PEAKperformance

From lakes to mountain peaks, central Switzerland delivers blissful nature-based adventures. It’s particularly appealing to solo female travellers, writes Natasha Dragun.

Nature has this inexplicable way to heal and make you feel, well, good. We’ve known it for centuries, and now science proves it. Whether it’s the soothing sound of birds and waterfalls, the coolness of the wind and warm touch of the sun, the feeling of grass beneath your feet, or the clarity of the light, being outdoors delivers a high – both emotional and physical. Small wonder Switzerland’s spectacular Tell Trail is a salve for the soul.

Show and tell…

This epic adventure in the Lucerne-Lake Lucerne region is nature writ large: eight days and 156 kilometres hiking through the heart of the country with wild and humbling landscapes as your backdrop. One of which is Lake Lucerne, an immense sparkling waterway between mountains and valleys and dotted with castles and historic towns like Altdorf, your starting point for the trek.

This place could have slipped from the pages of a fairytale, it’s that pretty. Among other travellers, it attracted William Tell in the 14th century (hence the trail’s name) who came here with his son, a visit immortalised in a monument standing proudly in the town’s market.

As difficult as it is to leave, the route beckons through the kind of rolling fields you see on postcards – endless green only broken by doe-eyed cows and petite villages where you can refuel on alpine cheese (this part of Switzerland is famous for it) and a refreshing regional beer.

Mountain magic

The next week becomes a blur of mountains, each one more majestic than the next. In fact, the trail winds across central Switzerland’s ‘Big Six’: Stoos, Rigi, Pilatus, Stanserhorn, Titlis and Brienzer Rothorn, the latter the endpoint of your journey.

Completing the entire route is a rite of passage, but you can still savour the trail even if you just have a day or two – cog railways, aerial cableways and public transport offer a glimpse of this bucolic countryside in just a few hours. But believe me, that won’t be enough time.

Luxe Lucerne

Champagne? Fondue? Egyptian cotton sheets? Is there any better tonic for mountain-weary limbs than a little luxury? You’re in luck, because Lucerne and surrounds offer a dedicated portfolio of upscale accommodations, courtesy of Lake Lucerne Luxury Hideaways.

Wander to Rigi Kaltbad station, zip down to Vitznau and jump aboard a boat to cruise to Lucerne, its atmospheric alleys of boutique stores, Swiss chocolate shops and coffee houses all leading to your choice of luxe lodgings.

Check in, perhaps, to the Grand

Hotel National, perched lakeside and with dramatic alpine views. Or Hotel Schweizerhof, enjoying prime position in the Old Town, just a short stroll from the legendary Chapel Bridge and Lion Monument. On a curve of the lake to the south sits the Bürgenstock Resort almost like a country unto itself, replete with four hotels, 10 restaurants and bars, spa treatments for days… and some of the most dreamy lake views you’ll come across.

Leave the water behind and head into the mountains to discover Kempinski Palace Engelberg, occupying a handsome 1904 Belle Époque building that will make you feel like royalty.

We’re particularly fond of the hotel’s ‘Sauna World’ within the spa, where three saunas are heated to different temperatures, with an ice chamber when you need to cool down.

Day-tripping to Titlis

When it comes time to stretch your legs again, you can do it in a day – from Lucerne, it’s just a scenic 45-minute train ride to the town of Engelberg, where an aerial cableway (the world’s first rotating cable car) transports you to the top of glorious Mount Titlis.

If the views of the glacier and its legendary cave don’t take your breath away, then the crisp mountain air will – the only way your heart will beat faster is if you catch a ride on the Ice Flyer chairlift or wander out on the Titlis Cliff Walk, with its vertigo-inducing views. There’s also snow tubing and ice mobiles, if you feel the need for a little bit of speed. So this is what it means to feel alive…

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