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Summer expedition 2008
Kandersteg, Switzerland
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Saturday 9th August
We
met up at Edinburgh airport at ? and flew to Milan. From there, there
was a wait until we caught the train to Brig. From there,
it was train to Kandersteg, where we arrived at 10:50 pm. Alan was
there waiting for us and took all our heavy rucksacks up to the
campsite, where he had arrived some nine hours earlier and pitched all
the tents.
Sunday 10th August
Sunday was a rest day, or so David said, but climbing half way up an Alp didn't seem like too much of a rest for some!
We spent the morning finding our way around the site, discovering some
of the other groups who were camping at Kandersteg this year, including
some German Scouts with whom Lewis was heard conversing like a native.
The leaders in the mean time spent much of the morning organising the
activities for the week.
In the afternoon, we all went on a walk into Kandersteg village and
found our way up to a viewpoint where we rested for a while, admiring
the view in the fine weather. Then it was down to the village again,
where some hardy souls went swimming while others, including most of
the leaders, took the opportunity to appreciate the culinary culture. In the evening, we got to know the site a litle better.
Monday 11th August
After breakfast, we met our instructors outside
the Chalet and were issued with climbing harnesses and helmets. We then
made our way up towards the top end of the village and to the cable car
station. This took us up to the Sunnbüel area, where we were to
climb. The morning was to be spent learning clilmbing techniques on a
large boulder. With only ten places, Holly and Lyndsey decided that
they would both take part in another activity and chose to have a go at
the Jacob's Ladder. Alan and David meantime climbed the local mountain,
Gällihorn.
After lunch, the climbing took a more interesting turn and we put into
practice the techniques that we had learnt in the morning. There were
some pretty tricky moves and the climbing stars were, not surprisingly,
Nick and Rachelle. Meantime, the leaders and Network members met up and
sampled the hot chocolate and pastries in yet another cafe.
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This was the day of the cheesery hike and a mercifully later start than
usual, rising at the luxuriously late hour of 7:30 a.m.). We split into
two groups, the first and more intrepid who were to walk back along the
ridge to the west of the Kander valley, set off at a cracking pace,
only to be caught up by the second, more laid-back amblers! Then
maintaining a decent distance, both groups carried on and met up at the
Alpine cheesery. The lady brought us a selection of mountain cheeses
and some buttermilk. The little kitten took an inadvisable interest in
Alan's rucksack straps.
The first group left to set off up the first peak of Stand while the
others started the journey back down to the valley. It was a stiff
climb upwards and at about the time we stopped for lunch, the drizzle
began. As time wore on, this developed into rain and eventually, by the
time we reached the summit of First, it was snowing. It was a cold and
wet group of walkers that descended by the small cable car to the
fields behind Kandersteg. And it was a wet campsite that awaited them.
That evening, we decided that we would not go bat-watching! There was a
brightness to the evening, however, because Jenna arrived, fresh from
her sea-kayaking trip to Greenland.
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It
was an early start again and down to the station to get the train to
Spiez and Thun. Unfortunately, due to a misunderstanding over
timetabling, we had to wait almost an hour for the train, but made up
time in Spiez. On arrival in Thun, Alan had the instructions and we all
followed him through a part of the town that few tourists would ever
visit… in fact few residents probably go there either. At last,
however, we found the rafting station and after a very brief briefing,
we were away down the Aare.
Lyndsey was guiding the first raft and Mop
had charge of the second. We managed to negotiate the rapids with
little difficulty but finding somewhere for lunch was another matter
altogether. Mop's
raft succeeded in beaching but Lyndsey's paddlers could not put in
enough power to join them, so we found another landing on the other
side of the river and managed to beach both rafts there for a cold
lunch. At this stage, David and Jacky left us to head back to Thun and,
after a little rearrangement of crews, the rest of us set off again.
We eventually landed in a park in Berne and Alan, with the instructions
in his head, led us all to the railway station, where, after half an
hour to look around the mall, we joined the train back to Thun, Spiez
and ultimately Kandersteg.
