Background

Background: There are no very big mountains on the island of Ireland. The highest Irish mountain, Carrauntoohill (Corrán Tuathail) is a little higher than 1,000m. There is no summit that cannot be reached by walking, yet there are many regions that are enjoyed by hillwalkers, hikers and climbers. Although the altitude of such regions is hardly more than Spain's Meseta, due to the combination of altitude and latitude such terrain is agriculturally unproductive , being used mainly as rough grazing for sheep. Many people enjoy mountain activities such as hiking and climbing in Ireland and over the centuries many people have travelled from Ireland to perform feats of mountaineering in the Greater Ranges of the world.

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Showing posts with label Bel Alp. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bel Alp. Show all posts

Thursday, July 6, 2023

Mrs Tyndall

 Louisa Hamilton was the 30-year-old daughter of a member of parliament, Lord Claud Hamilton,

Louisa

and she married John Tyndall in 1876. She was a descendent of John Hamilton, an Irish Peer whose family owned extensive land in Donegal, Tyrone and Derry/Londonderry.

In Louisa, Tyndall had found someone to share his love of the Alps and after their wedding they went to Bel Alp in Switzerland where they spent two months. 

'Their affectionate behaviour in public...caused Meta Brevoort (an American mountaineer) to remark that they were seen "kissing on one of the spurs of the Sparrenhorn". (The ascent of John Tyndall ; Roland Jackson)

They took walking trips on the Aletsch glacier, climbed the Sparrenhorn and, notably the Aletschorn (4,195m - the second highest in the Bernese Oberland).  This was one of the earliest ascents by a woman. Later she went on to Pontresina and climbed  Piz Languard (3,262m) without him and explored the Roseg Glacier there.

Tyndalls at Bel Alp Hotel
The year after their marriage they built a chalet at Alp Lusgen, above Bel Alp, in a stunning position near the Aletsch Glacier.  They visited their chalet during many summers but there is little record of what were Louisa's accomplishments in the mountains other than that they climbed the Sparrenhorn a number of times and walked extensively in the region.

It was Louis who caused John Tyndall's death through an accidental overdose of chloral hydrate. Some time after this she arranged the placement of a stone monument to his memory close to their chalet at Alp  Lusgen.  

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Piz Languard
(Wikipedia)
Tyndall's chalet today.
(Courtesy Blatten)