From Meiringen-Hasliberg to Brienzwiler in the Bernese Oberland

Sunday March 2, 2025 -- After weeks and weeks of fog, we finally had a nice day and made a really good decision to travel to Meiringen in the Bernese Oberland, just south of the Brünig Pass. Good decision because the fog hung around the pass for most of the day and on the north side, but we had loads of sunshine and quite nice views for this 13-km walk.

We started with a cable-car ride up to Hasliberg (we knew the hillside was popular as a family ski-area, but weren't expecting how many people and equipment they were packing into the cable car!) and from there walked along a high trail above the valley bottom and parallel to the Aare River, coming down once to the valley bottom, and then heading up to another high trail through the forest before reaching the very cute village of Brienzwiler. From there we caught a bus back to the Brünig Pass (where by 4:30 p.m. the fog had finally lifted) for the train ride back to Luzern. In all, we traveled just over two hours each way to Meiringen and back from Brienzwiler. 

The 12-km section of the hike would have been 3½ of straight walking, but we took five hours to do this. Even though there was relatively little ascent involved, it was the first major hike of the year, and we aren't quite in the shape we were in the last hiking season! (We also took many breaks along the way). Also, it was quite cold, even with the sunshine.

All the way from Luzern to the Brünig Pass heading south, there was fog. But on the descent from the Brünig pass we came into wonderful sunshine on the side of the Bernese Oberland. 

View toward Lake Brienz to the west, and the mountains on the north side of the lake, as the train heads down into the Aar River basin. 

The best view we had of the massif north of Lake Brienz was as the train headed to Meiringen. Later, the air became hazy and we barely saw these mountains. 

Having left home at 8:10 a.m., we arrived in Meiringen in just over two hours travel time, which is wonderful! We had to walk about one kilometer from the train station to the cable-car station, and on the way is this lovely church (St.Michael's) which I had visited once in 2018. (Photos HERE). The free-standing bell-tower is 45 meters high.

St. Michael's Evangelical church in Meiringen is one of the most spectacular churches in the area and is under federal protection. The current baroque church was built in 1684 but there were several churches built here before then.

Urs had never seen the inside of the church, so we wanted to have a look. But there was a church service going on, but the usher let me take a photo. From research the last time I found out that the woodwork was done by a local carpenter in 1684.

We saw a sign that directed us to some excavations below the church, so we had a quick look down there instead of going inside the church. The remains of previous churches under the current one were discovered by chance under 5 meters of rubble during renovations in 1915/16.

Currently, 13 construction phases have been identified (from as early as the 9th and 10th Centuries) but it is assumed that there was a church building here even earlier, as remains were found here from before the 9th Century. 

Next to the free-standing bell-tower was another old building which was once an ossuary. We had a quick look inside as well. The building was erected in 1486 on the site of an older chapel. In 1528 at the time of the Reformation, the building was converted to an armory. 

Inside the "Zeughauskapelle" (Armory Chapel?) is a lovely wooden organ. The building has been used as a chapel again since 1892. There are still some remains of Late-Gothic frescoes on the walls. 

Two large bells on display between the free-standing bell-tower and Armory Chapel were manufactured in 1351!!!!

A look back at the Armory Chapel and Bell-tower as we rush to the cable-car station. 

The cable-car officially runs every 30 minutes, and we wanted to get the 10:38 run. With rushing we got there at 10:36, but as it turns out, there were so many people wanting to go up the mountain, that there was a run in progress. We had to wait while more and more people were stuffed into the cabin, including baby buggies, dogs, and tons of ski equipment! Luckily the cable-car run is only about four minutes, as we were totally squished in there!

View over Meiringen as the Reuti Cable-Car heads up the mountain. 

View from the cable-car as we head up the Hasliberg mountain. The road below is part of the trail down the mountain, but we took a different route. 

At the summit station we watched as all the people from our cabin moved to the gondola cable-way. These people were already waiting as we got there!

This is the Meiringen-Reuti cable-car. Imagine it packed full of people with ski equipment and baby buggies!

