Pebbles, rocks and majestic formations

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The rocky Creux-du-Van, in the Jura mountains of Neuchâtel. The walls, which can reach 200 metres high in places, were carved out by an ancient glacier. Andreas Gerth; Beutler/Gerth, Naturerbe der Schweiz, Haupt 2015

In the Solothurn village of Steinhof, the “Grosse Flue” is, with its 1,200 cubic metres, the biggest boulder of the Swiss plateau. It was dragged there by glaciers. Andreas Gerth; Beutler/Gerth, Naturerbe der Schweiz, Haupt 2015

At the border of the cantons of Lucerne and Bern, the “Schrattenfluh” is a karst landscape some 2,000 metres high. There is a breathtaking view of the Alps. Andreas Gerth; Beutler/Gerth, Naturerbe der Schweiz, Haupt 2015

Aletsch, in the canton of Valais, is the biggest glacier in the Alps. It extends over more than 20 kilometres and is as thick as 900 metres in some areas. Andreas Gerth; Beutler/Gerth, Naturerbe der Schweiz, Haupt 2015

Near the village of Fällanden in canton Zurich, hundreds of boulders stand in a wooded ravine. For millennia, the water has been searching for a way out, giving the boulders a distinctive form. Andreas Gerth; Beutler/Gerth, Naturerbe der Schweiz, Haupt 2015

Two pillars of limestone dominate Leysin, in the Alps of Vaud. Rising to more than 2,300 metres, the Tour de Mayen (left) and the Tour d’Aï are visible from as far away as the plains of French-speaking Switzerland. Andreas Gerth; Beutler/Gerth, Naturerbe der Schweiz, Haupt 2015

The spires of Sciora in Bergell, canton Graubünden, were in born from magma flows. Andreas Gerth; Beutler/Gerth, Naturerbe der Schweiz, Haupt 2015

Switzerland also has its own Grand Canyon: in the Surselva, canton Graubünden, the waters of the Rhine, ice, wind and gravity have sculpted one of the most impressive landscapes in the country. Andreas Gerth; Beutler/Gerth, Naturerbe der Schweiz, Haupt 2015

At the border of the cantons of Bern and Vaud, the Gummfluh is essentially a massive piece of limestone. Declared a natural reserve, the area is very popular with wildlife. Andreas Gerth; Beutler/Gerth, Naturerbe der Schweiz, Haupt 2015

The Illgraben in Valais is the largest active erosion slope in the Alps. The rocky circle, which is almost completely devoid of vegetation, offers a surprising range of colours. Andreas Gerth; Beutler/Gerth, Naturerbe der Schweiz, Haupt 2015

A pillar of rock in the region of the Greina, canton Graubünden. In this landscape reminiscent of the plateaus of Tibet, protests from environmentalists managed to derail a dam project. Andreas Gerth; Beutler/Gerth, Naturerbe der Schweiz, Haupt 2015

The gorges of the Breggia, in southern Ticino, are known for their diversity of rocks. To walk among them is to travel back across 100 million years of the Earth's geological history. Andreas Gerth; Beutler/Gerth, Naturerbe der Schweiz, Haupt 2015

Amid the rubble shines the glacier tongue Otemma, in canton Valais, whose bed forms the largest alpine floodplain in Switzerland. Andreas Gerth; Beutler/Gerth, Naturerbe der Schweiz, Haupt 2015

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There is no single Swiss mountain landscape: a multitude of very different formations criss-cross the country. This diversity is reflected in the “Federal Inventory of landscapes and natural monuments of national importance", which is now available as a book.

Icy slopes, arid steppes, bizarre karst zones and colourful rock formations: the diversity of the alpine landscape is all this and more. Since 1977, the Federal InventoryExternal link has existed to protect the beauty of these sites – there are currently 162 of them – and exceptional landscapes.

A word of caution to hikers: at nearly 400 pages, the newly published book is a little heavy for a backpack. However, Naturerbe der SchweizExternal link (Natural Heritage of Switzerland) by Raymond Beutler and Andreas Gerth is sure to provide inspiration. The two authors describe each of the landscapes through text and images. What’s more, all the photographs were taken from places that are accessible even to a Sunday hiker. The authors note in the preface that they have not resorted to aerial photos, or shots from the bottom of lakes or the tops of mountains.