The Wispile Mountain and the Alpine cheese

Dear friends,

It is holiday time so I’ve decided that all my posts in July and August will deal with places I went on a trip to in the far or recent past.

Today I will share with you what I did with my little daughter a couple of weeks ago. It was so exciting! We took the Golden Pass train from Montreux to Gstaad (Switzerland). The GoldenPass Line links six lakes and two of the country’s contrasting language regions. It combines timeless tradition in German-speaking Central Switzerland with French flair on Lake Geneva. All in one day! Taking a day trip on the GoldenPass Line is in itself like taking a short holiday. We admired fabulous landscapes and passed through lovely vineyards and country estates. 

Once arrived in Gstaad, we had a tour of the village. Gstaad is situated in the Berner Oberland, it is home to one of the largest ski areas in the Alps (220 km (137 mi) of slopes). It is a mountain resort nestled halfway between Zurich and Geneva, an idyllic village that appears plucked from the pages of a storybook (much like Zermatt) marked by 17th-century chalets, cheese shops, bakeries, wine stores – and a promenade riddled with boutiques like Gucci and Louis Vuitton. Money attracts money, and there's certainly a lot of it here. Mere mortals can indulge in exquisite meals, skiing, and overnight stays in paradise.

Then, we took the cable car to Gstaad’s local mountain, the Wispile, which is a paradise for families and children. In winter it attracts families with its splendid ski slopes and in summer, it’s the starting point for exhilarating high-level hikes to the legendary Lake Lauenen.

The trip was incredible, a really great experience for a child but also for me as an adult. After 15 minutes of amazing panoramas, breathless emotions, we reached the cosy Wispile Mountain. We were at 1915m altitude. The Wispile was the centre of attention for walkers, paragliders, day trippers and dog walkers.  The superb weather had brought people out to enjoy the scenery in optimum conditions. 

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Have a look at this video. I hope you will enjoy the panorama as much as we did.

Where does the mountain take its name from? The name Wispile comes from the Celtic language and translates as “good pasture” (Alpine pasture) (celt., see also Visp, Pillon). In 1270, it was still called Vespilon, in 1312 Wispiliona, in 1494 Wispillen, and in 1680 auf der Hochen Wispillen. 

We also learnt about cheese-making, which dates back to the Neolithic Age in Central Europe. Unique Alpine cheese from the Saan region is produced there where cows graze on lush Alpine meadows during the night, and the herdsman lovingly and skilfully turns the fresh, rich Alpine milk into cheese in the early morning.

Since 1548, the cheese has been made exclusively on the Alpine pasture over an open fire during the summer months. The flavour varies depending on the geography of the Alpine pasture. “Berner Alpkäse AOC”. This is the name of the certified Alpine cheese that is made by 92 producers in the Saan region and is also allowed to bear the label “Gstaad Authentique”. A visit to the Alpine farmers will give you a glimpse of their hard but beautiful life in the Alps.

Coming back from the mountain, we took the Golden Pass again and had a stop in Montreux, just the time for a walk. It was so hot, we could not stand it anymore, but we wanted to listen to some music. Every year in July Montreux hosts one of the most famous jazz festivals in the world, but definitely not affordable to all.

To sum up, it was a wonderful trip, I enjoyed visiting Gstaad again and going up to the Wispile mountain I had never been to before.

Teacher Barbara