About You

Health, Fitness & The Weather

Sorry, no children (unless you come as one family group of 4 to 6 people).

I do not set an upper age limit but if you are over 70 you shall need to convince me that you are fit and healthy.

All participants must have a good level of physical fitness to get the most out of their time in Zermatt - particularly those joining Mountain Hut Tours. The air is thin and the slopes long and steep. If you are uncertain about your fitness I suggest trying some long upland hikes nearer home to gauge your stamina first. I don’t want you pegging out on me!

The crucial thing is an ability to maintain a decent pace going up slopes. The worst thing for us is to have an unfit person puffing up the hills and making life dull for the others: these walks do require fitness.

We don’t go fast but I do like to keep up a nice steady pace without too many stops. It is important to keep reasonably close together as a group to avoid people getting lost. Our walks are non-competitive so please don’t set out to break any world records.

You can be as genial or as solitary as you wish. Mountain walking brings out the poet in some and the philosopher in others. So we shall be sympathetic to your wishing to share your dazzling insights with us and equally understanding should you prefer to stroll along in a world of your own.

Although the weather in this corner of southern Switzerland is often fabulous, hot and sunny it can be wet and miserable. In the event of bad weather we shall take routes that are more sheltered but it is impossible to avoid getting wet. So please come prepared for sun but willing to make the most of bad weather. Driving rain requires stoicism not grumbling.