Swiss and Chips - Your British guide to Switzerland

Hiking in Switzerland is a favourite national pastime, especially in autumn, which means there are plenty of maps, online resources, and books to help you find the perfect hike! To get you into the mood, we'll tell you what you have to watch out for and give you all sorts of other tips, including a short excursion we made recently up a mountain and tell you what secrets are waiting for you at the top.

Notes on this episode of Swiss and Chips, Your British Guide to Switzerland: How to prepare for a mountain trail

• What is the difference between: Hiking trail, mountain trail, alpine trail.
• Myswitzerland map
• Admin map
• Wanderland map
• Weather
• What do the different signs mean?
• Our trip to the Bunderspitz

Come on a walk through one of Bern's picturesque neighbourhoods, Kirchenfeld, and listen in to what the Swiss capital sounds like on an ordinary day. Starting off at the Tierpark (animal park), walking through Helvetiaplatz with many of the country's important museums, I'll talk you through what you will see and hear as you head up into the city centre, walking over a beautiful bridge and ending at one of the city's main attractions, the Zytglogge. Take in the sounds of Bern wherever you are in the world.

"There's enough hay down there now" to "even his chopping block will calve": these are just a few everyday sayings that make perfect sense in Swiss German, but don't exactly translate into English. Whether you've heard some of them already, or just want to impress with a sentence or two at the right moment, this is our pick of some useful sayings in Swiss German.

In this episode, we try to explain their meaning and talk about when you can use them. And as always, we have some suggestions and questions from our Facebook group Switzerland for English Speakers - feel free to join the group, get involved in the discussions and maybe even meet some new friends.

Göschenä - Airolo

Chasch nät z Füfi uz Weggli ha

Das macht der Braatä onät fiis.

Däm Chalberet no dr Schittschtock

Winä kertä Hentschä

Äs het solangs het

Äs git nüt wos nät git

Uf altä Pfanä leertmä chochä

Dr schnäller isch dr Gschwinder

Äs isch gnueg Heu nitna

Dr gschider git naa u der Esel blibt schtaa

Is dating in Switzerland any different to anywhere else in the world? The Swiss have a reputation for being difficult to get know, so in this episode, we talk about expectations, stereotypes and traditions when it comes to attempting to get romantically involved with a Swiss.

How to date in Switzerland: Show notes

• How to make friends in Switzerland.
• Where to look?
• How to ask?
• What to do on a first date?
• Special things to think about?

Finding it difficult to make friends with the Swiss is a common complaint from expats in Switzerland. Do the Swiss really have such different ideas about friendship? What does it take to be able to read between the lines in a conversation with a Swiss person and are there any tips that can help you feel less isolated here? We share our insights on this contentious topic and give you an update on Jo's application to become Swiss.

Looking to connect with other English speakers in Switzerland? Check out our Facebook group.

• How to make friends in Switzerland