Bernese Oberland

128
BERNESE OBERLAND AROUND GRINDELWALD
from the village over the Grosse Scheidegg
Pass (1960m). It’s closed to private traffi c, but
from mid-June to early October postal buses
(one way/return Sfr48/96, 1¾ hours) travel this
scenic route to Meiringen roughly hourly from
8.15am to 4.15pm.
Around Grindelwald
FIRST
A cable car zooms up to First (www.jungfrau
.ch; one way/return Sfr32/54; h8.30am-6.30pm,
to 4.15pm in winter), the trailhead for 100km
of paths, half of which stay open in winter.
From here, you can trudge up to Faulhorn
(2681m; 2½ hours) via the cobalt Bachalpsee
(Lake Bachalp). As you march along the
ridge, the unfolding views of the Jungfrau
massif are entrancing. Stop for lunch and
360-degree views at Faulhorn. From here,
you can either continue on to Schynige
Platte (another three hours) and return by
train, or you can hike to Bussalp (1800m;
1½ hours) and return by bus to Grindelwald
(Sfr22, 32 minutes).
Other great walks head to Schwarzhorn
(three hours), Grosse Scheidegg (1½ hours),
Unterer Gletscher (1½ hours) and Grindelwald
(2½ hours). Early birds can catch a
spectacular sunrise by overnighting in a
SLIDE & SWING
Not only skiers love the deep powder at
First. You can also stomp through the
snow on the No 50 trail to Faulhorn in
winter. The 2½-hour walk takes in the
frozen Bachalpsee and the Jungfrau
range in all its wintry glory. Faulhorn
is also the starting point for Europe’s
longest toboggan run (admission free;
hDec-Apr), accessible only on foot.
Bring your sled to bump and glide 15km
over icy pastures and through glittering
woodlands all the way back down to
Grindelwald via Bussalp. Nicknamed ‘Big
Pintenfritz’, the track lasts around 1½
hours, depending on how fast you race.
Year-round, you can get your pulse
racing on the First Flyer (adult/child
Sfr25/18, incl cable car Sfr75/43), a
staggeringly fast zip-line from First to
Schreckfeld. The mountains are but a
blur as, secure in your harness, you pick
up speeds of around 84km/h.
rustic dorm at Berggasthaus First (%033
828 77 88; www.berggasthausfi rst.ch; dm with halfboard
Sfr89) by the First cable-car summit
station.
First has 60km of well-groomed pistes,
which are mostly wide, meandering
reds suited to intermediates. The southfacing
slopes make for interesting skiing
through meadows and forests. Freestylers
should check out the kickers and rails at
Bärgelegg or have a go on the superpipe
at Schreckfeld station.
MÄNNLICHEN
On the ridge dividing the Grindelwald
and Lauterbrunnen Valleys, Männlichen
(2230m) is one of the region’s top viewpoints.
Europe’s longest cable car (www.maennlichen
.ch; one way/return Sfr32/54; h8.15am-5.30pm, to
4pm in winter) connects Grindelwald Grund to
Männlichen. Another cable car comes up the
other side of the ridge, from Wengen (one
way/return Sfr24/41).
From Männlichen top station, walk
10 minutes up to the crown of the hill to
enjoy the view. At the southern end of the
ridge are Tschuggen (2520m) and Lauberhorn
(2472m), with the ‘big three’ looming
behind. From here, you notice the diff erence
between the two valleys – the broad
expanse of the Grindelwald Valley to the
left, and the glacier-carved, U-shaped
Lauterbrunnen Valley to the right. To the
north you can see a stretch of Thunersee.
If you wish to stay overnight, try cosy
Berggasthaus Männlichen (%033 853 10 68;
www.berghaus-maennlichen.ch; s Sfr80-95, d Sfr150-
180) in summer. A snow bar lures skiers here
in winter. Aff ording long views across the
frosted peaks, the sunny terrace is the perfect
spot to kick back with a glühwein.
Männlichen’s broad cruising terrain is
perfect for skiing in the shadow of Eiger,
Mönch and Jungfrau. An alternative for
non-skiers is the speedy 45-minute sled
run down to Holenstein, negotiating steep
bumps and hairpin bends.
If you only have time for one hike from
Männlichen, make it the spirit-soaring
Panoramaweg to Kleine Scheidegg, taking
in wildfl ower-cloaked pastures, a veritable
orchestra of chiming cowbells, and
peerless views of Eiger, Mönch, Jungfrau
and the pearl-white pyramid of Silberhorn
(3695m). The easygoing trail skirts the base
of Tschuggen and knife-edge Lauberhorn to
reach Rotstöckli and Kleine Scheidegg in
1½ hours.