Hidden in the seclusion of the Turtmännertal valley, a true natural wonder is revealed: the 42-meter-high Turtmann waterfall. Just a few minutes' walk from the village, an easily accessible path leads to this mystical idyll. But as the Turtmänner song aptly describes it: "You can't see anything of the waterfall until you get there" - the waterfall remains hidden until the very end, a secret of nature that is only revealed at the last moment.
Once you have reached your destination, you will see all of its splendor: roaring water that plunges inexorably into the depths, surrounded by refreshing coolness and a calming roar. This place is a true place of power - a refuge that invites you to pause, take a deep breath and feel your connection with nature.
The Turtmann waterfall: right in the middle and yet far away – an experience that will remain unforgettable.
The Messamt on the Hungerlialp
In the valley below, the priest kept noticing that the family from the Hungerlialp never came to mass. The alp was far away in the mountain valley, but that was no obstacle for the Valaisans. In the past, the herdsmen had traveled even greater distances without ever being late for church. The priest could not understand why the family never came, not even for big festivals like the Assumption of Mary.
So he decided to get to the bottom of the matter and one day climbed up to the Hungerlialp. At first he only found the children there, who explained that their parents were "at mass" - an answer that irritated the priest. Where, he asked himself, could there be a church up here?
When the parents returned home later, they celebrated the priest's unexpected visit with a hearty meal. But during the meal, the priest noticed something strange: the plates were not empty, no matter how much was eaten. After the meal, the dairyman offered to show the priest their "mass."
Together they climbed higher, through dense forests and sunny meadows, until they came to a small clearing. In the middle of the green idyll lay a flat stone with a depression filled with clear water. "This is our heavenly water," explained the herdsman and asked the priest to stand on his left foot and look over his right shoulder.
The priest did so - and saw heaven in radiant beauty. But when he stood on his right foot and looked over his left shoulder, he saw hell in all its horror. Deeply moved, he crossed himself with the water from the depression and remained silent as they returned to the Alp together.
As they left, the priest gave the herdsmen his blessing. "You are pious Christians," he said. "Continue with your mass, you don't need me."
A short time later, the priest resigned from his position and withdrew to the Turtmann Valley as a hermit. He lived in quiet seclusion for eleven years until death found him one night in his hermitage.
Access
The waterfall is accessible in summer and winter.
