Thursday 4 July 2013

Removals to Switzerland: The Ten Highest Peaks in Switzerland

If you're reading this you will have already started making plans for your removals to Switzerland. You may be looking forward to the prospect of starting a new job and sourcing new schools for the kids and you'll certainly be looking forward to settling in to your new Swiss home. You'll be looking forward to the country's spectacular landscapes and dramatic snow-capped peaks and to the down-time and holidays that will enable you to enjoy them to the full. With so much to think about and plan, it’s good to know that one call to Hamiltons Removals is all it takes to arrange your removals to Switzerland.

Established in 1993, Hamiltons Removals have been successfully moving house for people for over 20 years and we pride ourselves on the reputation we have built up in that time. We are on hand to deal with every aspect of your removals to Switzerland, from the careful wrapping and packing of your belongings, to their loading and safe transportation, and we can even arrange to have the home you're vacating professionally cleaned to save you the time and trouble.

Removals to Switzerland – click here to read more about our removals to Switzerland service.

In this blog post we thought we'd take a look at some of the country's highest and most famous mountains, and the sporting facilities they offer. Although Switzerland can’t lay claim to the highest peak in Western Europe – that accolade goes to France and Italy for Mont Blanc - it does have some very impressive ones which offer a variety of activities like hiking, climbing, skiing and snowboarding.

Our Guide to the Swiss Peaks

Monte Rosa is the name given to a group of mountain peaks in the Swiss Alps which cross the Swiss/Italian border, linking the Swiss canton of Valais and the Italian region of Piedmont.

Twenty two of the mountain peaks in this region are over 4,000 metres high, the highest   being Dufourspitze. You'll find that a good number of them are suffixed with the word “spitze” as this means apex or high point in German.

Dufourspitze - 4634m

Dufourspitze was named in honour of Henri Dufour. An army general and the man behind the Dufour map series, he was also a co-founder of the Red Cross. Dufourspitze's usual routes are not rated difficult, at least not on its popular ascents but as with all climbs, preparation and the right equipment is essential. Recommended kit should comprise; an axe, rope, crampons and warm, wind resistant clothing. And you are advised to keep an eye on the weather as high winds and precipitation can turn even the easiest of climbs into something much more challenging.

Ostspitze - 4632m

Climbing, hiking & mountaineering are all encouraged here on Switzerland’s second highest peak, and as with the first, the views are breathtaking. Check the height differential between Ostspitze and Dufourspitze and its easy to see why the first climbers of Ostspitze, thought they'd climbed the highest Alpine peak.

Nordend - 4609m

Translated as “Northend” This peak is the third highest in the Swiss Alpine range, and is as the name suggests, the northernmost peak in the Alps. Once at the top, the other peaks are laid out before you, tantalising you with the thought of just one more climb. After all, what's an extra 25 metres between friends?

Zumsteinspitze - 4563m

Zumsteinspitze rests between the peaks of Dufourspitze and Signalkuppe and on the Swiss/Italian border. As with Dufourspitze, it was named after one of its first climbers but it is fair to say that Mr Zumstein had help. Legend has it that the group of climbers Zumstein  was a part of had agreed to call the mountain by a different name, but that Zumstein used his position as forest inspector and member of the Royal Society of Science in Turin, to ensure that his was the name applied to the rock.

Signalkuppe - 4554m 

This mountain was named Signalkuppe in reference to a large rock spike which originally formed its peak. The spike has since been removed and replaced with - wait for it... a building! This gives Signalkuppe its place in mountaineering lore as it is the site of the highest building in Europe. The Capanna Margherita is open to visitors from mid-June to mid-September and can accommodate up to 70 mountaineers. For the remainder of the year the winter room is open with 12 beds. The building also houses the International Centre for High-Altitude Physiological Research and has the highest-altitude telephone connection in Europe.

Dom - 4545m
Never would there appear to have been a more aptly named mountain. Dom might not be the tallest but it's certainly one of the most impressive. Actually the name Dom doesn't relate to its size at all. It is linked to the German word Dome and refers to a cathedral as the mountain was originally named after Canon Berchtold of Sitten (or Sion) cathedral.

Lyskamm – 4527m

On the border between Switzerland and Italy, Lyskamm actually has two summits, one to the east and one to the west. The eastern Liskamm summit, the higher of the two, is separated from its western apex by a one kilometre ridge, and it is this ridge with its many cornices that has caused the mountain to be known as the man-eater. A cornice is an unstable overhang of ice and snow that could give way at any moment causing an avalanche.

Weisshorn - 4506m

Weisshorn is one of the most beautiful peaks in the Swiss Alps. It is pyramidal in shape and its snow capped peak catches the sun particularly well at sunrise when the whiteness glows a peachy orange. This sight is not at all unusual here in the Alps and there are breathtaking views to be seen daily. Something about this mountain  really captures the imagination.

Matterhorn - 4478m

Located in the Pennine Alps on the border of Switzerland and Italy, the mountain's four steep faces rise above the surrounding glaciers facing north, south, east and west. It was one of the last peaks to be climbed and has claimed the lives of many hundreds of climbers over the years. Perhaps for this reason the Matterhorn has become an icon of the Alps. Oh... and if you thought your move to Switzerland would mean you'd have to leave your clubs behind, think again. You can play golf within sight of the Matterhorn. Don't expect manicured greens and mown fairways though, this is golf Scottish style, complete with rocks, cliffs, uneven playing surfaces and marmot burrows.

Dent Blanche - 4356m

The Dent Blanche is something of a misnomer since for the most part, there is nothing white about it. No skiing or snowboarding here, however, it does make for a good rock climb and this should not be underestimated . The confusion over the naming of the mountain stems from a lack of co-operation or understanding between early cartographers and the mountain folk, which forced the map makers to scribe from a distance.

About Hamiltons

Hamiltons Removals offer a high quality removals to Switzerland service, whatever the size of your move. Whether you require full load (FCL), part load (LCL) or groupage, we can help. We are also experts in the safe removal and transportation of large and valuable items like cars, pianos, farm machinery, and horses. If you are moving to Switzerland, contact us today either via the website, using our quick quote service, or by email or phone. Our friendly team of removals experts are on hand to help with any enquiry.

Removals to Switzerland – click here for full information on our removals to Switzerland service or click here for a free European removals quote.

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