Two Short Hikes in the Lauterbrunnen Valley near Interlaken

Monday August 26th, 2019 -- Our original plan for this hiking vacation was to continue from Lenk/Zweisimmen in the Bernese Highlands, to further South in Canton Valais where there are so many hikes we still want to do. But the weather forecast showed for worsening weather there, and actually better weather in the Northeast, so we figured, let's head back home and do our day trips, which usually work out well for us.

But since we were already in the Bernese Oberland and the weather here still great, we decided on a trip to the Lauterbrunnen Valley, which is another North/South dead end valley (accessed from Interlaken) like the Zweisimmen/Lenk one we had just spent two days at. Lauterbrunnen is popular for wing-suit flying, base jumping, skiing in winter, and the Jungfrau Railway which takes (it seems mostly Asian) tourists to the "Top of Europe" (Jungfraujoch). 

There were two short hikes we had been looking to do for a while, although not worth coming all the way here for, so it seemed like a logical plan for on the way home. We popped our backpack into a locker in Lauterbrunnen, and walked the valley bottom southwards, and the upper trail northwards, then we picked up the backpack again and headed home. 


Hike Number 1: Two-hour Walk on the "Valley of the 72 Waterfalls" Trail

The Lauterbrunnen Valley is called the "Valley of the 72 Waterfalls" and there is a special two-hour trail at the valley bottom dedicated to this theme. This sounded good, but it turned out that after the spectacular falls in Lenk, the few we saw in the Lauterbrunnen Valley left much to be desired (wrong time of year maybe, not enough water?). The one worth seeing, the Trümmelbach Falls (Europe's largest subterranean waterfalls, consisting of ten waterfalls which drain the glacial waters of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau) cost 11 SFr. for a walk along the gallery, and even at this time of year practically standing room only. So we forewent this one and didn't actually even finish the hike (we left out a part in the middle)

Town of Lauterbrunnen with the renowned Staubbach Falls. There was barely any water coming down. You can just see it to the left of the building. These are, by the way, the highest free-falling waterfalls in Switzerland. 

I have to admit though, the view is picturesque

Pretty buildings in Lauterbrunnen

After walking through the village, we headed down to the river for the 2-hour walk to the back of the valley toward Stechelberg and the cable car to Mürren. 

The Staubbach Falls from below. This is the highest free-falling waterfall in Switzerland.

What I did not know is that there is a trail cut into the rock face, where you can go up and stand behind the falling water. An outing for another time maybe

At 10 a.m. there is still a lot of shade in this valley because the mountains are so steep and high, but on this hot day it was quite refreshing. 

We heard a loud "Whoosh" and just caught this wing-suit flyer as he deployed his parachute. They cut it pretty close with opening the chutes. 

VIDEO: Wing-Suit Flyer opening his Chute

Stunning and beautiful, even though I prefer to be up high. The famous Trümmelbach Falls are so deep within the mountain (on the left) that you cannot see them from outside

A closer look at the back of the valley

A photo of the advertisement for the Trümmelbach Falls, which we decided not to go see because it was too much to pay to be crowded in with all the tourists. 

Instead we admired the Sefinen Falls from across the valley, and then headed by bus to the very back of the valley, and returned on foot to the cable car station in Stechelberg

These falls are pretty nice, they are called the Mürrenbach Falls, at 417m officially the highest waterfalls in Switzerland (not the highest free-falling ones, though. Those are the Staubbach Falls)

Altogether we saw about 10 waterfalls, and we know there are another 10 inside the mountain at Trümmelbach Falls, so I wonder where the other 50 waterfalls are?

We started in Lauterbrunnen and walked toward Stechelberg. But walking flat stretches is not our forte, so after 5km (at the Trümmelbach Falls which we did not see), we hopped a bus to the back of the valley, then walked forward again (2km) to the Mürren/Schilthorn cable car in Stechelberg. After two crowded cable cars we made it to Mürren, and from there took the Allmendhubel funicular to walk the "Mountain View Trail" (5 km), and descended again to Lauterbrunnen via cable car. So total 12 km of walking... 

Hike Number 2: Five-Kilometer Hike along the "Mountain View Trail"

Instead of the crowds at the Trümmelbach Falls, we traded for the CROWDS at the Stechelberg cable car to Mürren, where we embarked on our second hike: "Mountain View Trail" which, except for my almost dying of claustrophobia and overheating in the large-capacity cable car (always so many people here) was a successful although too-short high trail hike. Interesting observation: the only people we encountered here were English-speaking. The Swiss go elsewhere....  Nevertheless, I think it was a well-laid-out trail for foreigners visiting this area and wanting to do a not-too-strenuous mountain hike.

