Bietschtal

Most of the time when I go walking or climbing mountains in Switzerland it's south of the Rhône valley in Valais, but occasionally Tanya and I go for forays into the more northern side of this amazing canton. So it was when we headed to Leuk in search of a valley that, we had been told by a friend, was wild, full of autumn colours, and ended in a magnificent cirque. We walked into the Bietschtal.

Lovely grasses at the entrance to Bietschtal.

It later became clear that we had made what programmers call an "off-by-one error": Bietschtal turned out to be the valley next to the one that had been recommended. Luckily for us, the Bietschtal was nonetheless wild, full of autumn colours, and ended in a magnificent cirque - so it was all good!

The first glimpse of the Bietschhorn (3934 m).

Autumn is really getting into swing in Switzerland, and while the trees in this particular valley had yet to properly turn, there was a distinct feeling that things were on the change. As we walked up the valley we got better and better views of the mighty Bietschhorn, a giant mountain that dominates this valley.

As we climbed higher the larch forest gave way to open plains. The grass has now turned from green to yellow-brown and the fields were filled with grasshoppers. For a while we were walking next to a gorgeous clear river which was fed from streams coming down from all around the cirque.

Lunchtime companion.

Further on again the grass had disappeared and all that was left were beautifully coloured lichen-covered rocks, crunchy heath, and the snow above. We stopped right under the cirque, at Reemistafel (1999 m). The river here made blue pools in the rocks and at points the water was thrown around and turned into white foam.

Approaching Reemi (the cirque).

Reemistafel, under the Bietschhorn.

On the walk out we heard a noise that turned out to be made by a bouquetin (ibex) with her calf strolling through the forest. They looked at us for a minute before bounding down the steep slope and disappearing out of view. Bietschtal was a wonderful day trip and a great introduction to the delights of autumn for the year. Plus, when I told my sister Anna about it later she thought I said "beach towel" — it doesn't get much better than that!