Zermatt 2024 Day 13: Tasch

The overnight rain had abated, and though the footpath along the valley to Tasch was closed, we could take the train, and then explore.   With 12 hours of rain the previous day, the river was high, and the clouds still gripped the slopes on the sides of the valley.

We had identified a path on the map which would lead us on a circular walk on the side of the valley.  As we turned off the main track along the river, the rocks beside us held big domes of white flowers (a Minuartia species ?), and some rather bedraggled looking Dianthus sylvestris.

Viola tricolor

The bank also showed the familiar flowers of Viola tricolor.

Silene flos-jovis

Before we were even ten metres up from the riverside path, we came across the plant I had puzzled over glimpsed from the train, glistening pink with the raindrops.  This is Silene flos-jovis, which was new to me in the wild.  I immediately resolved to try again with it in the garden, though it has to be said that my slugs are extremely partial to it.

Lilium martagon

Nearby was a single martagon lily, also sparkling with raindrops.

Descurainia sophia

More familiar plants followed, including Geranium sylvaticum, and the Flixweed (Descurainia sophia) we had seen the previous day.

Galeopsis ladanum ?

We also found a member of the Lamiaceae which I have struggled to identify, but I think it might be Galeopsis ladanum.

Galium species

These wooded slopes were also home to foaming clumps of a white Galium.  The path was steep, zigzagging to and fro as it climbed up the side of the valley.

Cladonia pyxidata ?

Nestled among the pine needles were little clumps of lichen, bearing pixie cups – possibly Cladonia pyxidata ?

Dactylorhiza fuchsii

Eventually we reached the top of the zigzag climb, and started along a path leading southwards and gently upwards along the valley side.  Between the trees there were Common-Spotted Orchids (Dactylorhiza fuchsii).

Eventually, we reached a seat, high up on the cliff, where we could stop and look out across the valley.  The cloud was still thick not far above us, but we could see waterfalls on the far side of the valley where the previous day’s rain was rushing down the steep slopes.

In front of us was a cross, which we saw again when we were back in the village, looking up.

This path through the open larch woods was lovely.

The older tree-trunks bore a rich environment of moss and lichen.

Silene nutans

In between were flowers of the Nottingham Catchfly, Silene nutans, in as good condition as I have ever managed to photograph it.

The Minuartia persisted, with occasional plants of Lactuca perennis, and the ubiquitous Geranium pyrenaicum.

Trifolium medium ?

In one open clearing there was a clover which I photographed because it looked a little unusual.  I think this may be Trifolium medium.

Campanula spicata

Also in the open areas we saw Campanula spicata, which we hadn’t encountered since our first day.

Silene flos-jovis

The steep meadows were full of Silene flos-jovis and simply magnificent.

Campanula barbata

And among the Silene flos-jovis, the nodding bells of Campanula barbata.

Aconitum lycoctonum subsp vulparia

Near a stream we came across a big clump of Wolfsbane (Aconitum lycoctonum subsp vulparia).

Ox-eye daisies (Leucanthemum vulgare), Biscutella laevigata, and several Phyteuma species added to the display.

Between these sunny glades, the path would disappear back into the larch woods, with pine needles and moss growing on the rocky slope.

However, we were getting a little concerned that what had started out as a well-worn path was becoming narrower and more overgrown.

Now the sun was breaking through, and the larches on the other side of the valley made wonderful patterns.

Hieracium pilosella

Slowly the forest was becoming more open, and we passed Hieracium pilosella.

Dactylorhiza fuchsii

And more Common-Spotted Orchids.

Vincetoxicum hirundinaria

We came across several big clumps of Vincetoxicum hirundinaria, a poisonous plant with traditional medical uses.

Carduus defloratus

Fortunately, the path was now descending slowly towards the valley bottom, past big patches of thistles (Carduus defloratus).

Anthericum liliago

The Anthericum we saw on our first walk to Zmutt was growing here as well, in similar conditions.

Our descent was getting steeper, now zigzagging downwards through an area of open meadow and scree.

Dianthus sylvestris

The rocky cliffs at one end of the zigzag were home to Dianthus sylvestris.

