Creux-du-Van: Neuchâtel, Northwestern Switzerland

The Creux du Van is a giant, gaping hole in the ground, with sheer limestone cliffs shooting straight down 160 meters. It looks like one day, someone decided to reach down from the sky and scoop out the side of the earth. So different from what you come to expect from a typical Swiss hike, with their snow-capped mountain ranges and icy blue alpine lakes. We also had our first wild animal sighting, a small group of Ibex, which are a sort of Swiss mountain goat with impressive curled antlers and are much better suited to the sheer cliffs than us humans. I wrote a more in-depth account of the hike to the Creux-du-Van, and our absinthe adventures in the entire region, here.

• Start and End: Noiraigue Bahnhof

• Basic Route: Noiraigue - Ferme Robert - Les Oeuillons - Le Soliat - La Grand Vy - Pré au Favre - Ferme Robert - Noiraigue

• Length and Rating: Fairly easy. 14km, 4 hours.