The landscape visible from the Plan Praz Via Ferrata.
Rock Climbing For Tourists
Via Ferrata (VF) is rock climbing for tourists. It is a method by which non rock climbers can ascend a cliff with a minimum of training and effort. Hand holds and foot holds are placed within easy reach of these others. Participants in this activity benefit from a new perspective on the landscape and learn to handle their fear of heights and move at the group’s rate rather than their own.
Accessible
Hand holds and foot holds vary in via ferrata, there are staples, pedals and spikes. Staples are the most common on most VFs. Pedals can be found also be found. Spikes are simply rods that have been drilled in to the rock. To the right or left of the VFÂ are metal cables. These metal cables are the via ferrata safety line. A via Ferrataist is always connected by at least one carabiner at all times.
The cable is attached to the rock every two or three metres. If someone should fall while exploring a VFÂ they will only fall one or two metres. Via Ferrata equipment designed to today’s safety norms is designed so that beyond a specified force load it unravels and serves as a parachute to dampen and stop an individual’s fall.
Safe and enjoyable
This is a safe and enjoyable sport with routes suited to an individual’s abilities. When you look up via ferrata locations you will find information about how physical they are, how high up they are, how well equipped they are as well as the walking time to and from the via ferrata. Included is the estimated time that it should take to complete the via ferrata.
In normal times we can walk along clean paths, without walking through the mud because we can walk within a meter or two of people. During a pandemic though, the recommendation is to be at least two meters from people. Many agricultural paths are not that wide, especially when people ... Read More
In 2019 Swiss people spent 162 million hours walking and hiking in Switzerland. Hiking generates 2.5 billion CHF per year and there are 50,000 signs to help people find their way. In Switzerland people hike 20 times per year. I go for a two to three hour walk/hike every single ... Read More
The conversation is too often about designing cities to be car-free, but I would argue that designing the countryside to require less frequently would be more advantageous. The reason for this is that walking from village to village, and from villages to towns eliminates the need for, and appeal of ... Read More
Today I noticed how quiet the world, or at least the area in which I was walking, was. I saw very few cars, very few people walking, and very little noise from other people. This doesn’t mean that people weren’t out and about. Although my route was for the most ... Read More
Today I walked a 15-kilometre loop because I saw people walking two abreast and decided to retrace my steps a short distance before trying a new bifurcation. By the end of this walk, my legs were starting to get tired. I walked non stop for over two hours before a ... Read More
It’s the sixtieth day of solitude for some of us and if we look at Twitter we see that people in other countries are suffering. One person spoke of the dark dog whilst another expressed distress. A third expresses another emotion. Around the world we see people suffering and trying ... Read More
For once I walked in the drizzle, rather than the rain but I could hear thunder as I got home. I have almost reading Thirst: 2600 Miles to Home during this walk. Poetically I was listening to her about walking with a storm on its way whilst a storm was ... Read More
I’m writing for future generations now. As I looked at the stats for the most recent posts i see that readership is low. I’m tempted to start writing about something else as a result. In two or three weeks if we’re still seeing low numbers of new cases I might ... Read More
Walking in heavy rain for two and a half hours doesn’t make much sense. You don’t see much. The more time you spend outside the more of you is wet, and by the time you get home you’re cold and in need of warming up. It’s day 57, the 11th ... Read More
Long-Horned cows are a rare treat. We usually see short-horned or even de-horned cows in Switzerland. To see longhorn cow is a treat. I took a tiny detour from my walk to get some pictures. I have walked by the field a few times before seeing them close enough to ... Read More
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.