We will organize a one-day excursion for Sunday, 15 June, into the Alps.
We will take a bus to Interlaken, situated between two glacier lakes, and then a steam train to the Alpine Garden at Schynige Platte.

This garden has three remarkable aspects.
First, it has an almost complete collection of Swiss alpine flora. Second, there is a magnificent panorama of the Bernese Alps, from the Wetterhorn, to the Eiger (and in particular its Northface), Moench, Jungfrau, and Breithorn. Third, there were some fertilization experiments from the 1920's, the results of which are still evident. The return journey will be over the Brünig Pass and past Luzern.

The post-conference tour is not included in the registration fees. The cost of CHF 100.00 includes the bus- and trainfares, entrance into the gardens, and a packed lunch.

Weather forcast for Sunday, June 15 2014: partly cloudy, c. 10° to 14° Celsius.

This is a long-term forcast, conditions may vary, bring along sun- and rain-protection, sturdy footwear, a small backbag might be comfortable.

We will leave Zurich Sunday morning at 7:30 and arrive in Wilderswil around 9:45, where we board a cog railway train (http://www.jungfrau.ch/nc/en/tourism/destinations/schynige-platte/offers/) that takes us up to Schynige Platte close to 2000 m a.s.l. Snow has disappeard only a few weeks, or even days ago, so we will encounter only early flowering alpine plants. Further information about the Alpine Garden Schynige Platte is found on their website (http://www.alpengarten.ch/en/botanicalalpinegarden). 

Lunch is offered up at Schynige Platte as a picknick. There is also a restaurant and a souvenir shop nearby. And, the view to the Bernese Alps, if the weather is alright, is stunning. 

If you have any questions either Reto Nyffeler (reto.nyffeler@systbot.uzh.ch) or Patrick Kuss (patrick.kuss@systbot.uzh.ch).We are looking forward to an interesting and impressive excursion to the Swiss Alps!

Reto Nyffeler & Patrick Kuss
Peter Linder & Colin Hughes