A guidebook to 50 day walks in Switzerland’s Bernese Oberland. Exploring the dramatic scenery of the Jungfrau region the walks are suitable for beginner and experienced walkers alike and cover Grindelwald, Wengen, Lauterbrunnen Valley and Mürren.
Walks range from 5 to 23km (3–14 miles) in length and can be enjoyed in 1–10 hours. Each walk is graded to allow you to select the most suitable routes for your ability. Many also take advantage of the widespread public transport and lifts around the Bernese Oberland to provide options for walks at a higher altitude.
Jonathan has been Cicerones publisher and managing director for over 20 years, working with authors and leading the development of the range. Lesley has been Cicerones marketing director, leading Cicerones sales efforts and now concentrating on the overall marketing strategy. Although they met at sea, they quickly gravitated to the mountains and trekking, before taking on Cicerone to communicate their passion for mountains, wild places and other journeys on foot or by bike. Based on the edge of the Lake District, they have few excuses for not spending days in the hills but do need to get out more. They would like to thank the whole Cicerone team for allowing them to moonlight as authors.
CONTENTS
Mountain safety warning
Map key
Transport map
Map of the valleys
Route summary table
Introduction
Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau
The shape of the mountains
The main centres and valleys
Plants and wildlife
When to go
Getting there
Travel in the region
Discount cards and passes
Accommodation
Mountain huts, berghotels and restaurants
Other local facilities
Maps
GPX tracks
Apps
Preparation
Equipment
Using this guide
Schynige Platte to First
1 Schynige Platte Panoramaweg
2 Schynige Platte – Faulhorn – First
3 First – Bachsee – Faulhorn – Bussalp
4 First – Spitzen – Bussalp – the Höhenweg 2200
5 Bussalp – Waldspitz – First – the Höhenweg 2000
6 Bort to Bussalp – the Höhenweg 1600
7 Bussalp to Grindelwald
8 Bort – Alpenvogelpark – Hotel Wetterhorn
9 First – Grosse Scheidegg – Hotel Wetterhorn – Grindelwald
10 First – Bachsee – Waldspitz
11 The Schwarzhorn Circuit: First – Wart – Grosse Scheidegg
Grosse Scheidegg and Meiringen
12 Grosse Scheidegg to Schwarzwaldalp
13 The Rychenbach valley: Schwarzwaldalp – Rosenlaui circuit
14 Meiringen – Grosse Scheidegg – Grindelwald on the Via Alpina
Routes into the mountain wall
15 The Gleckstein Hut
16 Grindelwald – Pfingstegg – Hotel Wetterhorn circuit
17 Pfingstegg – Bäregg Hut
18 The Schreckhorn Hut
Grindelwald to Kleine Scheidegg
19 Grindelwald – Kleine Scheidegg – Wengen – Lauterbrunnen
20 Grindelwald to Alpiglen the hard way
21 The Eiger Trail – Alpiglen to Eigergletscher and Kleine Scheidegg
22 Männlichen to Alpiglen, the Romantic Way – the Höhenweg 1900
23 Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg Panoramaweg – the Höhenweg 2100
Wengen to Kleine Scheidegg
24 Kleine Scheidegg and Wengernalp
25 Eigergletscher to Wengen by the moraine
26 Wengen – Leiterhorn circuit
27 Wengen to Männlichen – the Gemsweg
28 Wengen and the Mendelssohn memorial
29 Wengen – Stalden – Allmend – Wengen
30 The Trümmelbach falls: Wengen – Stalden – Trümmelbach
Lauterbrunnen and Isenfluh
31 Saxeten to Isenfluh
32 Sulwald to Mürren by the Lobhorn hut
33 Grütschalp to Sulwald and onward routes
34 Lauterbrunnen, Trümmelbach Falls and Stechelberg
35 Lauterbrunnen to Mürren on the Via Alpina
Mürren
36 The Mountain View Trail to Grütschalp
37 Mürren, the Blumental and Chänelegg
38 The North Face Trail – Allmendhubel to Mürren via Schiltalp
39 The ‘easy’ way up the Schilthorn from Allmendhubel
40 The Schilthorn via Schiltalp and Grauseewli
41 Mürren – Gimmelwald – Mürren
42 Mürren to the Stutz waterfall and Spielbodenalp
43 Mürren, Bryndli and the Rotstock hut
44 The Sefinental and Rotstock Hut
45 Mürren to Griesalp on the Via Alpina
Stechelberg and Upper Lauterbrunnen valley
46 Stechelberg – Gimmelwald – Mürren
47 Mürren to Obersteinberg via the Tanzbödeli
48 Stechelberg to Obersteinberg
49 Obersteinberg – Oberhornsee – Stechelberg
50 Obersteinberg – Oberhornsee – Schmadri Hut – Stechelberg
Appendix A Useful contacts
Appendix B Trains, lifts, buses and discount options
Appendix C Further reading
Appendix D English–German terms
