Adventure Travel Online

Hi, any hayfever sufferers out there who can let me know how badly I'm going to suffer in the Alps in summer? I've not a huge amount of experience of spending time in the Alps in the summer, but because I'm finding this summer so bad for hayfever in the UK, I wondered how it gets there?

Should I be packing mega quantities of antihistamenes as well as my Hayband?

Hi Lara, I can only speak personally but I've always found my hayfever less of a problem in the Alps than in the UK. I'm sure a medical expert can explain why but I would say there is just a lot less pollen over there! Even in the meadows/valleys the lush, coarse grass seems less of a problem than our variety...just stay away from the alpine flowers...I'm off to Kandersteg this Thursday for 10 days so I can give an update on the current sniffle conditions on my return. On a practical note I normally take a beconase spray with me which does the trick nicely

Thanks for that Gibbo, that was the magic answer

The thought of battling up (and down) alpine trails with itchy eyes and a streaming nose was not appealing.

I'll try Beconase, but ironically enough, when I've nasal sprays before, all they've made me do is sneeze!!

Have you tried the Hayband? It's an accupressure thingy that goes around your arm near the elbow. It doesn't look great, and the fit is a bit neat if you've muscly arms but it does seem to do the trick without any drugs whatsoever.

Haymax is also qute good, but you have to keep re-applying it and that can be annoying.

Here's hoping we both have a sniffle free trip! i'm off on a bit of an Alpine road trip on Sunday

Hi Lara. I lived in Switzerland for 4 years so had the chance to compare a few summers back to back. On the whole I wouldn't say that I had less hayfever in Swizterland than in the UK, but probably no worse either. The meadows did set me sniffling like crazy sometimes, though, even further up the hills. The nasal spray works well for me, and I find the anti-allergy eyedrops a real godsend in a bad year. One of the (few) advantages of getting older is that my sensitivity to pollen seems to be receding at roughly the same rate as my hairline! Best wishes for a really enjoyable trip to Switzerland.

Well, thanks for the info guys. I've just been and bought out Boots hayfever counter, complete with pills, eye drops and nasal spray, so whatever the Alps do or don't throw at me polen wise, I should be OK.

Got the body armour to do the same for my mountain biking too

Ah...mountain biking. I have many embarrassing memories of begin overtaken on the steepest of climbs in Switzerland by octogenarian local cyclists cruising past me with a cheery wave, apparently barely breaking sweat, while I fought to stave off an impending heart attack. No doubt you're in rather better shape and I'm sure won't have the same problem!

That's what ski lifts are for Bob

Well, I've now answered my own question. Took a van load of hayfever meds/sprays/eye drops with me and didn't use them once in 10 days!!

Beautiful clean clear air, even with thousands of alpine flowers everywhere you looked.

Have been back less than a week and snuffling and sniffling like there's no tomorrow

Guess there's nothing for it, I'll just have to move to the Alps....for my health you understand

Oh and Bob, we managed a 7 hour cycling day, going from Grindelwald up to Kleine Sheidegg at 2016m, then over the top, down through Wengen and Lauterbrunnen, before returning around the bottom. 50km or so and about 3500m of ascent! And we passed some Swiss

Good to hear Lara. We also managed to pass a few Swiss cyclists on the Alpine ascents though I did have a 900cc Triumph between my legs.