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Zay Harding travels the length and
breadth of Switzerland, beginning with a leap of faith
in Locarno! The valley and damn are
made famous for their starring role in 'Golden Eye'
and Zay jumps his first ever 700 feet bungee drop. Once
recovered, the journey continues to Flims and  the bizarre
Annual Celebration of the end of Winter, the 'Glashercruse'
he joins with a sledging team and dressed in tinsel
plummets down the snowy course. Then onwards to Zurich
for the Burning of Winter Festival
'Sexalogs' in which they set fire to a giant snowman.
The faster the snowman burns, the warmer the summer
in Switzerland. Then to Langnau and
on his bike Zay visits the Emmental
region and experiences the horn making and yodelling
traditions of Switzerland first hand! Finally the treks
conclude in Bourg St Pierre, the last
village before reaching the Italian border made famous
by the St Bernard Pass. Zay skis up
the mountain to a hospice and on to meet the life saving
St Bernard dogs, famous for rescuing over 2000 people
in the treacherous mountain range.
Zay Harding's trek through Austria takes him on a journey
from the beautiful architecture and countryside of Salzburg
to the vast and spectacular mountain
peaks of the Alps. Beginning in the home of the Sound
of Music and Mozart, Zay then takes a trip by Bus to Hallstatt. This fascinating little
town has a dark history hidden in the depths of its
lake where divers have found relics of the old Nazi
regime. The church itself has its  own special character
with the tradition of digging up decayed bodies from
the graveyard and keeping the decorated bones in a room
in the church. Then upwards to the town of Lanrsbach
and its C11th castle. Taking his life in his hands he
goes canyoning and then to a spa to recover where he
experiences the grass relaxation technique. Before heading
up the mountain further, Zay cannot resist donning the
traditional lederhosen and participating in a folk dance!
Finally to Neustift and its glacial
peaks 8000 feet up by snow shoe. After investigating
the inside of an ice crevice Zay gets his reward with
spectacular views of the stunning Austrian mountains. |
