Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge

The bridge spans four hundred and ninety-four metres across the Grabengufer ravine at about eighty-five metres above the ground, on a deck sixty-five centimetres wide - long enough that when it opened in 2017 it was described as the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in the world, a title that has since passed elsewhere as longer spans were built. Its purpose is practical rather than promotional: the Europaweg, the high route between Grachen and Zermatt, was repeatedly cut by rockfall in this ravine, an earlier bridge was destroyed, and the crossing restored a walking route that had become unusable. Reaching it means a steep climb of a couple of hours from Randa in the valley.

What you actually see

• A 494-metre span - briefly the world's longest pedestrian suspension bridge.
• A 65-centimetre deck - narrow, 85 metres above the ravine floor.
• A rockfall solution - built because the path here kept being destroyed.
• The Europaweg - the high route it restored between Grachen and Zermatt.

When to go

Late June to October. A day.

Honest expectations

Getting there is a serious climb - about two hours uphill from Randa - and there is no lift. The bridge moves underfoot and is genuinely difficult for anyone afraid of heights. It closes in winter and after rockfall. No facilities at the crossing.

Nearby

Randa is below; Zermatt is up the valley.