Interview with Tanya Deans of Swiss Family Fun
Tanya Deans was a mother of a young son when she and her husband decided to move their family from the United States to Switzerland in 2005.
With no other family and friends to socialise with, hiking at weekends began as a way to enjoy some outdoor family time together but it soon became Tanya’s passion and she created a website to share details of her family’s hiking adventures with others.
Tanya’s wish is for everyone to give hiking a go. She firmly believes that hiking doesn’t have to be challenging – an easy stroll in the country is enough to appreciate the beauty that Switzerland has to offer – and she encourages everyone to give it a try.
Swiss Family Fun, Tanya’s website, features detailed information about the hikes that Tanya has done and just by reading her website you can tell how passionate she is about hiking and getting out into the outdoors.
In this episode of the Holidays to Switzerland Travel Podcast, I chat with Tanya about her move to Switzerland and how the website started, and she kindly shares details of some of her favourite Swiss hikes.
Spoiler! There are over 65,000 kilometres of marked hiking trails in Switzerland. Even if you’ve never hiked before or you are a family with a baby in a stroller, there’s a hike in Switzerland that’s perfect for you, too!
Topics discussed in this episode include:
- How Tanya came to live in Switzerland
- How Swiss Family Fun began
- Tanya’s recommended hikes in the Jungfrau Region, Zermatt and Lucerne/central Switzerland.
- Spring flower hikes in Switzerland
- Tanya’s favourite Swiss hike
- Equipment needed for hiking in Switzerland
- Tanya’s top tips for anyone planning to hike in Switzerland
Click the green button below to listen:
Show Notes
The hikes Tanya mentions in this episode are listed below. Click on the hike name to read about the hike on Tanya’s website.
>> Riffelsee to Riffelalp hike – easy (13:45)
>> Matterhorn Glacier Trail – more challenging (15:11)
>> Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg hike – easy (16:15)
>> Grindelwald First to Schynige Platte hike – challenging (17:15)
>> Stoos Ridge Trail – moderate (19:07)
>> Brienzer Rothorn Ridge Trail – more challenging (20:04)
>> Spring flower trails – (23:00)
>> Gelmersee hike – (26:30)
Useful Resources
Swiss Family Fun offers advice and detailed information for anyone planning to hike in Switzerland. Beginner or experienced hiker, children or no children, on mountain peaks or in the lowlands, you will find a hike that’s just right for you.
For additional information to help with your trip planning, you can find comprehensive travel guides on the regions Tanya discusses in the podcast on the following links:
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