Zermatt is one of the popular car-free tourist destinations in Switzerland. So we had to walk for approximately 10 minutes from the railway station to the lower station of the Zermatt - Sunnegga cable railway, which is a fast ride up the mountain inside a tunnel.
At Sunnegga, we started our five lakes hike. Right below Sunnegga, there is the beautiful Leisee, which is great for families with kids, who like to enjoy a sunny day at the beach.
Leisee - An Alpine Lake with a Beautiful Beach
The Leisee is just 10 minutes away from the cable car station of Sunnegga. For families with kids, it is a great place to spend the whole day. There is a lovely beach, a huge playground and kids like it to cross the lake on a raft. There is enough entertainment the whole daylong!
However, we didn't stay at the beach. We just started our hike to the other four lakes. As it was already October, the aerial cableway from Sunnegga to Blauherd was no more kept in service and we had to do the ascent by foot. The ascent to Blauherd took about an hour and another hour from Blauherd to Stellisee.
The Forbidding Morainic Landscape of the Findel Glacier
The hike from Blauherd to Stellisee is an interesting one, as it offers an awesome view over the morainic landscape of the Findel glacier. Since 1850, the Findel glacier lost about one quarter of its surface area. (Wikipedia)
The retreat of the Findel glacier left exarations and glacial deposits, the so-called moraines. The morainic landscape is an inhospitable wasteland and it took a long time for some vegetation to grow.
Stellisee - A Lake In the midst of a Stunning Alpine World
Stellisee is by far the most beautiful of the five lakes. The below picture shows the view eastwards with the Adlerhorn and the Findel glacier in the background. The brown house below the Adlerhorn is the mountain Hotel and Restaurant Fluhalp. Walking from Stellisee to the Hotel Fluhalp takes about half an hour.
I walked to the other end of the lake to the famous photo point. An incredible view of the Matterhorn, which is reflected in the lake, is going to result in a perfect scene.
Hiking Across the Morainic Landscape
On the way to Grindjisee, we had to descend the lateral moraine almost to the bottom of the valley, which is the exaration of the Findel glacier. In the background to the right, we can see the peak of Hohtälli with its aerial cable car upper station.
Down in the valley, a relatively flat path runs along the moraine. I followed the path and half an hour later, I arrived at the Grindjisee.
Grindjisee - A Well-Hidden Treasure
The Grindjisee is a lake of an outstanding beauty. It is well hidden behind a lateral moraine of the retreated Findel glacier. In its still surface mirrors the Matterhorn and a few larches. It is just a small stretch of water. However, there is a huge variety of moorland flora around it. Biologists, botanists and all nature lovers will enjoy this small, but unique paradise.
Crossing the Solitary Valley
The next lake I wanted to visit was Grünsee. It lays on the other side of the Solitary Valley on the left lateral moraine.
While crossing the valley ground, I enjoyed many great views to the moraines on the left and right of that valley.
Grünsee - This Lake is a Very Inviting Place to Relax
Grünsee is a lovely lake with clear green water. Benches at the beach or rocks on the other side of the lake are good places to rest and relax. Children will enjoy playing with the stones and the water. Behind the mountainside, we can even see the peak of the Matterhorn.
Hiking to Riffelalp, a Station of the Gornergrat Railway
I decided not to visit the Mosjesee and instead to follow the hiking trail to Riffelalp, a train station of the Gornergrat Railway. It was a hike of about two hours through wild forests and along mountainsides with a great view to the surrounding snow covered mountains. It was already getting dark when I arrived at Riffelalp and took one of the last trains down to Zermatt.
