12-km Walk from Melchnau to Huttwil in Oberaargau in Canton Bern

(This post done on December 23, 2024, exactly 10 years to the day after this hike!)

Tuesday December 23, 2014 -- Hard to believe it is Christmas soon, with no snow here and fallish type weather! It WAS cold this morning with frosty patches in the shade, but gorgeous blue skies and clear air...

Our 12-km walk today was in the area NW of Lucerne in Canton Bern (but very near the Canton Luzern border), featuring rolling hills and green fields and Emmental-style houses. We ate lunch at the old ruined walls of a 1450's fortress called Grünenberg and walked through fields and forests and had great views of the alps. We started at about 1 p.m. from the ruins, and arrived above the town of Huttwil at 4:30 p.m., still with sunshine and lovely late afternoon vibes. A rather enjoyable walk this day!

On our way to the starting point of our hike in Melchnau, we had to change trains in Olten. It was beautiful weather for this great photo of the Aar River and the old wooden bridge. (From here it was another 30-minute ride to Melchnau)

We started our hike at 12:33, at the final stop of the bus run in Melchnau Oberdorf, at the foot of a small hill which had a fortress ruin at the top. The first thing we had a look at was the very interesting group of church buildings, including this ancient barn, which was where the parish priest stored what he grew on his appointed land. It now serves as the parish hall. 

Information placards describe the history of the town and the parish. It explains that this was the center of medieval nobility in the Upper Aargau from the 10th to the 15th Centuries. Before the Reformation, there were several churches in the area. The one here at the foot of the "Castle Hill" was built in 1709. The neighbouring rectory was built about 40 years later. And the adjoining old barn is now the parish hall.  

Our first goal after a short uphill walk are the fortress ruins of Grünenberg. From here it's an easy 2½-hour walk to Huttwil, our ultimate goal of the day.  

This is what the fortress might have looked like in about the year 1450.

But this is all that remains of a once mighty fortress! (Historically, after the fall of a noble family, stones from the castles were usually carried away to build houses for the common folk). 

Enjoying our picnic lunch and sunshine up at the Grünenberg Fortress ruins. 

Heading off now on the rest of our hike at just after 1 p.m, and before reaching Trail no.65 "Grenzpfad Napfbergerland" ("Border Trail around Mt.Napf") which we will follow until Huttwil, we pass this really neat house built right into the mountain on the little hill called "Schlossberg". 

Heading south now on the "Grenzpfad Napfbergerland", we can see across the little village of Melchnau toward the west and all the way to the Jura range! On the right is the little hill (Schlossberg) where the ruins of the Grünenberg Fortress are. 

Along the way, there were a few sections of trail where the sun did not reach, and where the frost probably remains all day!

For the rest of the hike we had the most magnificent views of the Bernese Alps to the south, clear air, blue skies, mild temperatures, really nice walking trails in a green landscape. So great to be able to enjoy this so late in December!

Vast green agricultural lands and view of a large section of the Alps to the south! The sunshine is so pleasant.

Very much enjoying this wonderful hike so late in the year. 

Walking along Trail no.65: "Grenzpfad Napfbergerland"

This region is called the Oberaargau, just north of the border with Canton Berne's Emmental region, but many of the houses here have that same building style. 

More lovely old farm houses to admire along the way. 

I just HAD to sit on that cutest of little benches!

After passing through a town called Gondiswil, we walked through a nature reserve called "Gondiswilerweiher", or "Gondiswil pond". 

This is the old mill in Gondiswil.

More beautiful farm houses

Often we find sculptures of bears in the forests, so we have to take a photo:  "Urs = Bear!"

Just above the town of Huttwil is a monument to soldiers, along with the flag of Canton Bern. We also get a nice view of the Pilatus Massif from here. 

And a look down at the town of Huttwil, now in late afternoon shadow, as it is now 4:30 p.m. 

What this hike from Melchnau to Huttwil looks like on Google Satellite Maps 

Location of Melchnau/Huttwil within Switzerland. 

Day Trip to the Top of Europe: The ever popular Jungfraujoch

(This post published on January 31, 2026 – Edit: In the meantime and since COVID, the Jungfraujoch seems to be on EVERY foreign tourist’s “To See” list in the Bernese Oberland, along with Lauterbrunnen / Männlichen / Grindelwald First / Wengen / Gimmelwald / Mürren and Lake Oeschinensee. After reading so many tourists’ current experiences online, I decided to revive the photos of our first trip there, in 2014. Even then, the crowds were atrocious).    

Wednesday October 29, 2014 – Jungfraujoch (its railway station is the highest in Europe at 3,454 m / 11,332 ft, thus nicknamed "Top of Europe") and the observatory named “The Sphinx” are a must-see on every Asian travel group itinerary, and as a Swiss citizen you don’t even have to bother going there in summer. That’s why we thought end of October would be the perfect time, plus the weather was flawless. But I guess vacation time is not over, as there were still so many Asians heading up there. We didn’t stay up there too long because it was just too claustrophobic, but we took the photos of the glaciers and the alpine choughs (birds) and the paragliders, and we visited the Ice Palace, and tried to stay out of the wind (-7°C, but way colder with the wind!), but really the best part was our 2½ km (too short) walk from one train station to the mountain village of Wengen on the way down.  

Interesting information about this location: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jungfraujoch. The window in the Eiger North wall was used in a Clint Eastwood movie called “The Eiger Sanction” 

Side note: I had forgotten that we were at high altitude (you know, invincible and such) and I walked too fast and felt like I was going to black out. (Trying to escape the masses).

