89/356: Trans Swiss Trail Stage 15: Schangnau - Sörenberg

It was another stunning late summer day so I had no choice but to continue my hike across Switzerland. 

I have now finally reached the next Canton (State) after hiking across Bern for all the previous stages. To be fair though, Bern is one of the biggest Cantons of Switzerland. Not only did I leave Bern behind but I also felt like I crossed into a whole new landscape. The scenery up to this point was dominated by soft rolling hills and valleys. Now I seem to have reached a rougher area. The mountains are not overgrown anymore but the rock is exposed. 

The guide said that the hike would take about six hours. I did it in five, and that includes a 30 minute lunch break. I don't know why but I always get a big satisfaction about being faster than the guidebook expects. It was another 800 meter ascend but spread over a much wider area so it wasn't bad at all. 

The hike started off a little rocky, I thought that I had missed a connecting bus to Schangnau because my train was a few minutes late. After being annoyed for a little (there is only one bus an hour), I realized that I had looked at the schedule of Saturday.... yeah I got on the bus 10 minutes later. 

Right now I am really tired but my feet and legs feel surprisingly well, might it be that I am adjusting to all this walking? Let's hope so, I want to go again tomorrow! I want to make the best of my stay at home holidays. 

 The view close to Sörenberg, today's destination. I will probably cross one of those ridges tomorrow.

 The start of the hike.. keep that mountain in the distance in mind.

 beautiful scenery today.

 ...oh got a little closer to that mountain from two pics above.

 Sometimes you have to turn around and see where you came from to appreciate what you have achieved and where you are going... this is true in hiking as in life in general... ohhhh so deep!

 Yeah, that mountain from the second picture? I was now on the other side of it...

After nearly 19km in 5h I think this beer was well deserved!

keep walking.

86/356: Trans Swiss Trail Stage 14: Eggiwil - Schangnau

There is one thing about hiking that keeps fascinating me; no matter how high you get, whenever you think you are about to reach the final ridge, you turn a corner and there is more to climb. 

The ascend on my most recent hike was even tougher than the day before. I did 800m in one go and it was REALLY steep. I will refrain from complaining though because the view was so worth it and I am pretty sure there are more ascends to come before I am done with the trail. Judge for yourself if the view was worth it:

I am finally starting to feel like I am getting closer to the alps. I am really looking forward to get there. Trouble is, the next stage will take me a long some pre-alps mountains and then turns east and away from the alps for a few stages. So far every stage has been great so I am not too worried. I am will get to the alps eventually. 

I am planning with another three stages next week. I want to stay in the villages next week and not return home after each hike. This will depend on the vacancy of the hotels because I will not make any reservations. I would like to get a third of the whole trail done before autumn sets in. I am close, oh so close! Praying for good weather. 

hike on.