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Picture perfect peaks and panoramas
Today, a Heidi Path leads from Maienfeld train station to Oberrofels, the village where Spyri met her free-spirited muse. Come here during October and your trip will coincide with two international horse-racing meetings, in an area that was a nurturing ground for horses drafted by the Swiss military during World War I.
More obvious during the hike up to Heididorf (Heidi’s village) is Maienfeld’s prominence as one of Switzerland’s best-known wine regions. Fortified vineyards dating back to the 17th century spread out beneath the barefaced peak of Falknis. Some of Europe’s best pinot noirs are made here, along with a smaller but fine selection of rieslings and chardonnays. As always in Switzerland, the sounds of cow bells ring across the fields.
The village itself consists of a handful of stone houses hundreds of years old. A museum has taken over the house where Heidi – or the girl said to have inspired her – spent each winter, with rooms furnished to fit the era and some of the objects and artefacts on display used as props and costumes in the 2015 film remake.
There’s also a gift shop beneath a museum dedicated to the Heidi phenomenon, as well as Switzerland’s smallest post office, where you can purchase Heidi stamps and postcards to mail home. Further up the hill is a replica of Heidi’s mountain hut, where she stayed with her grandfather over summer, and where Peter stopped by to pick her up each morning so they could herd their goats to the rich feeding grounds higher up the mountain.
The hut only opened in May this year and is an enlarged version of the original in order to cope with the 150,000 tourists who crowd in here each summer. It includes short films illustrating how cheese and butter were made back in Heidi’s day, and how trees were felled and crafted into housing and furniture.
The more energetic can hike a further 90 minutes up the mountain to see the original alpine hut where Heidi was happiest, living in the mountains and lazing in the alpine meadows among the summer wildflowers. The route has 12 literature points recalling the story of Heidi and Peter.
The path loops back to Maienfeld via Heidi’s Fountain – erected on the 50th anniversary of Johanna Spyri’s death in 1901 after a nationwide appeal for donations. All up, it’s a pleasant 90-minute walk, not allowing for time spent in the village or trekking to the original alpine hut. Best of all though – for adults, at least – is the chance to quench a hard- earned thirst in one of those wineries. heididorf.ch heidiland.com www.myswitzerland.com
Getting there
Swiss International Air Lines flies to Zurich via Singapore or Hong Kong, code sharing with Qantas, Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific. swiss.com
Getting around
Express train services connect Zurich with Maienfeld in just over an hour. Consider purchasing a Swiss Travel Pass, which includes unlimited rail, road and waterway transport, free admission to more than 490 museums around the country and 50 per cent discounts for most mountain railways. Children under 16 travel free of charge when accompanied by at least one parent holding a Swiss Family Card. Children under six years travel free. Organise package deals and transport through www.myswitzerland.com