You’d have to be pretty rich, very famous
or have virtually no scruples to speak of
to arrive at a campsite by private chopper.
But, then again, not that many campsites
have helipads. However, at Silvaplana, in
the Swiss Alps, you do wonder, since these
massive winged creatures are constantly
materialising on the horizon like great black
insects, before growing to sci-fi B-movie-size
as they come closer.
But they’re actually heading for St Moritz,
that ultra-exclusive ski resort where royals
and celebs annually snow-plough down the
slopes to please the paparazzi, and which
is still sufficiently scenically appealing in
summer to have the big-wigs fly in just for
the weekend. And who can blame them? The
view’s quite incredible.
When the snow has disappeared from all
but the top-most peaks stretching along
Switzerland’s Upper Engadine Valley, the
scenery revealed is as leprechaun-green as
the winter is white. From the mountain tops,
the melting snow cascades in long white
strips down rock crevices into the majestic
turquoise Silvaplana lake below.
The campsite reaps the benefit of this
outstanding scenery, clinging to the shore
at the bottom of the Mount Julier pass and
looking across the water at waterfalls, a
pine forest, grasslands so smooth that you
could play pool on them and the mighty
mountains, some of which tickle the clouds
at 4,000 metres.
The lake, the campsite and the surrounding
greenery gang up to offer perfect conditions
for sport, sport and more sport. So if you
are this way inclined, you’ve definitely come
to the right place. You can have lessons in
windsurfing, kite-boarding and sailing.
World Cup events held here in the summer
ensure your instructor has reached a fairly
high standard.
Either side of peak season the campsite is
quieter, and fishing and rowing attract a
more retiring crowd, who sink a line from
the jetty or sit quietly adrift in rowing boats
offshore. The campsite is generously spread
out along the lake, so that you can find some
privacy and your own little piece of the view,
if that’s the way you like things.
Away from the lake, various Alpine walks
and hikes start from the campsite itself and
wend into the surrounding terrain. If you’re
very adventurous you can have a stab at
rock-climbing, paragliding and horse-riding
with local experts. Or you can try hiring a
bike to explore 100 miles (160 km) of official
bike and mountain-biking routes. A cable car
goes up to some of the best trails, and this is
a trip in itself.
The campsite is a five-minute walk from the
village of Silvaplana, but St Moritz has the
pick of the restaurants and bars. It might
feel a little bit as though everyone has shut
shop for the summer months, but the dash
of glam along the streets – think Gucci and
Prada – tells you loud and clear how ritzy
the place is when the mercury sinks.
Distinctive architecture, including
16th-century patrician houses, gives the
little villages hiding in the hillside their
characteristic Swiss feel. So if you feel a
little yodel tickling the back of your throat,
don’t feel you have to hold back.
Not to be outdone, an imposing druid stone
in St Moritz, dating back to times when
druids populated the Engadine Valley in the
1st century bc, hints at the historical feast
you can gorge on when you visit the area’s
medieval walls, Roman ruins and Gothic
churches and castles, including the romantic
Crap da Sass in Silvaplana. These, along
with more galleries and museums than you
can possibly shake a stick at, should satisfy
the most cultured camper, whether you
own a chopper or not.