KIDS TIME
CAMPING WITH KIDS - PART 2
Camping in the Swiss mountains - with a 4 month old
(to read part 1 click here)
The mountains behind Amden have
fantastic views. 
They get all the sun and the mountains are steep all around.
The typical
Swiss countryside of bright green grass dotted with yellow flowers and covered
with cows was also part of the picture we were in. The forests providing cool
shade under their pine trees and lovely paths lined the hills.
We were looking for somewhere to spend the night away from it all, in nature
and to be able to just enjoy being in the mountains. Finding no appealing hotel,
we went for “camping with a view”. In Switzerland, usually there
are only the ‘official’ campsites but if you ask a farmer, they usually
don’t mind if you camp on their land. There is a general trust that people
will do the right thing.
We saw some very pretty countryside and got some great
views from the very top of the mountain. The view from each angle seems to be
a whole new place. We were looking around for somewhere to stay and the first
place we came to a farmer was just turning his cows out after milking so we strapped
the little one on in the Baby Björn and walked up the hill to ask if we
could camp on his land. Standing in a cloud of flies and cow manure fumes we
talked it over with the farmer who allowed us to camp on his land although warning
us of cows and steep territory.
He said we could also camp in the quarry, which was just near his driveway.
Without
a special permit we couldn’t drive so with our 7kg baby strapped on, we
marched upwards to find the perfect mountain camping spot. The first one we came
was covered in piles of cow dung and was thick with stinging nettles. It was
next to a nice stream but we were sure we would find a better place. The next
one had less nettles and fly piles but was still directly overlooking the road
so again we moved on. We decided walking up the hill further may hold only more
of the same and although the mountain pass was in sight, it seemed such a long
way on foot. Our car was just there and obeying the Swiss rules we assessed the
quarry. It was flat and the air mattress would take out the hardness...but the
only view was straight at a hill, which was nothing special. Time was drawing
on. We took one last road upwards to try our luck. This brought us almost to
the top again where we met a man sitting outside of his house. He said it wasn’t
his land but he wouldn’t mind if we camped there. We headed upwards again
and came across a public “Nature friendly House”, which was full
of Germans from Stuttgart according to their number plates. We parked at the
no through traffic sign to have a look at the other side of the cattle grid.
One place was even flat but covered in boulders. The next place was on a bit
of an angle and looked like a turning place.
We had a beautiful walk up the hill to the farmer and met his very friendly cows
on the way. The little one found her and her mum and dads shadows very entertaining
and excited shrills and giggles after 10 minutes turned to silence as the day
became too much and she fell asleep in the harness without announcement. The
next farmer also gave us permission but warned us of the cows and told us we
wouldn’t find anywhere suitable. We were really glad we had gone there
as the area, was different to where we had been so far and also very beautiful.
Amazing that cows and the odd farmer only populate it. Our next stop was to a
farmer harvesting his hay. Someone at his house gave us directions up to the
nature friendly house and although the baby got lots of attention, we had no
luck getting permission to camp in his field.
By this time, we had had a wonderful afternoon but were wondering if we should
cut our losses and head back down to the official spot on the lake. We tried
this but one walk through the caravans and tents and we decided this just wasn’t
our scene. Camping to us is somewhere to stay out in the wilderness. With this
degree of population we could have stayed in a hotel.
We sat on the small beach
contemplated our next move. A cute little hotel on the lake or camping at a place
we knew about 40 minutes away.
By now, we were determined to go camping. We headed towards Canton
Glarus to the Lint Valley. It was a race with the light as it was nearly
9pm. As we headed into the valley and I sat in the back giving Ellie her next
bottle, we
summed up the situation and laughed. It was 9.30 and the sun was fading quickly.
We were heading into the mountain pass racing the light to set up a tent, which
I bought so cheaply I wasn’t sure it had all the parts. The one time I
had tried to test it a thunderstorm came over and the test was not completed.
We had never set the tent up before, we had never camped with a baby before,
we were tired, hadn’t had dinner and only a little water. So heading to
a camping spot were we had camped before right beside the river and if it happened
to be taken there were others following. At 10pm as the last light was fading,
we pulled into a spot just up from the one we knew. A flat spot without cow dung,
nettles or boulders and with a beautiful, clear wide mountain stream next to
us. It was higher than what we had remembered, at about 1500m but we remembered
the temperature last time and were glad of the spare blankets. As I set up the
travel cot with the lambskin and mosquito net and put Ellie to bed, Andy set
up the tent in the near dark and pumped up the mattress by hand (as we didn’t
find the pump in the cellar at first attempt and weren’t sure if we would
even be camping). The tent has two rooms and by all accounts passed the test.
