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Post by happytraveller on Aug 17, 2009 11:29:10 GMT
Hubby, doggie and I did a 3 days hike in the Ticino alps in the south of Switzerland. We hiked across a pass down in a valley and followed the river back to civilisation. We hiked 800m up and 2000m down in altitude. At times it was a bit of a torture but over all it was heaps of fun and I would have loved to keep walking. Along Lago Ritom   This is where we are going to go: Across the Passo del Sole to Acquacalda, where we can set up our tent.  Lunch:   There's water everywhere !  Made it on top of the pass  Downhill...  Because we could not carry a food bowl, Charlie gets her food served on a rock  Day two: More downhill   Charlie cooling down  Mmmh... Piatta Ticinese !   On the second campground  Day 3, Dongio   How teasing !  Growing Merlot  Chestnut tree    Finally we arrive in Biasca ! Sore, tired but happy.  |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2009 13:29:50 GMT
That early shot of the green mountainside set the tone for me,so pristine and clear. I admire your endurance and am envious of the overall experience of being able to go somewhere like that with just husband and your adventurous dog. Gone are the days I'm afraid for us. Such a gorgeous adventure. Glad your knee held up. Did you go swimming in that gorgeous water? Thanks so much for sharing these.  |
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Post by imec on Aug 17, 2009 13:35:30 GMT
Wow! This is really beautiful. Makes me want to get off my ass and do some walking. Thanks HT!
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Post by bixaorellana on Aug 17, 2009 13:38:53 GMT
Happytraveller ~~ you are so well named! No wonder you are happy with treks through such magnificent landscapes. It's all so green! Your photographs are wonderful -- I felt I could step through the monitor and BE there. It must have been so incredible to see one after another of those gorgeous vistas.
Dumb question -- do you enter at one point, them make a giant loop to come back to the same place, or go in at one part and finally come out somewhere else?
In picture #10, the bottom left corner -- any idea what that blooming tree or bush is? Some kind of sumac? That picture has yet another fabulous shot of a rushing stream -- outstanding!
Thank you so much for this -- a real treat.
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Post by happytraveller on Aug 17, 2009 13:53:44 GMT
Not quite sure if I understand you correctly Bixa, you mean if we did a round trip or walked from A to B ? Well we walked from A to B, drove the car to one point, hiked from there (about 60km I guess, maybe more) to the final point where we caught the train that brought us back to where we had left the car. I don't know what sort of a plant that is but I think it's a bush/tree with berries (poisonous for humans but not for birds) Casimira, I did not go swimming, I just put my feet in the water and it nearly hurt... it's freezing ! Imec, I can only recommend it  |
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Post by bixaorellana on Aug 17, 2009 15:36:43 GMT
Yes, you understood me correctly, HT -- thanks.
Do you all hike or walk a great deal around where you live? You obviously had confidence in yourselves to take on this kind of a long hike that must have been arduous in parts.
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Post by happytraveller on Aug 17, 2009 16:10:44 GMT
We do hike quite a bit but not as much as we would like to, as we both work full time and only have the weekends to go hiking and then it's not always good weather... and I am not tough enough to hike in rain ! The good part about this 3-day trip was also that you really only have to go through the first day, from the second day on you always come into a small village again where there would be a bus leaving to a nearby train station. So if something happened you could always just give up. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2009 16:49:55 GMT
Your photos are magnificent, Happytraveller. The Alps are one of my favorite places in the world, and I never get to spend enough time there. I love the high alpine meadows above the tree line where summer is brief but intense. I could no longer hike as far as you do, but even crossing a pass in a car on one of the tiny roads can be breathtaking. I hope you will be posting more photos soon, even of life down in the valley! |
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Post by happytraveller on Aug 17, 2009 17:09:49 GMT
Thank you Kerouac, I will do so |
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Post by auntieannie on Aug 17, 2009 18:49:57 GMT
Merci, Happy! ;D
I spent my childhood hiking on such alpine meadows... maybe we will be hiking sometime in the future.
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Post by hwinpp on Aug 20, 2009 7:19:53 GMT
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Post by auntieannie on Aug 20, 2009 21:16:26 GMT
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!  I want some... |
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Post by imec on Aug 20, 2009 23:54:58 GMT
I'm with you annie - that is truly food porn.
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Post by Jazz on Aug 21, 2009 0:47:51 GMT
Oh my god. It's hard to imagine living in a place with such beauty so close. Charlie looks so happy with his 'lunch on a rock' and his cool-down.
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Post by lola on Aug 21, 2009 1:35:06 GMT
Gorgeous, HT. Thanks.
I like it that you wouldn't have to carry water for the whole trip, and that there's a restaurant.
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Post by mockchoc on Mar 27, 2010 4:03:57 GMT
I can't believe I am going to be there soon with you happyt!
Wish I had more time, I want to do this hike too.
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Post by spindrift on Mar 27, 2010 9:19:48 GMT
I'm sure you'll love it there, Mocks. I've been to Ticino just once several years ago and it's place I'd like to retire in. Enjoy.....  |
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Post by fumobici on Mar 29, 2010 2:09:46 GMT
Beautiful photos, although I guess it would be hard to take ones that aren't there. Thanks for the glimpse into Ticino, where Teutonic fredezza meets la calda Meridionale.
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Post by happytraveller on Mar 30, 2010 6:15:22 GMT
where Teutonic fredezza meets la calda Meridionale. That's very well put ! ;D |
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Post by gertie on Apr 15, 2010 5:51:32 GMT
My goodness, what lovely pictures and what a lovely hike. Makes me think I should like to start hiking again. |
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Post by spindrift on Apr 15, 2010 8:23:04 GMT
Gertie - I'll hike with you anytime  |
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Post by thill25 on Jan 26, 2011 14:57:43 GMT
Great pics! If my wife like hiking, I'd be all about hiking different parts of Europe for vacations. Unfortunately, her idea of camping is a budget hotel. |
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Post by auntieannie on Jan 26, 2011 17:02:48 GMT
thill, you can do day hikes in similar surroundings and stay in a "pensione"/B&B/small hotel. |
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Post by mich64 on Jan 27, 2011 4:08:53 GMT
Thanks for sharing your hike! The pictures really capture the area well. I have been to the Ticino Region and stayed 3 days in Lugano, we loved the area very much an we too have thought of ways to be able to retire there. As soon as I seen the picture of the pool, I had that frozen toe memory from our stay at Hotel Monterana. My husband actually did swim, I just could not, way too cold for me. Then while lounging by the pool a group of about 20 came down from the hostel and they all jumped in and swam and played for about an hour. They were a lot tougher then we were! Thanks again HT!! Cheers, Mich |
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I want some...
