Bernese Oberland

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8 Getting There & Around The Bernese Oberland is easily accessible by road and train from major Swiss airports, including Basel, Bern, Geneva and Zürich, as well as from Lucerne. Note that a Swiss or Eurail Pass alone will take you only so far into the Jungfrau Region. See p122 for more information. INTERLAKEN POP 5400 / ELEV 570M Once Interlaken made the Victorians swoon with mountain vistas from the chandelierlit confi nes of grand hotels; today it makes daredevils scream with adrenalin-loaded adventures. Straddling the glittering Lakes Thun and Brienz and dazzled by the pearly whites of Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau, the scenery here is mind-blowing. Particularly, some say, if you’re abseiling waterfalls, thrashing white water or gliding soundlessly above 4000m peaks. Though the streets are fi lled with enough yodelling kitsch to make Heidi cringe, Interlaken still makes a terrifi c base for exploring the Bernese Oberland. Its adventure capital status has spawned a breed of funky bars, party-mad hostels and restaurants serving fl avours more imaginative than fondue. 1 Sights Cross the turquoise Aare River for a mooch around Interlaken’s compact and quiet old quarter, Unterseen. Tourist Museum MUSEUM (Obere Gasse 26; adult/child Sfr5/2; h2-5pm Tue- Sun May-Oct) This low-key museum sits on a cobbled, fountain-dotted square in Unterseen. The permanent exhibition presents a romp through tourism in the region with costumes, carriages and other curios. Heimwehfluh MOUNTAIN (www.heimwehfl uh.ch, in German; funicular adult/ child return Sfr14/7, toboggan Sfr6; h10am-5pm mid-Apr–late Oct) When the sun’s out, take the nostalgic funicular up to family-friendly Heimwehfl uh for long views across Interlaken. Kids love the bob run down the hill – lay off the brakes to pick up speed. Harder Kulm MOUNTAIN (www.harderkulm.ch, in German; adult/child return Sfr27/13.50; h8.10am-6.25pm late Apr-Oct) For far-reaching vistas to the 4000m giants, ride the funicular to 1322m Harder Kulm. Many hiking paths begin here if you want to stretch your legs. The wildlife park near the valley station is home to furry Alpine critters, including marmots and ibex. 2 Activities Tempted to hurl yourself off a bridge, down a cliff or along a raging river? You’re in the right place. Switzerland is the world’s second-biggest adventure-sports centre and Interlaken is its busiest hub. Almost every heart-stopping pursuit you can think of is off ered here. You can whitewater raft on the Lütschine, Simme and Saane Rivers, go canyoning in the Saxetet, Grimsel or Chli Schliere gorges, and canyon jump at the Gletscherschlucht near Grindelwald. If that doesn’t grab you, there’s paragliding, glacier bungee jumping, skydiving, ice climbing, hydrospeeding and, phew, much more. Sample prices are around Sfr110 for rafting or canyoning, Sfr120 for hydrospeeding, Sfr130 for bungee or canyon jumping, Sfr160 for tandem paragliding, Sfr180 for ice climbing, Sfr225 for hang-gliding, and Sfr430 for skydiving. A half-day mountain-bike tour will set you back around Sfr25. Most excursions are without incident, but there’s always a small risk and it’s wise to ask about safety records and procedures. The major operators able to arrange most sports from May to September include the following. Advance bookings are essential. Alpinraft ADVENTURE SPORTS (%033 823 41 00; www.alpinraft.com; Hauptstrasse 7; h8am-6.30pm) Outdoor Interlaken ADVENTURE SPORTS (%033 826 77 19; www.outdoor-interlaken.ch; Hauptstrasse 15; h8am-6pm) Swissraft ADVENTURE SPORTS (%081 911 52 50; www.swissraft.ch; Obere Jungfraustrasse 72) Scenic Air SCENIC FLIGHTS (%033 821 00 11; www.scenicair.ch, www.skydive switzerland.com) Arranges scenic fl ights, skydiving and other activities. Hang Gliding Interlaken SCENIC FLIGHTS (%079 770 0704; www.hangglidinginterlaken.com) Organises hang-gliding above Interlaken. The meeting point is Hotel Splendid. Bohag SCENIC FLIGHTS (%033 822 90 00; www.bohag.ch, in German; Gsteigwiler) Scenic fl ight specialist. 115 INTERLAKEN BERNESE OBERLAND SIGHTS SIGHTS INTERLAKEN
116 BERNESE OBERLAND INTERLAKEN K44 ROCK CLIMBING (www.k44.ch; Jungfraustrasse 44; adult/child Sfr21/14; h4-10pm Mon, 9am-10pm Tue-Fri, to 8pm Sat, to 6pm Sun Oct-Apr, 9am-6pm Tue-Fri & 9am- 4pm Sat, closed Sun & Mon May-Sep) Not ready to climb Eiger just yet? Squeeze in some practice at this climbing hall. Vertical Sport ROCK CLIMBING (http://verticalsport.ch; Jungfraustrasse 44; h9noon & 1.30-6pm Mon-Fri, 9am-4pm Sat) At the same address as K44, this store sells and rents top-quality climbing gear and is run by expert mountaineers who can give sound advice. z Festivals & Events Cackling, clanging bells and causing mischief, the ogre-like Potschen dash through Interlaken on 2 January or Harder Potschete (www.harderpotschete.ch, in German). The revelry spills into the night with upbeat folk music and fi endish merrymaking. Established and emerging brass bands and orchestras take centre stage at the Jungfrau Music Festival (www.jungfrau -music-festival.ch) in early July. Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau are always breathtaking but never more so than for runners competing in September’s Jungfrau
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Bernese Oberland

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