A view from Grindelwald, near Interlaken, Switzerland.
The tree line is the edge of the habitat at which trees are capable of growing. It is found at high elevations and high latitudes. Beyond the tree line, trees cannot tolerate the environmental conditions (usually cold temperatures or associated lack of available moisture). (source) This particular tree line is in the Swiss Alps.
Posted as part of October Squares Lines&Squares
Fountain in Geneva
This urban fountain comes from a small square in Geneva.
April’s Fountain Photo Challenge theme is Urban — fountains in a city or town setting.
There was such an enthusiastic response to my recent post about mountains that I thought I would share more photos from the Bernese Oberland area in Switzerland. These shots are from three walks in June 2008 (which explains the less-than-fantastic quality of the photos). To see a much better version of the map below, click here.
Map of trains, buses and walking routes accessible from Interlaken. Just hop on a train, and go!
Walk 1: After my visit to Jungfraujoch and Top of Europe (more photos here), I walked from Kleine Scheidegg to Wengen, a route that takes about 2 hrs and 45 minutes. This was a lovely stroll with a gentle descent of only 800 m.
Walk 2: From Harder Kulm to Interlaken, roughly 2.5 hours – and a descent of 2500 m. My knees were shaking by the time that one was over!
These four photos were taken from the balcony of my hotel, the Metropole. Stunning views of Jungfrau, in all conditions (well, the foggy one is not so stunning).
Walk 3: Along Schynige Platte, a generally flat 2.5-hour circular walk on a plateau.
If you have enjoyed these walks in the mountains of Switzerland, be sure to visit Jo’s Monday Walk for other walks.
Mountains have a great way of telling you just how insignificant you are in the scale of things.
“What are men to rocks and mountains?”
The quotation that introduces my entry in this week’s Travel Theme: Stone challenge is courtesy of Jane Austen (‘Pride and Prejudice’). Heaven knows, there’s nothing like a mountain to put you in your place.
The North Face of the Eiger, Switzerland.
Seven Pillars of Wisdom, Wadi Rum, Jordan.
The Three Sisters, Katoomba, Australia.
Rock bridge, Sao Lourenco, Madeira.
Eroded by wind, used for target practice by Napolean and roosted upon by pigeons, the Sphinx is battered but remains enigmatic. (Cairo, Egypt)
