the times Saturday April 8 2017 Travel 37

Switzerland Curling and skiing in the

ALAMY The Alpine sport of curling is addictive — and the slopes are pretty good too — in the resort of Adelboden, says Tom Chesshyre

liding across an ice rink clutching a broom and pushing a polished granite stone towards a bullseye known as the “dolly” — in a freezing S sports hall in a little-visited ski resort in the Swiss Alps — I am beginning to wonder whether curling is all it’s cracked up to be. Already I have deposited myself face first (a few times) on the ice. Skidding forwards on special “slider shoes” and directing the 20kg granite stone towards the dolly had seemed so easy when Annina, the Adelboden curling club champion, had shown us. But out on the On the slopes in Adelboden ice in our sliders it’s another matter. Limbs seem to move independently of one another. The starting blocks, or “hacks”, from which we are required concentration is focused, and almost soon bounds up. He buys more beers — to push off, seem designed for embarrass- immediately we are coming pretty close to Adelbodians are social creatures — and ing forward plunges. The likelihood of the dolly, twisting the handle attached to explains how important the race Where to curl Zurich sending a stone 150ft (45m) down the the stones one way or the other to curve is to the resort. “We have a budget of in the Alps narrow strip of ice anywhere near our round earlier stones blocking the way. An €5million to stage the race, but it brings in targetseemszero—ona parwithshooting hour passes in a flash — plus many a slide €60million. It’s the equivalent in earnings a clay pigeon or hitting a hole in one in golf — and I end up victorious, two stones to to having a factory here with 50 people Pralognan-la-Vanoise, while blindfolded. one. Annina, who wears Buddy Holly- in it working year-round,” he says. France Adelboden It had all seemed captivatingly simple style glasses and pearl earrings, grins. She Pascal is telling us all this because last Pralognan-la-Vanoise when I’d watched it on television during knows we are curlers in the making. year’s event was cancelled at the last hosted the curling events ITALY 25 miles the Winter Olympics in Sochi in Russia, “The thing about curling is you always minute, causing much disappointment at the Albertville Winter where the Great Britain women’s team win,” she tells us. “Either you win on the ice among the vast crowds who had bought Olympics in 1992 and has Our favourite restaurant is Berghaus so brilliantly picked up bronze in or you win in the bar.” This time it’s tickets and turned up. Rainfall had ruined a year-round lane, with an Standhütte at 2,100m, which overlooks a a last-gasp victory over Switz- Jamie’s turn to grin (it is appar- the World Cup slopes. This year the snow is hour’s ice and equipment popular paragliding spot, where we eat erland (as it happens). The ently a curling tradition in poor too. There is only artificial snow (we rental costing from €60 enormous dishes of chässchnitte — a hunk cunning tactics and these parts for the winner are visiting in early December), and Pascal (£51) for up to eight of toasted bread covered with ham, cheese many dramatic finales to buy the drinks). We is worried that the race could be cancelled people (pralognan.com) and a fried egg, all soaked in red wine with appealed, and I had thank Annina and go again, hitting the local economy hard (it slices of pear bobbing about. Delicious. thought: “I’d like to the Weltcup Bar isn’t, the race goes ahead in January Seefeld, Austria We get our fill of the local food and the to give that a go round the corner, because there’s good snowfall in the end). The tourist office slopes over a long weekend, but there’s one day.” where we are about However, here’s the huge plus point in Seefeld offers lessons another lure in the back of our minds So here I am, in to discover another about Adelboden. The resort must have at 5pm every Wednesday — round two on the curling rink. This time Adelboden in the facet of this pictur- one of the best piste maintenance teams in at 5pm during the winter. Jamie gets the better of me... but at least esque resort. the Alps. So, despite the lack of real snow, The hour-and-a-half I don’t have to buy the drinks. in southwest Switz- The bar is a short the artificial snow on the slopes that are session includes basic erland, having a try. walk up the narrow open is immaculate, with a series of instruction, followed Annina is patient high street, with its exhilarating blue runs, as well as a few by practice and a as my friend Jamie and Tom Chesshyre charming 14th-century more challenging reds. These are linkedby tournament. Stick rental Need to I simply do not seem to get tries curling stone church (a plaque says a marvellous spidery network of connect- costs €9 (seefeld.com) know it at all. We are told to use the that an archway into the grounds ing pistes. It seems almost a miracle that broom to balance with our left hand was built by British soldierswho wound up there is so much mountainside to explore. Cortina, Italy and gently release the stone with our right. here during the Second World War), as well The resort best suits intermediates and Curling has been played The idea is to let the force of the thrust as cake shops and delis offering beginners. Ueli Allenbach, our guide, in Cortina since the Tom Chesshyre was a guest of from the hacks launch the granite, rather delicious cheeses and slices of cured ham. points out peaks — in the distance we can 1900s, but its popularity Adelboden , SkyWork Airlines than simply pushing the stone forwards The bar gets its name from the fact that see the Matterhorn — and offers tips in surged afterthe and Parkhotel Bellevue & Spa. SkyWork using your arms. “Do not go over the hog Adelboden is the venue for an annual World between zooming down the red runs. One 2006 Turin Winter (flyskywork.com) has return flights from line!” Annina yells. This is a black line Cup downhill race every January, when of these is to ski backwards slowly for a few Olympics. Every summer London to Bern from £190. Parkhotel across the strip of ice. 60,000 or so people descend on the village. metres from time to time. This helps to the curling centre hosts Bellevue & Spa (parkhotel-bellevue.ch) It’s all getting rather stressful. But then Inside it’s standing room only, with Led improve the position of your feet in your an international has half-board doubles from £230. Annina decides it’s time for Jamie and me to Zeppelin pumping out. I buy a couple of boots, he says, and means that your body tournament. The curling Further information: adelboden.ch. play an “end”. We are each given eight foaming draught lagers and we lean position will lean forward slightly, rather club (cortinadolomiti.eu) Curling lessons from £140 for an hour stones — the granite for most curling stones against a wall toasting our curling than rocking backwards and causing lack organises two-hour for two at the Freizeit und Sportarena comes from Scotland, we have been told — efforts. Adelboden is such a small place of control. The standard of skiing in the lessons from €28pp (00 41 33 673 17 77, adelboden.ch). “Fun and we take turns aiming for the dolly. This that it’s almost inevitable, even after only a resort is high. Most people seem to have (minimum six people) Curl” events at the ice rink at 5pm every is when the curling bug takes hold. few, to bump into someone you know. skied all their lives and are from the region, Ben Clatworthy Monday and Friday cost £20; put your Competitive juices begin to flow, Pascal Frei, the head of the local ski school, many from the nearby city of Bern. name down before noon on the day