Heidiland!!

According to the weather forecast, eastern Switzerland was to be "partly cloudy," and so we decided to try to hike a bit in the region called Heidiland. This area is so named as the Swiss author, Johanna Spyri wrote her classic children's literature book based in and around the village of Maienfeld, a picturesque village with its painted buildings, towers and a very pretty square surrounded by lush pastureland.

Finding parking near the train station we began walking through town, following the Heidiweg ("Heidi Path") signs. This path leads through town and into the little hamlet of Oberrofels and ends in what is called "Heididorf. " Although there is no real evidence indicating that Spyri had any specific house in mind, one house has now called itself the "Heidihaus" complete with gift shop and museum, which we skipped. We did, however, eat our lunch at the picnic table out front, feeding the chickens our scraps. Then we followed the trail that leads up to the higher pastures. All along the way there are signs, geared primarily for children indicating this was place where the Grandfather would come to chop wood or where Peter and Heidi would stop to eat! A little hard for fictional characters to reside in real land, but for so many children, Peter, Heidi, Grandfather and Clara are almost real!

We were especially struck by one sign. It indicated that this was a spot where on a clear day you could see all the way to Chur (many kilometers away!) as well as give you breathtaking views of the Alps. Please note from the photo our "breathtaking view." Ha! "Partly cloudy it was not.

The trail, after meandering through cow pastures filled with cows who seemed curious as to why we were hiking, ended at the Heidi Alp, the supposed home to Heidi’s wise Alm-Uncle. (He was smoking his pipe while he served us first coffee and then warm chocolate...all that hiking in the clouds had left us cold!) Unfortunately none of us took his photo!