It’s summer in Switzerland but, right now, all I really care about is whether it’s windy enough.
“So you have done this before, right?”
Stephan barely looks up from behind his neon-framed sunglasses while my eyes dart back and forth between the view out there and the fear of the emptiness below.
On tip-toes, I’m standing on the edge of a grassy hill as Stephan ties the harness around my body. He smiles at my question and offers little more than a nod.
His instructions are clear: “Okay, I need you to walk off the edge, yes? No matter what, just keep walking.”
Then a pause: “You can run if you want to.”
Run? I was barely over the idea of walking off the edge.
There’s another click as Stephan attaches my harness to him.
He is seated briefly as I stand in front and I panic for a minute, thinking I may have to piggyback him all the way into the clouds.
“Now all we have to do is wait for the wind. Ready?”
Moments earlier, I watched as Stephan pulled the entire paragliding wing from his backpack and sprawled it out as if we were about to have a picnic.
His next sentence is even shorter.
“Get ready to walk,” he says firmly.
My knees suddenly struggle to hold up the rest of me.
If there was ever a thought of backing out, that moment has passed.
I glanced at the wing again and wondered how something held up by just a few strings would keep me suspended over the Swiss Alps and hovering above Lake Thun.
But before I can really weigh up the merits of the science, Stephan motions to me that the wind has picked up enough for our “walk”.
Trailing what feels like invisible wings, my feet move forward and further down the hill.
It’s hard not to break into a gallop and I half waltz down the hill.
“You’re doing it,” Stephan shouts.
“That’s it. Keep moving.”
Within moments, the hill rapidly disappears beneath my feet and I’m treading air and nothingness.
The feeling leaves me a little light-headed. Stephan shuffles his weight and urges me to position my body into a sitting position as we fly above hundreds of pine trees.
The moment feels effortless, where a leap of faith is the price you pay for wings.
The journey began a week earlier, when I went in search of summer in the Alps.
While Switzerland is known for its snow and skiing, with the dramatic change in scenery in summer, it’s like visiting two different countries depending on the season.
And Switzerland in summer offers something few other countries can: the freedom of easy travel throughout the Alps and clearly marked hiking trails easy enough for any novice.
With a railway system that takes you anywhere on your own schedule, this is where getting lost in vast forests means lone cuckoos for company and the occasional fox peering out at you from behind big boulders.
The trails or Wanderwegs (Wandering Pathways) are easy to follow.
Even without a map, all you need do is stay on the trail.
The ideal starting point is in the village of Wengen where a stay at Hotel Caprice (http://www.caprice-wengen.ch/home/hotel), located next to the train station, serves as the perfect base to chart your course.
Owner Alan Norris is a keen hiker himself and a member of the Downhill Only club – an organisation founded in 1925.
Its manifesto? You guessed it. Downhill hiking or downhill skiing only.
Norris is eager to point out the best trails.
“But you have to read the weather,” he warns.
“In the mountains, there can be five different climates in one day.”
He’s right. What may appear to be a sunny morning could take a turn for the worst with heavy showers later in the day and that misty morning may in fact be the start of a blue-sky day.
The hotel is seasonal and open from May 30 until September 28.
It arguably offers the best balcony views of the Bernese Alps in an environment that is suited for relaxation and recreation.
Need another push? The gourmet meals at the hotel’s restaurant should be more than enough to get you there – and ensure you keep coming back.
From Hotel Caprice, one of the most spectacular hikes is the downhill hike into the Lauterbrunnen Valley, which takes you past waterfalls and into lush forests bursting with colour.
As a solo hiker, you’re likely to spend most of the hike alone – barring a few cows put out to pasture or the occasional village cat keen to accompany you (look out for the legendary 23-year-old Garfield who lives at the Wengen train station).
The hike takes you to the village of Lauterbrunnen, which is a small quaint town with a few homes and the Staubbach Falls – one of the highest waterfalls in Europe.
It drops 300m off the edge of an overhanging cliff with a force so strong the water barely appears to touch the cliff, and at times, disappears into mist before hitting the bottom.
A camping site is located a few metres away for those who like to rough it, but it is possible to follow another trail past several waterfalls along the same cliff.
For many hikers, an ideal part of the trip may include charting a course with several other modes of transport too.
For example, one may choose to hike down into the Lauterbrunnen Valley and take the train back to Wengen or take the train down and hike up.
Although, be warned, uphill hikes are particularly steep in some places and you’ll need more than a little willpower.
Good hiking boots are essential.
Alternatively, the route is easy enough to do on a hired bike. Nordic walking trails are clearly marked.
For a half-day hike, take the train to Kleine Scheidegg and trek down to the Biglenalp, but be sure to take a map or a tour guide.
Not all the snow has melted, but the sound of cuckoos or the glimpse of a fox is worth the five-hour hike.
On the way, you’ll pass several glacier streams.
Feeling brave? Get your feet wet but not for long.
For a unique hiking experience, be sure to take the 20-minute train trip from Lucerne to Alpnachstad, where you can take the world’s steepest cogway railway to the top of Mount Pilatus.
Alternatively, hike through the wide, open spaces to the top, but be sure to wave at the cogway trains as they chug past and keep your camera nearby.
There is much to take in.
Be sure to explore the “dragon lairs” at the top, where you will find beautiful artist impressions of the legend of dragons that may once have roamed over Mount Pilatus.
For another route, the “Golden Round Trip” is open in summer, which includes making the trek with almost every mode of transport.
Take the boat to Alpnachstad, then the cogway railway to the top, before catching the cable car down and finally taking a bus back to Lucerne.
While Switzerland might be a long-haul destination, the journey is worth it and most cities are generally between an hour or two hours away by train.
This makes day trips to almost anywhere accessible.
Fancy some city life?
Take a stroll across the many bridges of Bern or pedal your way in a paddle-boat across the lake in Lucerne.
Forget skiing.
Besides, who needs skis when you can soak up summer?