Waiting in Stechelberg for the large-capacity cable car to Gimmelwald (then change to the one to Mürren)

I managed to get a photo of the valley bottom through the cable-car window, above the heads of some Asian people

In Mürren we had to walk about five minutes to the Allmendhubel funicular station

This time there were only a handful of people riding the 5 minutes to Allmendhubel. Another funicular ride to check off my list!

Heading up from Mürren to the hill called Allmendhubel. Below is the town of Mürren, and 800m below that the valley bottom at Stechelberg

Allmendhubel: A fun place for kids and what a fantastic backdrop for a playground. This was basically the same view we had on the entire hike, from left to right: Eiger, Mönch, Jungfrau. 

Mount Jungfrau and its glaciers up close. 4158m above sea level. 

In the saddle between Mount Jungfrau on the right, and Mount Mönch on the left (this saddle is called Jungfraujoch), you can just make out the observatory building

Observatory building at Jungfraujoch, zoomed view (It is nickamed the "Sphinx"). This is called "Top of Europe" and the Jungfrau Railway takes visitors all the way up here, in tunnels through the rock. It is a favourite tourist destination at all times of the year. 

The "Mountain View Trail" is a well-laid out trail and comfortable to walk, although good shoes are still recommended, especially for the descent to the Grütschalp cable car. 

So much better walking up in the mountains than in the valley below....

A last view of the Eiger North Face on the left, Mönch and Jungfrau, before the 300m (altitude) descent through the forest. 

Grütschalp cable car. As usual we made it with about 5 minutes to spare before the scheduled descent to Lauterbrunnen. 

This also is a large-capacity cable car that connects Lauterbrunnen to the mountain above (900 altitude meters). 

On the way down we could see the Staubbach Falls much better. Probably the sunlight on the water in the morning made it hard to see the waterfall. 

At Lauterbrunnen we got our backpack which we had put into a locker in the early morning, and are now making our way back home to Zug. This part is out of the Lauterbrunnen Valley along the Weisse Lutschine River in the direction of Interlaken. 

The full "Valley of 72 Waterfalls" hike is 9 km long, we did 7 km of it. After going up to Mürren by cable car, and taking the funicular to Allmendhubel, we walked another 5 km along the "Mountain View Trail", which was so much better.

3-in-1 Outing in the Lauterbrunnen Valley (Allmendhubel, Schilthorn, Mürren)

Tuesday October 16, 2018 -- A trip to the top of Mount Schilthorn, world-renowned from the James Bond movie "On her Majesty's Service" which was mostly filmed at that location in 1969, is usually an expensive proposition reserved mainly for Asian Tour Groups -- who whip up and down again within an hour before rushing off to the next "must-see" peak on their whirlwind prepaid coach tour of Europe -- but we had discount passes so took the opportunity to head up there, mainly for the view, as there isn't much regular hiking to be done (just long, steep slopes).

Mount Schilthorn, whose revolving restaurant is nicknamed Piz Gloria (from the movie) is accessed by a series of cable cars from Stechelberg at the back of the Lauterbrunnen Valley via the little vacation village of Mürren. Before heading all the way up, we had planned a 3-hour hike near Mürren, because I always feel we must include a hike on our day-trips, but for fear of running out of daylight, we only did a short round tour up to Allmendhubel on the newly created "Flower Trail" (no flowers this time of year, though) for our first views of the famous Berner Trio: Mounts Eiger-Mönch-Jungfrau. 

By that time the cable car was less jam-packed, so that was a good thing. Up at the summit, the building and surrounding view platforms are decked out in 007 trivia: A movie theatre, a walk of fame introducing some of the Swiss skiers who had stunt roles, the revolving restaurant that serves a James Bond breakfast buffet (I immediately got dizzy when I stepped foot on the revolving part) and more, most of which we ignored, except the stunning views across the tops of the mountains....

Our plan on the way back down to Mürren was to stop at the mid-station called Birg, which according to the webcam from the day before had a lovely sunny terrace and bistro serving French Fries and such, which I was looking forward to, but would you know it, they closed exactly this week for the season.... But there's a new gimmick here for the tourists: The "Thrill Walk", a 200-m walkway built onto the steep rock face, with glass-bottomed sections or a metal mesh tube you can crawl through. Not quite finished building yet, at this point you have to walk back the same way, and that can be difficult with all the tourist groups, but still it's an interesting addition.

Instead of returning to Stechelberg in the valley bottom, we walked through Mürren to the little train that runs parallel to the valley but high up, and from there took a different cable car down to Lauterbrunnen. We had planned a second hike in the area the next day, so stayed in an old hotel next to the castle in the lovely city of Thun. That was the "icing on the cake", such a pretty town and the evening so mild for a stroll in the old town. (Photos of Thun next morning can be found HERE). 

So actually, this day ended up consisting of FOUR mini-excursions...

