Welcome to Heaven! is Engelbergs English slogan appropriate enough for a resort whose name translates literally as Mountain of the Angels.

Fortunately accessing Engelberg is easier than getting through St Peters Gates. Its only about an hour and 40 minutes drive away from Zurich Airport and if you prefer a more leisurely transfer it can also be reached by train via Lucerne (with plenty of opportunities for refreshments en route, of course).

Engelberg is certainly no arriviste in the ski resort stakes. The village was founded centuries ago by Benedictine monks and the monastery, which also functions as a school, still dominates one end of the town. British visitors have been coming here for winter sports since the early part of the last century and consequently they continue to enjoy great respect from the locals, many of whom speak our language well. In recent years the numbers of British and, it must be said, American, visitors has been on the increase as this hidden gem of a ski resort has once again found itself on the discerning skiers map.