August 25th

After last nights rain, we decided that we better pack rain gear and more clothes for today’s hike.  We enjoyed our breakfast (with delicious brown bread).  I loved the goats in the house across the street.

We headed off to the Ebenalp so we could take the gondola up to the top of the lift.  On the way up we noticed 2 crows hitching a ride on the cables down to the bottom.  It was really funny to watch. I wish I got a photo. Those crows so much fun to watch.

The weather was spectacular. We started the uphill hike to Schaffer. We were serenaded all day by the cow bells and we loved every minute of it.  These cows were so sweet.

As we passed this place, I asked this man if I could take a photo of him.

I thought it was making some kind of cheese but it turns out he was actually making butter. There was a lot of butter. I asked him if he sold the budget to restaurants but he said all of the butter is for himself.  I’m not sure if actually understood what I was asking.

He knocked the butter out of the wood block and wrapped it up.

Shirley was waiting just down the path petting a horse.

We passed this fence on the way up.  It reminded me of the one on the Camino with pilgrims instead of cows.

The entire first part of today was uphill.  The turnstiles keep the cows out of some places.

As we got closer to the Schaffer, we noticed that the supplies are delivered by hauling a basket up on a cable.

We finally made it up to Schaefer where Shirley had a beer and I had an orange soda.  We were both very hot.  I was surprised to find out that we had only climbed about 1000 feet.  The views were spectacular.

Of course I had to take a photo of one of the crows.

Some people were hiking on up to Santis which was quite a bit higher and marked as dangerous.  They looked like dots walking on a path with a sheer drop off.

I  took a panorama.

It was hard to believe how high hang gliders were over the cliffs.  We watched them for a very long time as we were making our descent to Ascher Cliff.

At one point we could see Seealpsee far below us.  It would be our final destination later today.

We walked across several places where there was a steep drop off was pretty steep.

Then we noticed the tree growing on top of the rock in the distance.

The trail went between the rocks.

Just before  arrive at Ascher, we had to climb over the gate.

We finally arrived at the Asher cliff restaurant.   We were extremely hot and tired and could only find a place to sit in the sun.

We ordered rosti which is a Swiss dish consisting mainly of potatoes, in the style of a fritter.  We  ordered ours with bacon and cheese on top.

Right after we were served I saw some people from their table  and we moved her food into the shade. It was really a delicious dish.

By the way A photo patchouly and I saw of Ascher  Cliff a year ago was the sole reason we came to Switzerland on this vacation. Now I was able to take my own photo.

It was truly a spectacular place.

After lunch we walked on the bit to see the famous Wildkirchli Cave that was well over 500 years old. The hermits that settled here in the early 1600 would accompany travelers through the caves for safe passage. The caves are dark. There is actually a chapel, dating back to 1621, built into the mountain side. Here is the photo of the gave opening, the church, and a peasant hut.

 

We walked all the way through the cave to the other side. There we got a picture of the cable car as it was coming up. 

The one and a half hour descending trip of 1000 feet was very,very difficult. We had to hold onto the cable railing much of the way.

We finally arrived pretty much exhausted at the Berggasthause at Seealpsee.

We showered, changed clothes, and had dinner.