Ellie fell asleep after a big day in her teddy bear suit and covered in a blanket
she slept soundly in her cot in the second room. As no more than our mattress
fitted in our room, everything was stored in the car or in the section between
the two sleeping compartments as the dew was already collecting. I put a path,
which was the windshields sun protector on the ground for the midnight dash.
She was very warm but we knew the temperature could drop to about 10°C or
lower in the middle of the night, although sometimes not below 23 at home in
the night, at altitude it always gets colder than one imagines. We drifted off
to sleep to the sounds of hundreds of cowbells and the mountain stream.
After a well-earned 4-hour solid sleep, we heard Ellies first cries so I dashed
to the car fridge to get the milk and then I pulled her into my sleeping bag.
As our only torch had no batteries, we used the light from the mobile phone and
after her bottle she fell soundly back asleep, a few hiccups as we waited for
her burp to find its way out and then it was back to sleep for everyone until
sun up. I sacrificed my shoulder and arm as I cradled her in my sleeping bag
and Andy had a wet wall of the tent right next to him but all in all (and considering
the potential for disaster) the 3 of us slept well and woke with smiles.
After the first bottle of the morning, we were greeted by a glorious day and
magnificent scenery of the Swiss Alps. Glaciers, cliffs, the stream and the green
grass covered in cows with their cowbells. The fresh mountain air was wonderful
and the feeling of triumph of rising to the challenge to actually go camping,
despite the odds, was a great start to the day. Dinner became breakfast as well
and we started the day on steak and eggs next to the river. We laughed about
our adventure of the previous night and how we sped up the mountain road to race
the light after turning down all the other potential campsites of cow dung, nettles,
slopes and boulders, reflected on the interesting type of person who in one of
the most civilized countries in the world can live in a valley far from the world
and really just look after cows, admired the beautiful alps of Switzerland and
looked forward to the day ahead in the mountains, the 3 of us. Once again, we
had managed to take on a task with our new addition to the family which at first
seemed insurmountable but which now seems so achievable. Just like the first
trip to the shops which was such a complex outing but now is routine, I hope
we can go on lots more camping trips but will look for a camping spot a little
earlier or just decide from the start for the hotel. I am so glad we jumped in
the deep end and just had a go.
Who wrote this?
| KATHLEEN
ETTLIN Born: Newcastle, Australia, 1979 Family: Husband Andrew and daughter Elizabeth (1) Occupation: Journalist |
 |
| My favourite occupation is mum, my least favourite is housewife and the one I am taking a lot to get used to is homemaker. | |
KIDS IN CAR
Remember these few things for making a longer car journey enjoyable for
the kids:
• Enough to drink. Water, juices and yoghurt drinks provide a nutritious
variety.
• Small snack. A low sugar granola bar should hold your kids level of energy
up in between meals. Cut up fruits or dried fruit in small boxes are
always a hit. DarVida and rice waffles are also good to bring but can
make a little more mess in the car.
•
Toy bag. Pack a small bag with toys for having in the car. Favorite small
dolls, an old “forgotten” favorite car or maybe a new surprise.
Books are good but keep in mind that they can make some kids drowsy and
carsick.
• Comfortable clothing. Avoid tight fitting jeans and too warm sweaters.
If your kids like sleeping in the car bring an extra blanket (small and
soft baby blankets are great for having in the car). NB: keep a change
of clothes in immediate reach.
Before starting the journey check the cars first aid kit. Is everything
in place?
PREVIOUS STORIES:
Ride, glide or stroll around
a
lake or river
(May09)
Knights and princesses come
out of the cold
(April09)
Swiss Easter Camps
(Mar09)
Make a mask for Fasnacht
(Feb09)
Storytellers guide to healthy food
(Jan09)
A story while we wait for Christmas
(Dec08)
- Helena Holtedahl
Autumn
Reunion
(Nov08) - Lena Kristiansen
International
Children’s
Digital Library
(Octt08)
Online
stories and games
(Sept08)
TOXLI
Kinderspiel
(Jun08)
Lily
Vanilla
(May08) - Helena Holtedahl
Lazy
lion
(Apr08) - Hedda Moser
Missing
home
(Mar08) -
Lena
Kristiansen
storytime@mamizeit.com