The Joriseen Lakes

Today was a big day out! We left home at 8am to walk to the village for our 8.15am minibus pickup, and set off up the Fluela Pass to Wagerhus where we started our hike. It is one of the signature hikes in this area, due to the beautiful turquoise Joriseen lakes.

The trail ascends about 1600ft up to the Jorifluelafurgga, a saddle on the ridge of the Jorihorn mountain - this was a steep climb in the hot sunshine that took about 2 hours to reach. Once up there the views down onto the beautiful lakes is your reward! We sat and enjoyed some snacks of nuts and dried fruit, and met another couple with their Hungarian Vizsla - they are not common here so it was lovely to see another one. 

From there the trail dropped down to the lakes basin, there is a scary part where you have to hold on to the metal cables attached to the rock wall as you descend, as it is too steep and narrow to safely ascend without that support. Xena managed that narrow twisty part very well without falling off.

Once in the basin we relaxed, Adam and our friend Ian swam in the freezing glacial water - actually so did Xena who is not usually a swimmer. We had our picnic lunch there and just enjoyed relaxing for a while enjoying the beautiful views. 

Then it is a short ascent from the lake basin to go back down the pretty meadows of the Jori valley, with views of Liz Linard and the glacier covered Verstanclahorn.

We finally arrived back at the Berghaus Vereina (mountain house) at about 3.30pm and instantly ordered cold drinks. Today was another scorching hot day, about 32C in the valley. The entire walk was about 8 miles long but very steep and so it does take a long time. We had booked the minibus to collect us from the Vereina back to the village.

It was an excellent day out and our friends loved it. We are all rather pooped tonight with aching legs and tired feet. Our friends return home tomorrow and have really enjoyed their action packed weekend with us.