Elm awaits spectacular “trail of light”

A heavenly sign? Keystone

A unique solar event is scheduled to take place in the village of Elm at the end of this month.

For a few brief moments on September 30 and October 1, the sun will shine directly through a hole in a mountain peak onto the village church.

It occurs every year approximately eight days after the start of autumn on the astronomical calendar at precisely 9:33am.

The piercing of the sun’s rays of “Martin’s Hole”, which nature has carved out of the peak of the Tschingelhorn (2,850 metres) above Elm, lasts only two and a half minutes. But it’s preceded and followed by a spectacular trail of light. The sun finally rises above the ridge about 10 minutes later.

As far as legend is concerned, the hole, which is large enough to hold the village church, was the result of a clash in the early Middle Ages between an Irish monk living on the mountain and a thief. The monk, Martin, threw a spear at the rogue trying to make off with one of his sheep.

He missed the thief but the spear knocked a hole out of the Tschingelhorn peak. Hence the name.

British cars

The picturesque lakeside town of Morges near Lausanne is the setting for one of Europe’s biggest annual meetings of classic British cars.

On October 2 this year, more than 1,000 models from the British Isles will be bumper to bumper on the town quayside, taking part in the “Swiss Classic British Car Meeting”.

Old Austins and Rolls-Royces, racing Jaguars from the 1960s and Bentleys will motor into Morges.

The organiser of the event, Keith Wynn, describes classic British cars as “one of the isle’s most formidable exports, as witnessed by the large number of them seen on the roads and byways throughout Europe”.

Entrance to the event is free of charge.

swissinfo