Wednesday 24 July 2013

Removals to Switzerland: Clubs, Hobbies and Night Classes in Switzerland

Moving to a different country means a brand new start and, if you require removals to Switzerland or elsewhere in Europe, it also means making a new circle of friends. If you are moving abroad as a couple and it is your partner - rather than you - who is taking up a job in your host country, it may be harder for you to meet people with a common interest. If you are moving to Switzerland with children, you may get the opportunity to meet other parents when your offspring start school. However, it is generally more difficult to make friends if you work from home, or are a stay at home parent.

There are ways to make settling in easier and one is to take up a new hobby or to join a night class. This will not only help you increase your skills, but you will also have the chance to make new contacts. To help you, this article spotlights on some of the classes that you could take up after organising your European removals.

Hamiltons specialise in high quality removals to Switzerland and we make the whole house moving process easier as we guide you through the first steps of your journey to your new life. We provide everything from full or part load removals, careful packing and unpacking and storage facilities on request. To find out more about what we can do for you, just click on the link below.

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

Learning a New Language – Whichever canton you move to, to get the most out of your stay, it is always worth getting know at least some words or phrases of the language that is most common in your area. As the Swiss speak German, French, Italian and, less commonly, Rumantsch, you will want to learn at least one of these languages to help you put down your roots.

Language schools can be found in all the main cities, and some of the well-known names include The Language School of Alemania, which concentrates mainly on teaching German and runs beginners and intensive classes, the Bénédict-Schule Zürich, the Inlingua language school and the Berlitz Sprachschule, which all teach German, French and Italian.  Of course, there are other organisations in Switzerland that offer language classes and you can find out more about this from adverts in your area, word of mouth, or online. You may also find teachers that organise small, private language classes in your area, or are willing to teach one-on-one. Learning the language in Switzerland is the first step towards making friends with the locals.

Sport – Another way to make new friends is to take up a new sport, and this way you can also get fit and keep active at the same time. There are all sorts of sports on offer in Switzerland, from the more unusual such as Hornussen, which has been described as a cross between golf and cricket, and the more common sports, such as tennis, football, cricket, golf, rugby, mountaineering, ice-hockey, skiing and snowboarding.

The Swiss are keen about sporting activities and as many as a quarter of the Swiss are a committed member of a sports club. Whatever sport you are interested in taking up, it is worth having a look online to find out about sporting clubs or activities in your area and there are expat sites with this information. You can find all sorts of classes including: Scottish dance, square dancing, Morris dancing, yoga and boot camps, all of which are a fun way to meet new people.

Hobbies – Once you have moved to Switzerland, you will find plenty of opportunities to take up a new hobby or join a new class that is of interest to you. Whether you would like to join a women’s group, discover more about the country’s food and wine, join an amateur dramatic group, or take up an art class, such as drawing or photography, this is a great way to hone your skills or learn something new. You never know where this will take you. If you are full of enthusiasm about your new hobby, in time you could even make a living out of it!

About Hamiltons

Hamiltons Removals  are experienced in removals to Europe and we have a friendly and dedicated team of staff who will help you every step of the way.

To find out more, click here for a free European removals quote.

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.

Tuesday 2 July 2013

Removals to Switzerland – Extreme Sports in Switzerland

Having completed your removals to Switzerland - with all of the unpacking done and things finally settling into place - the adrenalin enthusiasts among you will be anxious to get out there and discover what your new Swiss surroundings have in store. While long walks, jogging and joining a gym may be enough for some, there are those among you who will be looking to the great outdoors for something more exhilarating.

Your removals to Switzerland could bring you into contact with many extreme sports that previously you only ever saw on television or read about in books or magazines. From BASE jumping to wing suit sky diving, this article covers most of them, but we have deliberately  ignored skiing and ski related sports, on the basis that this is Switzerland and of course you can ski here.

Hamiltons Removals are a specialist removals company which regularly transport to and from all parts of Europe and the wider world. Our team of dedicated removals experts are just a phone call (or email) away and are waiting to help you with your removals to Switzerland.

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

Here is just a taster of some of the extreme sports on offer in Switzerland. We are sure you'll be impressed with what's on offer here, and you may even be tempted to try one or two of them for yourselves.

BASE Jumping/ Wing Suit Diving

Let's start with arguably the most dangerous - but exciting - sports of them all. BASE is the phrase used to represent the four different categories of object, from which the BASE jumper can launch him/herself. They are Building, Antenna, Span and Earth (or in English, Building, Signal Mast, Bridge and Cliff). The Swiss BASE Association has its HQ in Lauterbrunnen and every year, thousands of jumpers flock to the area to experience the thrill of flight.