Potentilla argentea ?

In the rocky ground beside the path we saw an unfamiliar Potentilla with narrow starry leaves, which I think is Potentilla argentea.

Cirsium eriophorum

Also on this slope we found the tall stems and huge buds of the woolly thirstle, Cirsium eriophorum.

Solitary, almost ‘standard’ roses were growing in the scree.

Silene flos-jovis

All the way down this descent the grassier areas were ablaze with more Silene flos-jovis.

Teucrium montanum

On rocky, sunny areas, Teucrium montanum was thriving.

Dianthus carthusianorum

With it, along the sides of the path, we found big plants of Dianthus carthusianorum.

On one Phyteuma flower, I photographed a beetle I haven’t managed to identify.  [Update: Helen found it using Google Lens.  This is Trichius fasciatus, the Eurasian bee beetle, which Wikipedia tells us is “often found in forest clearings in mountainous areas”.]

The larger boulders were covered by moss and ferns.

In shadier areas, wild strawberries and the white bedstraw we had seen earlier.

Geranium sylvaticum

But Geranium sylvaticum was growing out on the open scree.

Arnica montana

Along with Arnica montana.

The stabilised scree was a beautiful mass of flowers.

Sempervivum arachnoideum

The larger boulders held two species of house-leek, Sempervivum arachnoideum and Sempervivum montanum.

Epilobium fleischeri

We were approaching a much more mobile, open scree, where a larger stream ran down the hill.  Among these loose rocks, there was a colony of the very lovely Epilobium fleischeri, which I have never seen before.

We were close to the bottom of the slope, but unfortunately the twelve hours of rain the previous day meant that our way was blocked.  What was probably normally a trickle that you could stride across, had become a raging torrent, five feet wide and at least a foot deep.  Moreover, this water was pouring down with considerable force across a very loose 45 degree scree, where footing was far from certain.

Whatever crossing had been here had been washed out by the storms of the past fortnight.  We decided that we could not cross this safely, or at least that we did not have the confidence to attempt to do so.  It looks much more innocuous in the photos than it did when you were there.

Having just descended a long way, we didn’t want to retrace our steps.  Instead we scrambled down about 50 metres of scree, past more wonderful Silene flos-jovis, through a dense thicket of shrubs and trees at the bottom, and out across two meadows chest-high with grass and flowers.

We were very relieved to reach the path which led back along the side of the river to Tasch.  This is the view behind us (we had come down the slope from the right).

The rather lush meadows were full of flowers, including:

• Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
• Viola tricolor
• Melilotus albus
• Yellow rattle (Rhinanthus alectorolophus)

And of course, lots more Silene flos-jovis.

As soon as we found a bench, we stopped for lunch, and a rest.  Around us, a small colony of Lilium martagon, looking a bit tired, Rose-bay Willowherb (Chamaenerion angustifolium) just starting to flower, as well as Verbascum lychnitis, and scabious (Knautia purpurea ?).

At the base of the slope, adjacent to a campsite, a cave in a large rock had been turned into a small chapel.

Campanula cochlearifolia

In the rock work of one of the walls retaining the river, was a clump of Campanula cochlearifolia, which had survived untouched the floods of the past fortnight.

Centaurea and Onobrychis viciifolia

Making our way back through the small town, we passed a meadow full of knapweed and a sainfoin – I think Onobrychis viciifolia.

Waiting at the station, we could see the clouds still clearing from the valley sides high above us.

Lower down, the woods we had walked through, with a clear view of the cross we had sat behind.  I don’t think we realised how high that cliff was.

We were glad to make our way back through Zermatt, past the horse-drawn taxis, to the Hotel Alex.

Looking back northwards as we went for dinner, the early evening light was catching the peaks of Dom and the Taschhorn above Tasch.

This was an exciting last day, with several new flowers, and a little unwanted excitement caused by our difficulties with the stream.  We probably walked not much more than two miles, with a climb of perhaps 500 feet, but we were tired enough, and ready to pack for our return journey to Zurich, and thence to Heathrow.