Two Hikes in one Day near Interlaken (Harder Ridge to Harder Kulm)

July 19, 2019 -- Vacation Week 2, Day 5 (Day 4 was a day of rest):  This was an early morning for us, out of our apartment at 05:10 to walk to the train station (no buses this early) because we wanted to be at the starting point of our hike at 9 a.m. to avoid the heat and the crowds. Because today we were headed in the direction of Interlaken, where there are always lots of people in summer. Plus loads of commuters between Zurich and Bern slightly later.

Our plan was to walk along the Harder Ridge high above Lake Brienz and Interlaken, starting on the North side in one of Switzerland's most important moor landscapes: Lombacheralp. To get there we had to take a special small bus, also like an alpine taxi service. Using this service meant we had a relatively pleasant one-hour uphill hike on the shadow side of the mountain, to the ridge from where we had a stupendous view of the lake and the Bernese Alps.

After a too-short section along the open ridge, the second half of the total three-hour hike to the summit station of the Harder Funicular was through dense forest with little view and an annoying trail all gnarly with roots. So many English-speaking hikers were doing this stretch in the opposite direction, probably people vacationing in Interlaken (seems to me that Switzerland=Interlaken for people visiting our country), all in running shoes (at least no flip-flops); I have no idea what their goal might have been.... hopefully past the boring forest part to the view section on the ridge...

When we got back to the bottom with the steep funicular, it was still early in the day, and because there was a light breeze blowing, we decided to do another 5-km walk along Lake Brienz to Ringgensberg, a stretch of the St.James Trail from Brienz to Interlaken that we had not been able to complete on a previous hike. So now the gap is complete. But that long day of hiking meant a nap in the train home and a day off on Saturday.....


HIKE Number 1: Alp Lombach to Harder Grat (ridge) to Harder Kulm (restaurant), and then with the Funicular down to Interlaken Ost (Approx. 3 hours to walk 9 km)

Alp Lombach, one of the most important moor landscapes in Switzerland

We started early and had shade on the North side of the ridge, which made the climb pretty easy

Looking down at Habkern and Mount Niederhorn. On the left is the ridge

Approaching the ridge, and the Bernese Alps are starting to show on the horizon

This is the kind of landscape that makes my heart soar. We are about 1300m above Lake Brienz

In the other direction, a steep ridge hike to the top of Mount Augstmatthorn. From here it looks steep, but people were doing this with their small children!

One thing we hadn't considered, this view eastward would be pretty hazy because of the early morning sunlight. Still fantastic.

And what would a Bernese alpine skyline be without the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau Trio

Right before the long forested section, a very nice view down to the valley bottom: Interlaken and the canal between Lakes Brienzersee and Thunersee (Lake Brienz and Lake Thun)

The messy meadows are always a favourite

All of a sudden we are standing beneath these massive cliffs. From here to Harderkulm (an hour) there was not much of note to photograph. Thick forest (nice on a hot day, though) and a trail full of roots which made the descent annoying and boring.

Our destination: The restaurant and viewing platform at Harder Kulm. In the background is Lake Thun

There were lots of people at the restaurant, and they were also preparing for a wedding reception. I did get the required tourist shot on the viewing platform (in the back is Mount Jungfrau) before we headed to the funicular station.

This is what the tourists come to Interlaken for, this view from Harder Kulm to Mount Jungfrau

A steep ride back down to Interlaken with the Harder Bahn Funicular

Beside the valley station of the Harder Funicular is a little zoological garden with some very nice Alpine Ibex. This is an older male. Herds of ibex graze on the flanks of Mount Augsmatthorn where we started this hike, so we will probably come again some time to look for them.

The 9-km hike across the ridge took us three hours, but we only enjoyed two hours of it. The last hour was annoying, never-ending trail of tangled roots. We didn't stay long at the restaurant, too many people.

HIKE Number 2: When we were down in Interlaken on the canal, we felt like we hadn't really done much of a hike (really only enjoyed 2 hours of it), so we decided to walk to Ringgenberg on Lake Brienz, because it was a piece of the St.James Trail that we were missing to connect to other hikes we have done in this area. It was another 5 km and took us 1 hour 15 minutes. By then I had had enough!

Train bridge over the canal to Interlaken East. There is a foot-path across the bridge as well.

From the train bridge, watching the boat come in BACKWARDS from Lake Brienz, because it cannot continue on to Lake Thun (there is a very low bridge) and it cannot turn around at the station.

Walking eastward along Lake Brienz

Main attraction in Ringgenberg, the old castle church and castle ruins behind it (13th Century). I thought the organ was particularly stylish, and unique in that it was behind the altar at the front of the church.

Standing on the tower of the castle ruins looking West

Racing around the perimeter of the castle tower. In the back is the town of Ringgenberg

Even in the center of town the hay has to be mown!

This little building is pretty cute!

Last view of the castle on the way to the train station

After descending with the Harder Bahn Funicular, we decided to walk another almost 5 km to Ringgenberg, to finish a hike we had done a couple of years back. 

In 2017 we had wanted to hike the entire section of the St. James Trail from Brienz to Interlaken Ost (i.e. the entire length of Lake Brienz), but we had to end that hike in Ringgenberg at the time. Same year I did a walk with a friend from Interlaken Ost to Interlaken West. So that 5-km piece was missing on this map, and we decided to close the gap (purple is 2019)

AND ONE LAST COMMENT: To get to the starting point of our hike, we first had to take one of the yellow Post Buses from Interlaken to Habkern. Now I really like riding the Post Buses, because they get you up into the mountains often along narrow winding roads with lots of wonderful views. People take special Post Bus rides across mountain passes for the view, and pay lots of money to do so...

And then we got this bus:

The artwork looks great (it's a mosaic of lots of tiny photos of Swiss landscapes), but from inside, you can't see a thing. In fact, from the inside it's just a bunch of small dots and hurts the eyes when you try to look out the window. I will have to write a letter....