A wingsuit slows down the rate of freefall experienced in base jumping and sky diving, and allows you to increase the distance covered. This greatly reduces the risk of striking the object you jumped from.

Extreme Canoeing/Rafting

Grindelwald and the Lütschine is the place to head for, for this kind of rush. Beneath the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau mountains, its grey, cold waters thunder downstream, creating powerful waves and rollers, guaranteed to rock your world, let alone your boat.

Extreme Motor Sport


There are two major motor sport venues in Switzerland: Circuit Bremgarten and Circuit des Nations, but since motor sport was banned in Switzerland in 1955 following an accident at Le Mans which killed 80+ spectators, they haven’t seen much action lately. There are moves afoot to bring motor sport back to Switzerland but it is some time away yet.

Freestyle Motocross (FMX)


FMX is very popular here, which given the ban on motor sport is perhaps not surprising. Last year (2012) saw the NIGHT of the JUMPS in Basel. It's the 6th time that the city has hosted this championship event, attracting the world's most skilful and daring FMX riders, and each time the crowds get bigger and the tricks, jumps and stunts, become even more thrilling.

Free Running

When we think of free running we usually imagine groups of fit young men (and women) tearing through housing estates and shopping malls, leaping over cars, shopping trolleys and anything else that gets in the way. Well, now it has come to the rocky banks of the Verzasca River in Switzerland. Saying that, there'd be nothing wrong with free running in Geneva or Basel or any other major Swiss city.

Hang Gliding


It's back to Interlaken if you fancy a spot of hang-gliding. Aficionados of the sport will tell you it's the closest thing to flying like a bird, although we could wager that the wing-suit sky divers and BASE jumpers might disagree. The beauty of hang-gliding is you can go as extreme as you like, a gentle flight to take in the scenery can easily be turned into an adrenalin fuelled thrill ride including dives and wingovers.

Ice Climbing

Ice climbing can be likened to rock climbing in that many similar techniques and tools are used, but over the years these have been modified to tackle ice rather than rock. For the best ice climbs head for Brunnital or Kandersteg. Brunnital takes you to an altitude of between 1080 and 1380m, so it is quite low for an ice climb but it gives you the opportunity to climb in both the sun and shade, and if you fancy it, there's a 1300m ice wall to scale.

Kitesurfing


Kitesurfing was previously limited to just a few areas of some of the lakes in Switzerland and banned completely in most cantons. Legislation is going through the Swiss parliament at the time of writing this blogpost, and it is hoped that come 2014 the restrictions on kitesurfing, or kiteboarding as it is also known, will be lifted throughout Switzerland.

Mountain Biking


Mountain biking can be taken to extreme levels and where better than Switzerland to do it? Extreme mountain biking takes you to new heights, literally. To be labelled extreme a trail should either include a greater than 2000m height gain and/or cover 60km, and there are plenty of places in Switzerland where either or both of these are possible. The extreme label is also attached to technical difficulty and therefore includes trails which feature jumps, drop offs and root sections that require long travel bikes.

Rock Climbing - Mountaineering

For the purposes of this article we have linked these two sports, although true exponents of the arts will tell you that you require a very different skill set for each one. The fundamentals are the same though, hence the link. We can’t think of a better place for either  of these sports. From the peaks of the Eiger, Jungfrau and Monch near Interlaken, and the Matterhorn near Zermat, to the Jura in the north, you can clamber over granite, limestone and gneiss to your heart's content.

Skateboarding
Ten years of planning have resulted in Zurich’s new skatepark, which opened earlier this year (2013). Its creation was due, at least in part, to the recognised good reputation that the city's skaters had earned for themselves in the area of technical skating ability. In fact, it’s quite possible that Zurich's skaters earned that reputation, entirely because of their lack of a skatepark, resulting in them having to invent for themselves.

Windsurfing

Lake Walensee is a great place to windsurf as the wind gets trapped and funnelled by opposing mountains. It’s one of the larger lakes in Switzerland and attracts a good many windsurfers, even from across the border in Liechtenstein. Silvaplana is also definitely worth a visit; 1800m up in the Alps and right next to St. Moritz, the scenery here is amazing and the winds are good too, although their power is slightly reduced due to the altitude.

About Hamiltons 

At Hamiltons Removals we provide a bespoke removals service to locations worldwide including removals to Switzerland and all other destinations within the EU. We are proud of our reputation for providing high quality removals services at competitive prices. Visit the website or call us today for your free removals quotation.

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