Spring trip to Engelberg

Another late April trip to Engelberg and again the ski area delivered with another fantastic five days. Gorgeous weather, quiet slopes and plenty of snow, given the huge amounts that have fallen this season.

In strict contrast to April 2017, when heavy snowfall was the order of the day, blue sky and warm temperatures prevailed. This meant typical spring conditions: hard packed first thing, lovely corn snow around lunchtime and heavy stuff lower down later on. Somehow, the resort had managed to keep the valley run open and it was very pleasant skimming back into town along a narrow track through meadows of spring flowers!

The whole of the Titlis/Jochpass areas - apart from the Gerschnialp nursery areas - were open and there weren't that many skiers about midweek. The usual coachloads of Indian and Japanese tourists added their usual amusements and yet again we were inundated with requests for pictures, selfers etc! I was always happy to oblige!

Stayed in the Hotel Sonnwendhof - 93 Chf (sixty-eight pounds) per night bed and breakfast - and it was a clean, tidy hotel with friendly service. Its location was perfect for the railway station and the Titlis lifts, which were just a five minute walk away. Eating and drinking was the usual steep Swiss experience; however, the Core Irish pub served hearty pub grub for around £16-20 depending on your choice. Beer in town was 6.50 Chf (£4.75) a pint.

Logistics again worked perfectly. Left Heathrow on the 6am flight (free ski carriage, £87 return) to Zurich. Train via Lucerne to Engelberg railway station (£64 return) and on the Titlis Express gondola by 12.30. The return was equally painless - finished skiing at 3.45 on Thursday afternoon, shower and changed in the hotel sauna area, and on the 17.02 train to Zurich Airport in plenty of time for the 20.55 flight back to Heathrow.

This easy access and decent size, high-altitude ski area and a number of decent hotels willing to book non-standard Saturday to Saturday stays, makes Engelberg my number one destination for a short, late-season break. I'm sure I will return in Aprils to come.