Swiss cows are essential part of Swiss culture and landscape – so important, it is hard to imagine Switzerland without its cows. Did you know more than 700.000 cows live in Switzerland? Here are some of those amazing animals I’ve had a pleasure to meet on my trips around Switzerland accompanied with some interesting facts about them:
Bannalp
On a warm sunny August Sunday my husband and I went exploring the jewels of one of the most beautiful regions of Switzerland – Berner Oberland. Our destination was beautiful Oeschinen Lake (Oeschinensee), a stunningly beautiful alpine lake located in the mountains above the village Kandersteg in Oeschinen Valley.
Beautiful Oeschinen Lake (Oeschinensee)
Every autumn ceremonial descent of the herds from the summer pastures in the mountains take place all across the Alps. This festivities are in Switzerland known as Alpabfahrt, Alpabzug or Desalpe. Few weeks ago, I’ve visited one of those events: Alpabfahrt in Kerns village in Zentral Switzerland.
Every summer, Swiss farmers take their cattle up to the mountains where they spend the summer grazing on the vast mountain pastures in fresh mountain air and eating a summer diet of nutrient-rich grasses. This old tradition survived to this days in many alpine parts of Switzerland. If you found yourself in those areas during the summer months, it is highly likely a cow or herd of cows will cross your path. Here are some of the those I’ve meet during my trips to the Swiss Alps:
Brienzer Rothorn
This summer my husband and I spent some of our weekends exploring Swiss Alps. One of our trips brought us to Grimselwelt, an alpine region in western part of canton Bern covering the Grimsel and Susten pass roads as well as the mountain areas nearby. This was our second time in the area and for sure it’s not the last time.
Hiking the Swiss Alps
Brienzer Rothorn is 2350 meters high summit in the Swiss Alps where the borders of three cantons met: canton Luzern, canton Obwalden and canton Bern. To me it is one of the must stunning places in Switzerland.
Switzerland in a nutshell
Despite my husband and I already visited Brienzer Rothorn twice before, we returned there this August to do some hiking. We weren’t disappointed. Nature was stunning and hiking trails were great. Continue reading
This summer my husband and I spent some of our weekends exploring Swiss Alps. One of our trips brought us back to one of our favourite destinations in Central Switzerland – to Melchsee Frutt. We’ve enjoy visiting this high plateau above Kerns in canton Obwalden in all seasons. On a warm August day, we returned to there to hike.
Enroute to Bonistock
A past few weeks had been busy for me and my boyfriend. We had members of our families visiting. First we’ve explored the beauty of Swiss Alps and enjoy at the beaches of Lake Lucerne with my boyfriend’s grandmother and his parents. Soon after they left, my brother came to visit. On the first day of his visit he was tired of a long night train ride from Slovenia, so we just relaxed and enjoyed the gloomy summer day strolling around Luzern.
Löwendenkmal (Lion Monument)
When imagining Switzerland, the image of cows decorated with large bells munching grass or lay about on green pastures surrounded by the majestic mountains, comes to your mind. The truth is not much different. During the summer, cows are still to be found at the mountains. Here is collection of cows we’ve had a chance to encounter on our trips around Switzerland. Enjoy it!
@ Melchsee Frutt
