HIGH ON A HILL
02 Aug 2017
Built in Switzerland, the world’s longest pedestrian suspension bridge is now open for use. The 85-metre-high bridge links two points on a commonly used hiking trail and provides dizzying views of the valley below.
Zermatt Tourism — Switzerland’s tourism office — has announced the opening of the Charles Kuonen suspension bridge. Hikers, thrill-seekers and dedicated Instagrammers can now cross the suspension bridge for breath-taking views of the Swiss Alps.
The 494-meter-long bridge was constructed in just 10 weeks by SWISSROPE, and the structure’s highest point is suspended at 85 meters above the valley floor. The new bridge replaces an older structure that was damaged by falling rocks and forms a link between two sections of the Europaweg two-day hiking trail between Grächen and Zermatt.
The suspension bridge measures a little over two-feet wide and is single-file access only. The grated walkway gives users the opportunity to look down at the valley, which will thrill some and not others. A spokesperson for Zermatt Tourism, Edith Zweifel states that “people who have problems with fear of heights, they have to close their eyes, or have someone to walk just behind.”
The suspension bridge will save travellers along the Europaweg up to four hours of detours and will be a thrilling experience for those brave enough to attempt the shortcut. “The thrill of traversing the precipice is indescribable,” concludes the tourism agency.