Switzerland In Focus - Discover Switzerland: Experience the Best of Switzerland - page 589

that criss-cross the country are remarkably well signposted and maintained. That said, a
decent topographical map and compass is still recommended for Alpine hikes. Like ski
runs, trails are colour-coded according to difficulty:
Yellow Easy. No previous experience necessary.
White-red-white Mountain trails. You should be sure-footed as routes may involve some
exposure.
White-blue-white High Alpine routes. Only for the physically fit; some climbing and/or
glacier travel may be required.
Pink Prepared winter walking trails.
Regions
Alpine hikers invariably have their sights set high on the trails in the Bernese Oberland,
Valais and Graubünden, which offer challenging walking and magnificent scenery. That
said, lowland areas such as the vine-strewn Lavaux wine region and the bucolic dairy
country around Appenzell can be just as atmospheric and are accessible virtually year-
round.
In summer, many tourist offices run guided hikes - free with a local guest card - in-
cluding Grindelwald and Lugano. Other resorts such as Klosters, Davos and Arosa give
you a head start with free mountain transport when you stay overnight in summer.
Accommodation
Want to overnight on your walk? Wanderland ( www.wanderland.ch ) should be your first
port of call for hiker-friendly accommodation, with farmstays, hotels, campsites and Swiss
Alpine Club (SAC) huts searchable by route and region.
Resources
Local tourist offices are excellent sources of recommendations and info for walking and
hiking. Tell them what you want to do and they can set you up. They also have all types of
maps for sale.
Websites
Get planning with the routes, maps and GPS downloads on the following websites: