The Göschenertal is one of the most beautiful valleys in the Alps with varied flora and a wealth of minerals. It has stunning mountain scenery with majestic peaks and glaciers and, of course, a turquoise-coloured lake.
Göscheneralpsee
The lake was created as a consequence of the construction of a dam, which was commissioned in 1960. The small settlement of Hinteralp was then placed under water. The inhabitants did not have an easy life because of the constant avalanches and cyclical floods. They were constantly in danger. Therefore their houses and church were demolished and the settlement moved nine kilometres further to Gwüest.
Nowadays this place is visited by mountain hikers and keen anglers. It is said that there are some good specimens swimming in the lake.
Damma glacier
The Damma Glacier, on the other hand, attracts many scientists. It is one of the most studied glaciers in the world. It is not as big as other glaciers in the Alps, but it is as beautiful as many others.
If you would like to learn more about this place, and in particular about the results of the many years of research carried out by 45 scientists, including some from Poland, as part of the BigLink programme, an audio guide is available in the restaurant. The recording can also be downloaded from the izi.TRAVEL application.
I encourage you to listen to this audio guide. The information is interesting and provided in an accessible way. There is also a version for children. I must admit, however, that I did not listen to these recordings during my hike, but on the train. They are quite long, and I did not want to stop at each of the nine stations marked in blue.
Some practical information
As for the start of the tour, we didn’t take the bus to the dam itself, but got off two stops earlier, at the Göschenen Jäntelboden station.
We wanted to get to know the area better. There is a small camping and parking area next to the stop. And we walked to the lake, taking our time, for about an hour.
Finally, a hike around this lake is no ordinary walk on the beach. The terrain requires good footwear and attention. It can also be slippery in places due to the numerous mountain streams. There are chains on the section from Dammagletscher.
I would also warn against goats which push their way through the narrow paths without warning. After all, they are at home …
