Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 52 Comments

Swiss Sunday

It’s just turned Sunday here in the UK. Whisper it but I would much rather be saying that it’s Sunday her in Switzerland. It’s definitely a land that I would love to live out my dreams. The best of dreams in the best of lands.

Switzerland is a land of lakes, mountains, valleys and alpine meadows. The air is crisp, fresh and pure. It’s healthy. It’s good for you. It has the highest percentage of people over a 100 years old across all of Europe. It has the highest average life expectancy of any country in Europe and it is in the top 4 countries world wide.

Dreams and good for you, YES I wish I was in Switzerland right now.

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 47 Comments

Swiss Sunday

It’s just turned Sunday here in Yorkshire. That’s a really wet, windy, cold and grim Yorkshire tonight. Wow I’m missing my dreams tonight. So let’s live out a few of those dreams.

It’s been 6 years now since I stood in Switzerland and I so want to be back there. It is the most wonderful country I have ever been to. Hopefully one day I hope you get to see for yourself just how magical it really is.

So let’s take a virtual trip to alpine heaven. Yes sometimes the sun doesn’t even shine there. But even when the weather turns it’s still special. It really is.

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 37 Comments

Swiss Sunday

It’s Sunday so it’s time to venture again to one of our planets most picture perfect countries. Let’s take a walk down memory lane to Switzerland.

This week we go back to the Summer of 2012. A very different time. On this day our little family made its way to Kleine Scheidegg. An epic high mountain pass in the Bernese Oberland. It stands at over 6000ft, overshadowed by mighty Eiger and Lauberhorn. It’s a dream of mine to one day stay in one of the hotels here on the pass.

This day we caught the train from Grindelwald. It’s a beautiful journey which eventually leads through the Eiger to one of the highest visitable places in Europe, The Jungfraujoch. On this day we where only going part of the way but someone was too busy to notice having a Dr Who adventure to play out.

A meal outside and then it was the long but stunning walk down to Lauterbrunnen.

What a day.

What a place.

What a memory.

Thank you Switzerland.

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 36 Comments

Swiss Sunday

You might have realised by now. I’m kinda fond of Switzerland. Is started when I was young. As a teenager I was seemingly stuck in a North East English seaside town. Surrounded by pollution and poverty. The world seemed so far out of reach. Yet virtually every Saturday morning I spent so many hours looking at the photos in a battered old climbing book. One of the few interesting books in the town’s rundown library. The book was a gateway to a far off wonderland called Switzerland. Fast forward many years and regular family holidays confirming just how amazing this wonderland was in reality. The perfect location for adventures and living out big dreams.

It’s now been 6 years since my last visit. It does feel like a far off land these days. But I need to go back. I need to experience Switzerland again. I need to remind myself that this world is still a place of wonder.

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 30 Comments

Swiss Sunday

It’s just about Sunday. Surely it’s time to spend a few moments remembering some wonderful family visits to one the best places on our planet. A place of stunning mountain landscapes, peace and wonders. It’s time for Switzerland.

Three generations of family holidays to this little bit of alpine heaven on earth. But now it’s all changed. The family is much smaller and less mobile. That family connection now falls on just Hawklad and me.

So we are going through old photos. Imagining again what it’s like to spend time in Switzerland. The sights, the sounds, the tranquility. We will find a way to make it back. We want to. We need to. It’s now in our family DNA.

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 63 Comments

Swiss Sunday

This week Hawklad mentioned that it was far too long since we had been to Switzerland. He went further by saying that he would love to live there as it was such a special place.

So we have a goal. Maybe a 2022 return. The first in 7 years.

Just maybe it’s not that long until we are amongst The Alps again.

Let’s hope.

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 46 Comments

Swiss Sunday

It’s early Sunday morning here in Yorkshire. My thoughts are drifting to another country. A little bit of heaven on earth. To one of the most stunning places on the planet. To Switzerland.

Switzerland is a country that has been close to our family for such a long time now. Many family holidays. At least 4 generations. It’s over 5 years since our last visit. One day we will hopefully return, currently it would just be Hawklad and I. A lot of life has happened over those 5 years.

Why did so many family members spend so many holidays here over the years. This is why.

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 48 Comments

Swiss Sunday

It’s Sunday so it must be time for our weekly virtual trip to glorious Switzerland. A country which means the world to our little family. My partners family have had strong connections with the country since before the Second World War. It started with a young chap being sent to The Alps to recover from a serious chest illness. It continued with members of the Quaker family working with injured serviceman charities . Then my partners mum and dad holidaying here every year while staying with close friends. Then my partner would go there on family holidays. I was then introduced to the wonders of Switzerland and finally Hawklad was.

Life moves on. That connection with Switzerland now rests just with me and Hawklad. A connection that we both are keen to treasure and keep going.

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 40 Comments

Swiss Sunday

It’s Sunday so it must be time for our weekly virtual trip to beautiful Switzerland. A country which we haven’t been able to visit since 2015 but which still means so much to our little family.

I was reading an article describing the most beautiful countries to visit as soon as the world opens again. Can you guess which country was in the list of 5. Switzerland really is that good. If you ever get the chance to travel here, please take it. You certainly won’t regret it.

And occasionally. Even in a place as epic as Switzerland sometimes the smaller scale things are the best.

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 43 Comments

Swiss Sunday

It’s Sunday so it must be time for our weekly trip to Switzerland. A place of unrivalled peace and beauty. It’s now almost 6 years since our little family has made it the 1000 miles to this stunning land. Our next trip can’t come quick enough.

Of all the things that come to mind when you think of Switzerland, Boats and Yachts won’t be that high up the list. But spend anytime here and you will change your mind. Switzerland has so many wonderful lakes with unrivalled views. It’s a brilliant country to head onto the waters.

It’s also a brilliant place to go for a paddle.