PART I .... 5-km hike to Allmendhubel

Usually there is a funicular you can take from Mürren to the top of this little hill, but they had just closed for fall revision, so we hiked the 330 metera uphill along the newly created "Flower Trail", which we will definitely come back again to do in summer, as they had all kinds of information about plants and herbs and their medicinal properties. It was a short 2-hour round-trip back to the Schilthorn cable car.

In Mürren, here's one of many full loads of Asians already on their way back down from Mount Schilthorn at 11 a.m., heading back to their Bus and the next mountain they have to ascend.

Mount Jungfrau, at 4158m the third highest mountain in the Bernese Oberland, dominates the landscape

Up above is the Schilthorn station called Birg, the one with the Thrill Walk below the station building.

It was a pleasant walk up here to the cauldron-shaped valley below Birg Station

Lots of interesting information to learn about alpine plants and their medicinal purposes. This one: VERY POISONOUS!

A flower park for the kids at the summit station of the funicular, which was in revision as of this week.

Walking back to Mürren beneath the Allmendhubel funicular

PART II .... To the summit of Mount Schilthorn 

The first part of the cableway goes to the mid-station at Birg, where you have to change to a single car that continues to the summit:

Heading up above the cauldron-shaped valley. Slightly to the left is the little peak called Allmendhubel.

Approaching the mid-station Birg with its viewing platform and "Thrill Walk". We changed cable-cars here to head up to the summit of Mount Schilthorn.

Second section passes over a little lake called Grauseeli. You can walk there from either cable-car station.

Approaching the summit: Piz Gloria, a revolving restaurant and James Bond museum.

At the summit, at 2970m above sea level, is the revolving restaurant Piz Gloria and some James Bond trivia, but mostly we came for the view, although unfortunately rather hazy this day. We stayed up here for an hour and then returned to the mid-station "Birg" where we had planned to enjoy coffee on the sunny terrace.

In the background the distinctive North Face of Mount Eiger

Some James Bond Trivia

Along the "Walk of Fame" are quotes by Swiss skiers who participated in chase scenes in the movie. We went out just slightly past the second viewing platform.

On top of Mount Schilthorn

Piz Gloria. The movie company was allowed to film here in 1969 provided they supply financial help to finish building the not-yet-completed building. 

We came especially for the view of the trio of mountains well-known and well-loved in the Bernese Alps: Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. 

Eiger-Mönch-Jungfrau and the Lauterbrunnen Valley way, way below. 

Next load of tourists coming up from Birg Station. On this stretch there is only one cable car and it runs every 15 minutes.

Really. Some people still try to walk here in heels...

PART III ....  The Thrill Walk at Schilthorn Birg 

A 200-m walkway attached to the vertical cliff face, to offer a bit something to the tourists. This will be better when they finish the escalator at the far end, so you don't have to walk back the same way. My favourite part of the walk was the sign that warned you "not to leave the Thrill Walk"... 

Looking up past the little lake called Grauseeli to the summit of Mount Schilthorn

All the people.

Walking the "Thrill Walk"

So who would want to actually "leave" the "Thrill Walk"?

Not much danger, although I guess some people have problems looking down.

Another group of Asian tourists, they come by the busload all day long.

I rather enjoyed this. We timed it badly though, should have come earlier in the day after all, to get more sun.

 

Up on the sunny terrace, the bistro had already closed for the season and all the picnic tables were removed.

Tourist shot!

PART IV ....  Mürren and the Train/Cable-car back to Lauterbrunnen 

And then returning to Mürren, taking a train for 20 minutes northward along this side of the valley, and descending with another cable car to Lauterbrunnen.

Returning to Mürren (on this section are two cable cars, they run every half-hour or more often if there are lots of people.)

Walking through the village of Mürren (15 minutes) to the little train.

The mountains look totally different from down here. This is on the train journey between Mürren and Grütschalp above Lauterbrunnen.  

Arrived at the Grütschalp Station, before descending on the cable car, one last view of Eiger-Mönch-Jungfrau. On the distinctive saddle (Jungfraujoch, als known as "Top of Europe") between Mounts Mönch and Jungfrau is the famous observatory called "The Sphinx". Perhaps this was the next stop for the Asian Tour Groups after coming down Mount Schilthorn.

Zoomed view of the observatory at the "Top of Europe"

Evening light in Lauterbrunnen. From here we travel for an hour by train to Thun.

PART V ...  The lovely quaint city of Thun.

The air was mild and warm and there were still lots of people sitting outside in the cafés and on the promenade along the Aar River Canal. Of course it was only 6 p.m. These are all the pretty things we saw on our way to the hotel, a 10-minute walk from the train station.

Our Hotel, Hotel Emmental. We had the room under the roof on the right. It was very pretty.

View from our hotel room in Thun.

(Photos from the second day's outing to Lake Oeschinensee, and additional very nice photos of Thun are HERE).