Walking In The Rain

Monday, September 24, 2012

Headed today first thing to the Tourist Information Office to find some maps and walking/biking trails.  We did know that there is usually a trail along a river but we were looking for some cross-country ones as well.

We are on the second floor - 4 windows just below the eaves

The cows coming home for milking - can hear their bells coming up over the hill. They have a "dedicated" walkway, with sidewalk slabs all the way along the driveway

Wouldn’t you know that the office here in Langnau only opens from 1:30 pm until 5pm.  Parked then in the TI lot we decided to walk about town for a while.  Stopping in at the Migros which in most towns is a grocery store, we discovered once inside that it was a garden centre.  The lady at cash asked us if she could help in German so we asked her if she sold raincoats.  Since it was raining she chuckled a bit and walked over to a shelf and pulled out one so we bought 2.  It seems it most always rains here in the morning but clears somewhat in the afternoon - must be the altitude.  Walking further we found a CO-OP store that appeared more like a town centre from the outside but once inside it was a mall type complex.  On the lower level  there was a large Home Depot type store and on the upper level was a grocery store with other shops scattered around the escalator.  After the rain had slowed we walked around town some more before heading back to the car.  South of town we had noticed people walking and biking yesterday so decided to  check it out.  Access was made to the trails via a covered bridge built in 1579 which crossed the Emme River. 

The covered bridge for access to the walking/biking paths. Sign said built in 1579.

The Emme River Through Langnau is stepped down in increments to prevent erosion presumably.

A flood control dam diverts water to a spillway.

The river flows rapidly all the way through town where they had cement dams with coarse stone covered river bed stepped down in 1 to 2 foot layers as the water flowed down from the mountains through town on the way to join the Rhine River eventually neat Basel.  The water is crystal clear.  Everywhere here the road follows the river as do the train tracks with fine gravel walking/biking paths on both sides of the river from here to …………  Hans told us yesterday the path follows the river and one could walk or bike to Thun or to Basel each several hours by car.   Even during the daytime we met or passed joggers and walkers and bikers.  Along the path, we ate lunch on one of the many red or green benches as the cow bells clanged in the nearby pasture fields.  After walking and biking for several hours, we headed back to McDonalds to post the blog for yesterday and check on e-mails. 

Grandma and Grandpa's garden beside the old smoke house.

Back home here I took a few pictures of the Blaser-Schurch farm.  He is Daniel Blaser and she is Margit Schurch-Blaser.  The German spelling  of her maiden name Schurch is what we may know as the Sherk family in North America.  We told her she has many cousins in Canada and even a town named after them.  She was impressed and said her grandfather told her she has some cousins in Canada.  

The date above the door says built in 1741.

The pictures cannot in any way portray the height and distance of  things up here.  It is so far up that there is not even a lock on the door/s.  I asked her about that the first night and all she said was “no need for keys”.  I guess no fool would walk way up here and there is only one way down.

The old smoke house is now the family museum.

As we walked along in the rain the cow bells clanged beside us.

Lunch on the trail.

The Blaser-Schurch Homestead - the main house/barn pon the left, the smoke house in the middle and the our Stubli behind the tree on the right.

  The house where we are on the second floor is over 200 years old.  The foundation of the  main house/barn is over 500 years old but she said there have been many changes.  The overhang on each side of this house is about 8 feet - wide enough for a set of stairs and 4 under the eave clothes lines full length to be sheltered from the elements.