That evening was the Disco in town, but we couldn't stay to the end
because tomorrow there was going to be a seriously early start.
This
was the earliest start of all, largely because we had to have our
overnight gear packed and ready to take over to breakfast. We met our
guides, who checked all our gear, making sure that we had enough warm
clothing. At this stage, Holly was having trouble with
her knee, but was persuaded to start off and see whether it improved.
We all set off and took the chair lift up to the Oeschinensee alp and
by the time we arrived at the lake, Holly decided that she could go no
further.
At this stage, we split into two groups and set off up a steep zig-zag
path. The groups came together on a bend where the first Explorers had
been held in conversation by an ancient Scout who wanted to tell them
all about his Scouting days. The next meeting up was planned — at Half
Way Rock. The weather was sunny and the views brilliant
as we continued up, though by the time we reached the Fründen hut,
the mist had begun to roll in. The two groups had lunch and were then
introduced to the two glacier guides.
Helmets, ice axes, crampons and hard hats were issued and we set off,
again in two groups, on to the Fründengletscher. Both were given
instructions on walking with crampons (not a very elegant pose) and
while one group practiced ice axe arrest and learnet how to lay anchors, the other dropped Explorers
into a crevasse and then rescued them. We then swapped around and it
was twelve very weary explorers and leaders that headed back to the hut
for dinner. Here we were served marsh tea before a dinner of amazing
soup, pork cutlets and fruit salad [?!]. It was an early night for
everyone!
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How
fantastic to sleep in a warm bed! This morning, Lyndsey and Jenna rose
before everyone else so that they could decorate the dining room with
balloons and banners for Rachelle's eighteenth birthday. There are not
many people who celebrate their coming of age at at a height of 2562
metres! It was more marsh tea for breakfast, followed by cereal,
yoghurt and toast. The weather had not improved during the night and a
chill wind greeted us as we set off up to the glacier again. This
morning's activity was ice climbing and we found a suitable ice wall on
which to practice kicking into the vertical surface and using the two
climbing axes.
As the morning wore on, the weather deteriorated, the wind increased
and it began to snow. A number of the Explorers were cold and wet and
decided that they would go back to the hut. The others, more intrepid
(or simply with better gear), stayed on and tried climbing on a
slightly more technical ice wall. But eventually they too were driven
back by the biting wind, so it was back to the hut, to hand back our
climbing gear and have lunch. Then it was down the zig-zag path; Alan's
group spared no time and were down to the restaurant where it was hot
chocolates all round! Finally there was the walk to the top of the
chair lift and down to Kandersteg. We were one of the last tourists to
use the chair lift. It is closing at the end of August to be repaced
next year by a brand new gondola.
Back at camp, it was hot showers and a wee rest before heading out to
the Restaurant des Alpes for the Unit Camp Meal. The maître
d'hotel had been unable to move the three tables through ninety degrees
to make one long table, so we sat at parallel tables. The meal itself
was fine though and some of the older Scouts stayed on to celebrate
Rachelle's birthday. At least there was no early start the next morning!
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This
was our last full day and with a (very) early train the next morning,
we had to spend this morning striking camp. Five very wet tents (and
one that was remarkably dry, thanks to the skill of the Network members
and female leaders) were packed into Alan's car and after a quick
lunch, he left to pick up Freja from her kennels and to drive back
through Switzerland and France. the rest of the Unit headed off to
catch the train down the valley.
At Mülenen, we left the train and took the Niesenbahn funicular,
which took us up to a viewpoint where there was a fantastic view over
the Thunersee to Interlaken and the Brienzersee beyond. Then back down again and off to the station for the train back to camp. That night we slept in some of the fixed accommodation.
Sunday 17th August
It
was up early and off to the station to catch the train to Italy, from
where we flew back to Edinburgh. It had been a great camp, despite the
weather, and we had taken part in some memorable activities.
[Photographs
by Jessica and Alan]
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