On our little road trip through Grisons' Alps, we discovered a rather unexpected sight: a lighthouse at more than 2,000 meters (6,500 feet) above sea level.
But why is there a lighthouse up there, hundreds of miles from the sea?
Because this is where the story of the Rhine begins.
The lighthouse stands near the Oberalp Pass, high in the Swiss Alps. A relatively easy hike from here takes you to a small mountain lake called Lake Toma, which is considered the source of the Vorderrhein, the “Anterior Rhine,” one of the two main headwaters of the Rhine.
We didn't make the hike to the lake this time. But even without seeing it, I found it fascinating to stand beside the lighthouse and know that somewhere up there, water begins a journey that will eventually carry it through Switzerland, past Germany and the Netherlands, and into the North Sea.
And the Vorderrhein isn't alone.
Farther south, another river called the Hinterrhein, or “Posterior Rhine,” begins in the Swiss Alps.
The two rivers travel separately for quite a distance before finally meeting at Reichenau, near the Swiss city of Chur.
And this is one of those moments in geography that I find strangely satisfying: two rivers become one.
From here, the combined river is simply called the Alpine Rhine. It continues northward through Switzerland, eventually reaching Lake Constance (here's a post that includes a video showing off the beauty of Lake Constance) and then continuing its journey towards the North Sea.
There is something wonderfully humbling about seeing a river at both ends of its story.
At one end, it is a little mountain stream emerging from an alpine landscape.
Farther downstream, it has become a major river.
And all of that water began with tiny drops of rain and melting snow, gathering together and finding their way downhill.
Which makes that rather improbable lighthouse on the mountain suddenly seem like a very appropriate symbol: it marks the beginning of a journey that ends hundreds of miles away at the sea.
Maybe the fun isn't always in knowing more about the thing itself.
Sometimes it's in discovering where it all started.
What's something in your own world whose beginning would surprise you?
I’m with you on the amazement how one little stream can join in with other little streams and then eventually it all becomes a large river.
ReplyDeleteI love the photos. It’s so beautiful
That does feel humbling, and how neat to see the point where they meet! Makes you think about the lives of the people at all the different locations, who might have seen it, from the different vantage points. For me, it's a good reminder that ultimately, separation is an illusion.
ReplyDeleteI had a similar experience recently. My parents came to visit and we went to the Rhine Falls. This was the first time that I had ever thought about where the Rhine even begins 🤪.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading and looking at these gorgeous pictures of the Rhine. I appreciate you sharing them.
ReplyDeleteWhat breathtaking photos of the river and how awesome to see both rivers meet. Something about walking or sitting on the edge of the water is so peaceful. I also love the stone cairns I've seen from many years ago.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful Pristine waters..I find large bodies of calm waters very refreshing and energizing. It's probably all that energy the collect, generate and carry as they go from tiny drops of water molecules to becoming gently moving rivers and beautiful calm lakes...
ReplyDeleteI love the reminder that something so significant can begin in such a small, unexpected place. It made me think about how often we focus on where we are going without pausing to appreciate where the journey began. Thank you for introducing me to the story of the Rhine!
ReplyDeleteIt reminds me that a journey of a thousand miles start with a single step. I love sayings, beginnings and lighthouses. Beautiful photos, Tamara. You are a very good travel writer along with Barbara.
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