An EU bridge surrounded by pretty mountains has one terrifying feature.
The Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge in Randa, Switzerland, is the third-longest hanging bridge for pedestrian use in the world.
It spans 494 meters and, upon its opening in 2017, was the longest suspension bridge globally. This title has since been taken by Sky Bridge 721 in Prague.
The Swiss bridge sits 85 metres above the ground at its highest point, with eight tonnes of cables and a system that prevents it from swinging.
It sits over a ravine that slices the east flank of the Mattertal, the valley that leads to Zermatt and the Matterhorn.
Those who walk over are often left feeling nervous, with reviewers saying it “bobs and sways” in the wind as you cross.
But most of those who have traversed it say the fear was worth it, saying it was a “thrilling and unforgettable” experience that “can’t be missed”.
It is part of Europaweg, a two-day hiking path between the Swiss villages of Zermatt and Grächen in the southwest.
The path is a high trail with incredible views but from the start, it was fraught with massive problems of rockfall as the permafrost of the hillside crumbled.
In the 27 years since it was first opened, sections of the route have been broken or swept away many times, to the extent that the first section from Grächen has to descend to the valley floor at Herbriggen before climbing up to the suspension bridge.
The Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge was made to replace the defunct Europabrücke, which was built in 2010 as part of the route. It cost £675,000 to build.
Just weeks later, it was damaged beyond repair by a rockslide and diversions to the Europaweg were put in place.
