Women walking Switzerland

I took the “Walking Women — Alpine Aspirations” tour, June 18-28, 2008, with Elderhostel (Boston, MA; 800/454-5768, www.elderhostel.org). The ground operator in Switzerland was European Walking Tours.

In our base, Engelberg, we stayed in the family-run Hotel Schweizerhof, which was a lovely place — clean and orderly. After learning to use our Nordic walking poles, we began our outings.

We visited the Swiss Open-Air Museum Ballenberg, where old-fashioned farms and other buildings have been brought from many cantons and reconstructed. It was like stepping back into history.

For most of our walks, we took a cable car partly up a mountain, then walked somewhere scenic. At 10,000 feet on Mt. Titlis, the air was clean and cool as the eight of us walked in the snow. On Risit-Brunni, at 5,610 feet, we took the “Kneipp cure,” a walk in the freezing shallows of a lake — quite invigorating. Afterward, we relaxed in comfortable chairs at a restaurant overlooking the Alps and had lunch.

Sights in Lucerne included the Lion Monument and two of the famous covered wooden bridges. The Kapellbrücke was largely destroyed by fire in 1993. It has been fully reconstructed, but only 30 of the 110 paintings inside were saved.

The Spreuer bridge’s paintings portray the “Dance of Death.” Videocameras monitor the bridge to prevent theft.

On our last day, we visited Seelisberg and walked to the Rütli Meadow, the “Cradle of Swiss Freedom,” one of the main sites where celebrations are held on Swiss National Day, Aug. 1.

Although good food and wine are part of the Swiss lifestyle, the invigorating climate encourages activity. I was able to go up and down the mountains with vigor, matching the pace of my travel companions. It was a wonderful vacation.

HARRIET OXMAN
Sarasota, FL