This is not the place to give a comprehensive list, but the following notes will provide an idea of what to expect.
With the melting snowfields in late spring and early summer, the tiny tassel-flowered alpine snowbell, Soldanella alpina, is among the first to appear, followed by drifts of Crocus albiflorus and C. vernus (the white and purple crocus). The lovely white glacier crowfoot (Ranunculus glacialis) is amazingly adaptable, being found among both dry moraine banks and in damp soil beside streams, and even on high ridges and in the gravel of a broad snow-free pass in the Silvretta range.
There are several types of orchid and primula, and at least two varieties of pasque flower (Pulsatilla alpina and P. vernalis). In rocky places succulents from the stonecrop family usually flower in July and August, while the showy alpenrose (Rhododendron ferrugineum) spreads its pink or red blooms across the mountainsides any time between late June and the end of August.
Cushions of saxifrage and androsace spill over rocks, while both the meadows and rocky places have their fare share of gentians – the great yellow gentian (Gentiana lutea) standing upright, and perhaps most eye-catching of all, the bright blue trumpet gentian (G. acaulis) taking pride of place in the early summer.
When to go
The season for trekking and high-level walking in the Alps is dictated by the timing and amount of the previous winter’s snowfall, and the availability of accommodation – in other words when the huts are open. Most of these are staffed from mid-June until October, assuming reasonable conditions, that is.
In a ‘normal’ summer the most favourable period to tackle routes described in this guide should be from the end of June until the end of September. But you should be aware that late-lying snow or ice in sheltered high places and north-facing gullies could hamper the crossing of the most challenging passes – even as late as August in some years – and neither sudden storm nor snowfall at any time in the summer can be ruled out.
Late June and early July is when the flower meadows are at their best, and when natural rock gardens among screes and boulder fields add a dazzling array of colour. July is often a month of increasingly warm or very warm weather, when the valleys and hut dormitories can be stifling, and a cool mountain breeze is a welcome gift. August is when most Europeans take their summer holidays, so the trails and huts are at their busiest. A build-up of heat during the day can lead to severe thunderstorms in the late afternoon and evening.
September sees the return of cooler weather and the onset of autumn; the number of visitors decreases and there’s more room in the huts. But while September used to be known for having fairly settled weather, in recent years climate change has made such predictions unreliable.
For a five-day weather forecast before you go, check the website of MeteoSwiss – http://www.meteoswiss.admin.ch/web/en.html which gives frequent updates in English.
Getting there
Travel to the Alps by public transport is straightforward from the UK, with several options available, depending on your preferred starting point in the mountains. My own preference is for a flight to Zürich, followed by train for the Swiss side. Zürich is also useful for those intending to approach the Rätikon Alps from the Austrian valleys.
By air
Air travel information is notoriously vulnerable to change. In addition to complex fare structures, schedules are often rearranged at short notice, new routes introduced and abandoned, and airlines go out of business with little or no advanced warning. Readers are therefore advised to check the current situation either through the internet or via a High Street travel agent.
Zürich is far and away the most convenient international airport for these mountains, with easy access to mainline trains from the airport building. Regular scheduled flights from major UK airports are currently operated by British Airways (www.ba.com) and Swiss International Airlines (www.swiss.com), along with low-cost operator EasyJet (www.easyjet.com). Aer Lingus (www.aerlingus.com) also flies to Zürich from Dublin in conjunction with the Swiss national carrier.
Innsbruck airport is useful for walkers planning to visit the Austrian flank of the Silvretta Alps, but do check current flight information on the internet, as carriers and schedules here change more frequently than those to Zürich.
Onward from the airport by train
Zürich airport is but an escalator ride away from the Swiss rail network. Here you can buy a ticket to your destination whether it be a Swiss or an Austrian station. You will probably have to change trains at Zürich Hauptbahnhof, then continue to Landquart (for approach to the Swiss side of the mountains) where you change trains again for Küblis (bus to St Antönien) or Klosters.
If you intend to begin your trek from Brand in Austria, take a train from Zürich Hauptbahnhof to Bludenz, with a possible change at Feldkirch. A regular bus service runs from Bludenz to Brand. A branch line feeds through the lower Montafon valley as far as Schruns, giving opportunities to access other Rätikon valleys, while a minibus taxi service operates during the summer from Nenzing (between Bludenz and Feldkirch) to Nenzinger Himmel in the lovely Gamperdonatal west of the Brandnertal.
The onward journey from Innsbruck airport involves a short bus ride to Innsbruck Hauptbahnhof where you take a train to Landeck. From there catch the Bielerhöhe bus with the option of leaving it at either Ischgl or Galtür.
By train
A combination of Eurostar from London’s St Pancras station to Paris via the Channel Tunnel, followed by high-speed trains to Zürich or Innsbruck provides a viable, albeit possibly more expensive alternative, to air travel. For up-to-date information contact www.raileurope.com
Please note that the Switzerland Travel Centre at 30 Bedford Street, London WC2E 9ED ([email protected]) can make bookings for Eurostar, TGV and Swiss rail journeys, and also flights to Switzerland.
Under 26?
Consider purchasing a Billet International de Jeunesse to claim discounts of up to 50 per cent on international rail journeys. Contact Rail Europe (tel 08705 848 848 www.raileurope.com) for details.
Accommodation
Mountain huts
Gathered outside the Carschina Hut, trekkers contemplate their day’s activities
Accommodation on each of the treks described relies largely on mountain huts (hütten), most of which are owned by individual sections of the Swiss, Austrian, German or Liechtenstein Alpine Clubs – a small minority are privately owned but open to all. Details of these, and others in the Silvretta and Rätikon Alps, are given in Appendix B.
Although their size and construction may vary, huts are usually managed by a warden (hüttenwirt) and his team, who allocate bed space and provide meals, snacks and drinks. Facilities on offer follow a similar pattern right across the Alpine chain, with sleeping arrangements being in communal dormitories (matratzenlager) or, where available, in smaller family-size rooms. Most huts will have a boot room (schuraum) or porch in which to leave outdoor footwear, trekking poles and so on; and a simple washroom – perhaps with warm showers (but don’t rely on it) – and some form of drying facility for wet clothes. Unless you are a member of another European Alpine Club, membership of the UK branch (Sektion Britannia) of the Austrian Alpine Club is highly recommended (