The Alpabzug, Alpabfahrt is a Swiss tradition. This event usually takes place in September.
The cows spend 90-100 days on the mountain pasture. They sniff fresh air and eat healthy herbs and grasses. They lead a wonderful cow life. In autumn the cows return to the valley. For this they are traditionally decorated, washed and groomed. Each cow wears a bell around its neck. The bells look heavier than they are. It's about as if we were wearing a 500-gram jar of honey around our necks.
Together with the dairymen and dairywomen walk 2-3 hours into the valley. Of course, you can complain about the noise of the bells. I prefer to focus on the fact that the cows here enjoy a great life.
I accompanied the cows early in the morning. None of them made an unhappy or stressed impression on me. Who wants to learn more about our travels: Become a patron and benefit from all my insider tips for Switzerland!