Alittlebitoutoffocus

Alittlebitoutoffocus

I promised USAthroughoureyes that I would try to find a new dimension to my walks and so today we have something unusual – a flat(ish) walk in Switzerland.  I have mentioned and posted pictures of ‘Bisses’ before.  They are irrigation channels and there are quite a number dotted about the canton of Valais.  But I think this one must be the most famous, due to the precipitous nature of the path, or at least the original path.  Today, four suspension bridges help the inquisitive walker along the route, but you can still see how the bisse and path were originally built.

All of the images below were taken with my mobile phone (as I went off without my camera) and I just managed to catch the ‘thing’ in the last picture (which was a first sighting for me), before my battery ran out.  I spotted it while looking to take a photo of some butterflies, but it makes a change… 😊  I also saw what may have been 3 Jersey Tiger moths (another first) but, by then, I had no battery left… 😌

9 responses

  1. Sartenada Avatar
    Sartenada

    Hello.

    Great post. I was interested in the photo showing bear and You. Bear in Your photo is very different from those which we see in Finland. We love carved bears; I have made numerous posts about them. Also, in Finland we have every summer carver animal contests. Here are my photos:

    Bear carving contest1

    Bear carving contest2

    Happy upcoming weekend!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Alittlebitoutoffocus Avatar
      Alittlebitoutoffocus

      That bear was made of Brass, but we do also have wood carvings, some of bears, here in the Valais region – and a carving contest, but that’s anything and everything. We have a carver who lives nearby who works mainly with a chainsaw. Check out this website: http://www.hbsculpture.ch/ On there there is a link to “The man who made the bear”.
      A plaque on the walk said the last bear in Switzerland was killed in 1904 and so we don’t have any real ones these days.
      As an aside, and purely by coincidence, my wife and I are visiting Finland for the first time in September (from 17th to 27th). We start in Turku and then visit one of the islands before going inland to a chalet near one of the biggest lakes. Is that anywhere near you by any chance?

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. Sartenada Avatar
        Sartenada

        Hello Mike.

        Thank You leaving your interesting answer. I am surprised ang glad when hearing that you will visit Turku, one island and then going to spend a holiday in a chalet by the lake. Well, we live now in Helsinki, but we will move to the next town called Espoo September 26th. May I ask name of the lake or what is the nearest town there. I know a lot of my country, but there are regions which I do not know very well. By knowing where you are going to stay, I could, I hope, help you to get more about your vacation in my country.

        Turku is beautiful town and its cathedral and castle seem to be open when you are there. Its best museum seems to be closing, sorry.

        So, let me know where you are going stay, that I could try to give some information where to visit there.

        P. S. I visited the link which you gave – gorgeous. Carved artefacts seemed to have similar ideas than in my county we have. Example:

        Sculpture park

        Another park:

        Wacky statues 2

        Happy weekend,
        Matti

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply
        1. Alittlebitoutoffocus Avatar
          Alittlebitoutoffocus

          Many thanks for your reply. I’m sure we will have a fabulous time exploring. The house is located at the south end of the lake Vesijako. Though to get there we plan to drive up the west coast at least as far as Rauma and then via Tampere. If you have a lot of information or advice, then please feel free to email me directly on mikehawtree@hotmail.com. Many thanks again. 🙂

          Like

    2. Alittlebitoutoffocus Avatar
      Alittlebitoutoffocus

      P.S. I loved the polar bears in the 1st link. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  2. bayphotosbydonna Avatar
    bayphotosbydonna

    Very cool ‘flat’ trail, Mike! 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Alittlebitoutoffocus Avatar
      Alittlebitoutoffocus

      I’m glad you liked it. Hanging off the side of a cliff face is certainly a little different from being on the top of it! 😊

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  3. Clavau and Sillonin Bisse Walk, Valais, Switzerland | Alittlebitoutoffocus Avatar
    Clavau and Sillonin Bisse Walk, Valais, Switzerland | Alittlebitoutoffocus

    […] posted about Bisses before but, to remind you, they are essentially watercourses or irrigation channels which were built […]

    Like

    Reply
  4. Croix de la Chia Walk, Rhone valley, Switzerland | Alittlebitoutoffocus Avatar
    Croix de la Chia Walk, Rhone valley, Switzerland | Alittlebitoutoffocus

    […] also include a photo of the previously posted Bisse de Savièse, as seen from across the valley. (See pic 37). It highlights how much some of those bisses […]

    Like

    Reply

Leave a reply to bayphotosbydonna Cancel reply