«We would far rather see the Valais to its upper end, therefore we shall return tomorrow evening; and with good luck, by this time on the day after tomorrow we shall sit in Realp in the Urserntal...» wrote Johann Wolfgang von Goethe in 1779, in his «Letters from Switzerland». At that time, as he crossed the Furkapass on foot and in winter, the journey was tough, walking even more so. There was not one single inn between Oberwald and Realp and the paths left a lot to be desired: «At first we still had a trodden footpath which led down from a neighbouring alp but soon lost this and had to climb up the mountain in snow.»

Things are very different today: The Matterhorn-Gotthard Railway stops in Oberwald before disappearing into a tunnel, the historic steam train puffs up the Furka mountain section, there are plenty of places to stop and most important of all: the hiking paths are well kept and clearly marked. For example the two-day Furka-Höhenweg, a true hiking highlight from Oberwald to Andermatt, from Canton Valais to Canton Uri, packed with sensational views: the ideal weekend tour. On Saturday the hike to the Furkapass with impressive panoramic views of the Rhone Glacier, Lauteraarhorn and Finsteraarhorn. On Sunday breathe in fresh Alpine air on the Urschner Höhenweg (high-level trail) above the Urserental valley.