PART 1: Cogwheel Train from Wengen to Jungfraujoch, via Kleine Scheidegg

It is a 5-hour trip from our home to Jungfraujoch, so we had to leave very early and travel mostly in the dark at this time of year! By 9:45 a.m. we are on the train from Lauterbrunnen to Kleine Scheidegg, and this is the early morning view down into the Lauterbrunnen Valley. (You can see the famous waterfall, but the valley is pretty dark.)

While waiting for the connecting train at Kleine Scheidegg, we can see the railway line where it passes through the gallery on the way to the Eigergletscher station. The train then travels all the way through the mountain to the station at Jungfraujoch, with only one stop for a look through the window at Eismeer. (Sea of Ice). 

Here at Kleine Scheidegg you change to another cogwheel train to go up through the mountain to Jungfraujoch. (Side note: These are older trains that have been replaced since this trip with much newer trains which can carry more people.)

As the train heads up to the Eigergletscher station by 10:30, we look back a the lake called Fallboden. 

Along the way through the tunnel, the train stops once at the station called Eismeer at 3160m, where they have blasted a window into the rock on the east side of Mt. Eiger. Passengers are allowed off the train for about five minutes to view the fantastic Eismeer Glacier (Eismeer = Sea of Ice), through a glass window.  

It takes about 40 minutes to reach the station at Jungfraujoch, from Kleine Scheidegg. As there were lots of people getting off the train and heading for the elevator, I ran up the stairs to beat them to the viewing platform. Not a good idea, because of the altitude here (3570m), as I felt faint. Nevertheless, this is the view that everyone comes for, looking southwards down the Aletsch Glacier, the largest glacier of the Alps. 

Directly across from us is the east face of the Jungfrau. (4,158 m / 13,642 ft)

We got here at 11:40, and first spent a bit of time on the viewing platform of the Sphinx Observatory. Behind me is the Aletsch Glacier, the largest glacier in the Alps (23 km).

To our north is the mountain called Mönch: 4,107 m / 13,474 ft.

Spectacular views to the north past the foot of Mt.Mönch. 

Watching the paragliders, always fascinating. 

Photographing the fantastic scenery. 

The Alpine Choughs stay close to the crowds in the hopes of getting something to eat!

The viewing platform at the Sphinx Oberservatory. Behind the platform is the Mönch, the middle mountain in the famous trio: Eiger, Mönch, Jungfrau.

This view is toward the entrance of the valleys from Interlaken at the far back, then the town of Wilderswil and the Lütschine River, and into the Lauterbrunnen Valley. The peak on the right is the Lauberhorn, and the clearing below it is where the mountain village of Wengen is located. 

Panorama view in the direction of Interlaken, with Mt.Lauberhorn in the middle, and below that the train station at Kleine Scheidegg, where we boarded the train up to Jungfraujoch. And at the back, we can see all the way to the Central plateau, the Jura mountains and France and Germany. 

I am very much enjoying the Alpine Choughs, posing for my photos!

Alpine choughs posing for my photos!

After spending an hour up at the viewing deck, we checked out the popular ice caves (Ice Palace). It's specially made for the tourists, but is still interesting to see how compact the ice is here inside the glacier. 

After the ice caves, we descended again to "ground level" where you can go out and walk around on the snow and the glacier. (Jungfraufirn). 

Outside the Sphinx. It's very cold here, but there are hiking paths on the glacier! (-7 degrees today, but the wind makes it very cold!)

A photo of me in front of Mount Jungfrau!

Leaving Jungfraujoch at about 13:45, we are heading back down toward Kleine Scheidegg, where we change trains (Approx. 40-minute trip). The lake here is called Fallboden, with the peaks of Mt.Lauberhorn and Mt.Tschuggen. 

View to the famous Trio: Eiger-Mönch-Jungfrau from the Wengen Train, after leaving Kleine Scheidegg. Fabulous!!!

And this is a zoomed view of the Sphinx Observatory on Jungfraujoch, seen from below!

This brochure shows the region between Lauterbrunnen and Jungfraujoch: The train winds its way up from valley bottom to Kleine Scheidegg via Wengen. Then you change to the Jungfrau train which goes up THROUGH the mountain to Jungfraujoch. 

PART II: Short walk from Allmend Train Station to Wengen

As we headed down toward valley bottom with the Kleine Scheidegg-Lauterbrunnen train, we realized that the afternoon sun on this side of the valley gave us an opportunity to enjoy the day more, so we got out at the next train station (Allmend) and walked the next 2½ kilometers to Wengen, where we then caught the next train going down. It was much too short of a walk. 

View of Wengen from the Allmend train stop. This is at about 2:45 p.m. 

The short stretch from the train stop in Allmend to the station in Wengen is 2½ kilometers, and takes about 40 minutes to walk, so ideal timing to enjoy the walk and catch the next train down an hour later.  

A look behind us as we make our way down the mountain. 

A break along the way to enjoy the scenery.

Behind us we can see one of the "Silberhörnli" ("Silver Horns") of the Jungfrau massif. 

This view is up to the Allmend train stop where we started our walk. Also in the background, the fabulous Mt. Jungfrau. 

After a leisurely walk and a stroll through Wengen, we now await the next train down, an hour later, and you can see that the sun is about to set real soon now!

View directly to the south up the Lauterbrunnen Valley. The sun is setting here at about 4 p.m. 

At 4:20 p.m. we are back down at valley bottom in Lauterbrunnen, where we now catch a train to Interlaken, and ultimately for the 3¼ hour trip home from here. It was a long trip for us to do a day trip here; to Lauterbrunnen it's not so bad, but all the way to Jungfraujoch means total travel time of about 9-10 hours!  

Location of Jungfrau region within Switzerland.