Bernese Oberland
Bernese Oberland
Bernese Oberland
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
126<br />
BERNESE OBERLAND JUNGFRAU REGIONBERNESE<br />
OBERLAND JUNGFRAU REGION<br />
START GRINDELWALD<br />
END WENGEN<br />
DISTANCE 15KM<br />
DURATION 5½ TO SIX<br />
HOURS<br />
Walking Tour<br />
Kleine Scheidegg<br />
One of the most memorable walks in the<br />
<strong>Bernese</strong> <strong>Oberland</strong>, this hike forms the<br />
seventh leg of the Alpine Pass Route. The best<br />
map is the SAW 1:50,000 Interlaken (Sfr22.50).<br />
Cross the railway tracks at 1 Grindelwald<br />
Grund and head left for Kleine Scheidegg.<br />
The views southeast to the limestone crown<br />
of Wetterhorn (3701m) and the Unterer<br />
Grindelwaldgletscher are breathtaking. Eiger’s<br />
fearsome north face draws ever closer as you<br />
follow the often-steep track shadowing the<br />
Sandbach stream, then dipping in and out<br />
of forest. Pass under an arched rail bridge to<br />
reach 2 Restaurant Brandegg, about one<br />
hour from Grindelwald.<br />
At the road, take the second left<br />
signposted to Alpiglen and head up a gravel<br />
path, which passes through the forest, then<br />
follows the Wengernalpbahn railway tracks.<br />
The trail weaves through meadows fl ecked<br />
with gentians and thistles in summer, then<br />
ducks under a small rail tunnel before<br />
reaching the delightfully rustic 3 Berghotel<br />
Alpiglen, two to 2½ hours from Grindelwald<br />
Grund.<br />
The trail climbs gently now, skirting below<br />
Eiger’s north face, and leading through rolling<br />
pastures. Head past clusters of mountain<br />
pines and farmhouses in the hollow of<br />
4 Mettla (1809m).<br />
Make your way to the 5 Arvengarten ski<br />
lifts to contour the mountainsides at roughly<br />
2000m. This minor pass provides a closerange<br />
vantage point of Eiger (3970m), Mönch<br />
(4099m) and Jungfrau (4158m). Sidling up<br />
around the slopes below the rail line you arrive<br />
at 6 Kleine Scheidegg (2061m), 1¼ to 1¾<br />
hours from Berghotel Alpiglen.<br />
From Kleine Scheidegg train station, the<br />
descent rewards with more dazzling views of<br />
the ‘Big Three’ and the pearly fi n of Silberhorn<br />
(3695m) before reaching 7 Wengernalp<br />
at 1874m. Wonderful views include the<br />
Gspaltenhorn and Schilthorn beyond where<br />
the land plunges into the deep glacial trough of<br />
the Lauterbrunnental. A trail leads northward<br />
through pockets of Alpine forest to cross the<br />
railway lines again, whereafter a well-formed<br />
track skirts the slopes via 8 Allmend to reach<br />
car-free 9 Wengen after 1½ to two hours.
Change language