Michel Darbellay of the Service for the Prevention of Agricultural Accidents, a private organisation that helped produce the leaflet, said walkers had little to fear if they stayed 20-50 meters from any cows. Darbellay said it is when the dogs retreat towards their owners that walkers are most likely to face a charging cow. "The best practice is to maintain a fair distance and keep dogs on a leash," he said.

Improved signage on the Alpine Culture Path  
On June 9th, 300 Swiss Friends of Nature volunteers added 700 signs marking the 58 sections of the 650-kolmeter long Alpine Cuture Path.  The path, stretching from St Gingolph on Lake Geneva to the rugged Muestair Valley in Graubuenden, takes hikers through Swtizerland's four languarge regions, 10 cantons, and over 15 passes, including the 2585 meter high Vereina Path.

Inaugurated in 1999, the path is designed to expose walkers to several aspects of Swiss Alpine culture, from handicrafts and religious traditions to local cuisines.  The 58 sections of the path range from 3 kilometers to 20 kilometers, and were chosed so that they could be enjoed by families, seniors, as well as seasoned hikers.

Baedeker's Tips for Alpine Hikers, Circa 1889    
Karl Baedeker was the pioneer and foremost practitioner in the 19th century in the writing of travel guides. The 1889 edition of his guidebook to Switzerland is a dazzling example of his intimate knowledge of the Swiss Alps. His object in writing the guide was to supply travelers "with all needful information, to point out the most interesting places and the best way of reaching them, to render him comparatively independent of the services of guides and other, and thus to enable him thoroughly to enjoy his tour in this magnificent country." In short, if you carried a Baedeker guide, you traveled with the next best thing to a seasoned Alpine escort.

In this introductory section to "Baedeker's Switzerland," he describes the equipment and strategy for a successful walking tour.

Disposition of Time. The first golden rule for the walker is to start early. If strength permits, and a suitable halting-place is be met with, a walk of one or two hours may be accomplished before breakfast. At noon a moderate luncheon is preferable to the usual table d'hote dinner. Rest should be taken during the hottest hours (12-3), and the journey then continued till 5 or 6 pm, when a substantial meal may be partaken of. The traveller's own feelings will best dictate the hour for retiring to bed.

Equipment. A superabundance of luggage infallibly increases the delays, annoyance, and expenses of travel. A light `gibeciere' or game-bag, which far less irksome to carry than a knapsack, suffices to contain all that is necessary for a week's excursion. A change of flannel shirts and worsted stockings, a few pocket-handkerchiefs, a pair of slippers, and the `objets de toilette' may, with a little practice, be carried with hardly a perceptible increase of fatigue.

A pocket-knife with a corkscrew, a leather drinking-cup, a spirit-flask, stout gloves, and a piece of green crape or coloured spectacles to protect the eyes from the glare of the snow, should not be forgotten. Useful, though less indispensable, are an opera-glass or small telescope, sewing materials, a supply of strong cord, sticking plaster, a small compass, a pocket-lantern, a thermometer, and an aneroid barometer. The traveller's reserve clothing should be contained in a portmanteau of moderate size, which he can easily wield himself when necessary, and which may be forwarded from town to town by post.

General Hints. The traveller's ambition often exceeds his powers of endurance, and if his strength be once overtaxed he will sometimes be incapacitated altogether for several days. At the outset, therefore, the walker's performances should be moderate; and even when he is in good training, they should rarely exceed 10 hrs. a day. When a mountain has to be breasted, the pedestrian should avoid `spurts,' and pursue the `even tenor of his way' at a steady and moderate pace.

Mountaineering among the higher Alps should not be attempted before the middle or end of July, nor at any period after a long continuance of rain or snow. Glaciers should be traversed as early in the morning as possible, before the sun softens the crust of ice formed during the night over the crevasses. Experienced guides are indispensable for such excursions.

Sleeping Accomodations. The traveller is cautioned against sleeping in chalets, unless absolutely necessary. Whatever poetry there may be theoretically in `a fragrant bed of hay,' the cold night-air piercing abundant apertures, the ringing of the cow-bells, the grunting of the pigs, and the undiscarded garments, hardly conduce to refreshing slumber. As a rule, therefore, the night previous to a mountain expedition should be spent either at an inn or at one of the club-huts which the Swiss, German, and Italian Alpine Clubs have recently erected for the convenience of travellers.

Food. Mountaineers should provide themselves with fresh meat, bread and wine or spirits for long expeditions. The chalets usually afford nothing but Alpine fare (milk, cheese, and stale bread). Glacier-water should not be drunk except in small quantities, mixed with wine or cognac. Cold milk is also safer when qualified with spirits. One of the best beverages for quenching the thirst is cold tea.

Weather. Over all the movements of the pedestrian the weather holds despotic sway. The barometer and weather-wise natives should be consulted when an opportunity offers. The blowing down of the wind from the mountains into the valleys in the evening, the melting away of the clouds, the fall of fresh snow on the mountains, and the ascent of the cattle to the higher parts of their pasture are all signs of fine weather.
On the other hand it is a bad sign if the distant mountains are dark blue in colour and very distinct in outline, if the wind blows up the mountains, and if the dust rises in eddies on the roads. West winds also usually bring rain."

Editorial Footnote: Of course, we feel fairly certain that if Mr. Baedeker was updating his guides today, he would suggest the use of more lightweight and durable equipment such as nylon packs and polar tech jackets. We don't, however, believe he would alter his stance on imbibing small quantities of spirits.

Baedeker's Advice on Hiring Guides, Circa 1889
"Guides are indespensable for glacier-expeditions. They will be found to be intelligent and respectable men, well versed in their duties, and acquainted with the people and resources of the country.

The traveller should select one of the certificated guides, who have passed an examination, and are furnished with legal certificates of character and qualifications.  The usual pay for a guide is 6-8 fr. for a day of 8 hrs.;  he is bound to carry 15-18 pounds of baggage, and to hold himself at the entire disposition of his employers.  If dismissed at a distance from home, he is entitled to 6 fr. a day for the return journey;  but he is bound to return by the shortest practicable route.

Although a guide adds considerably to the traveller's expenses, the outlay will seldom be regretted.  A good guide points out many objects which the best maps fail to indicate;  he furnishes interesting information about manners and customs, battle-fields, and historical incidents;  and when the traveller reaches his hotel, wearied with the fatigues of the day, his guide often renders him valuable service.  I

It need hardly be said that a certain amount of good fellowship and confidence should subsist between the traveller and the man who is perhaps to be his sole companion for several days, and upon whose skill and experience his very life not unfrequently depends."