotel in town, had seen our programme and had thankfully decided we would be grateful of some lighter fare for our evening meal. The chef had therefore painstakingly prepared for us a seemingly endless array of little treats ranging from chilled melon soup to mini churros via sliced duck on minted cous cous and tiger prawns.
On the wire
During this trip I did manage to visit some of Erna Low’s self-catering accommodation in Zermatt. I was very impressed with the central location of the newly built or refurbished apartments all of which were close to a ski lift. An apartment in Zermatt would be a very cost effective way for family skiing as the supermarkets are centrally located and you have the flexibility to eat in or out. Our recommendation would be the apartments in the Zur Matte building as these are apartments with swimming pool and spa facilities, are accessible in the nearby Mont Cervin Hotel. Please call Erna Low on 0845 863 0525 for further information as I would be happy to recount further details of my trip!