First we had to walk one kilometer from the train station in Meiringen to the cable-car station. We started at the summit station in Reuti at 11 a.m., and walked another 12 kilometers to Brienzwiler, where we took a bus back to the Brünig Pass at 4:20 p.m. This region can be reached in just over two hours from our home!

From the mountain village of Reuti, we get this fantastic view of the Bernese Alps, all the way to the north face of Mt. Eiger in the center. The massif on the left is called the Wetterhorn. 

Close-up look at the fabulous North Face of Mt.Eiger, the dominant mountain of the popular tourist destination of Grindelwald. The white mountain on the left is the Mönch, the second of the famous trio "Eiger/Mönch/Jungfrau". 

Still a bit of fog hanging over the Hasli Valley, but it didn't affect the sunshine on our walk!

Starting down the mountain, we passed a wood carving of a bear ("Urs" = "Bear", so I always take a photo of Urs with bear sculptures). The inscription on the plaque informs us that a large stone pine set here by the owners' grandfather in 1905 (at that time a 10-year old treelet) stood here till 2022. The tree had to be removed due to damage by the destructive Bark Beetle. This bear is a reminder of the lovely tree which once stood here.  

Gorgeous house which belongs to the Stone Pine Bear. 

A view over the lovely chalets in Reuti toward the summit station of the cable car. As it was a Sunday during school holidays, the number of people traveling up here for skiing didn't really surprise us, but they had to take several more cable cars up the mountain to find some snow!

The next scheduled cable-car run at 11:08. 

We passed another self-serve farm where Urs bought a piece of locally-made cheese. The cash box was stored in the fridge!

One of many self-serve farms in Switzerland! We always check inside them, and often buy cheese, or cold soft-drinks on hot days!

The farm cats always come to Urs for some attention!

Heading down the mountain now, with great views of the Bernese Alps from up here. (We lost this view as we heading down.)

This was a section with a footpath, which was very lovely to walk along!

The footpath was below this lovely farmhouse!

Shortly after starting on the footpath we found this perfectly-located bench, where we had an early pre-lunch at 11:20 and enjoyed the view for about 10 minutes. 

The air was hazy to the east so we unfortunately could not see the Hasli Valley mountains very well. (Later we had much better views!)

We left the main trail to head down a little gully called Grinigraben. 

Forest trail through the Grinigraben. 

Heading west now and passing under the cable-way. The air is hazy in the west and we cannot really see Lake Brienz, unfortunately. 

More lovely footpaths. We are so excited to finally find a mountain trail snow-free and fog-free!

There is a very narrow gorge called Alpbachschlucht (Alpbach Gorge) with this viewing platform on its upper end. It was part of our plan to have a closer look at this gorge, where there is a narrow path in the gorge itself. We found out at this point that the trail is open from April to October, but you can only walk it UPHILL to here. 

View down the Alpbach Gorge to the bell-tower of the St.Michael's church in Meiringen. There is a narrow steep trail (with cable handholds) which also crosses the bridge below. The trail can only be walked along from below to above, from April to October, and you must be vertigo-free to do it!

Continuing to the west now to the high trail mostly through the forest. 

A narrow mountain trail 230 meters above the valley bottom. We love these kinds of trails, but the drop was steep if you would happen to slip. 

Down below we got a glimpse of the parking lot for the cable car! IT is huge and packed full. No wonder there were so many people wanting to ride the cable-car!

There is a stretch here where there was once a bit of a landslide, and therefore the warning that there might be rocks falling onto the path. 

Fantastic view along the Hasli Valley, through which flows the Aar River toward Lake Brienz. 

Narrow trail along the land-slide section of the mountain trail above the Hasli Valley. 

A first butterfly! How exciting!

We had views of this lovely peak all along our hike. Lots of studying the map, and we think it is called the Wandelhorn. 

Down below we watch the trains on the lines between Meiringen and Brienz, or Meiringen and the Brünig Pass (where we descended from, i.e. that closer line). 

A section of forestry road now, with better views of the mountains to the east!

Just before the descent to the valley bottom, we crossed a bridge over a river called the Hüsenbach. That waterfall is the upper part of that river. (Above the waterfall, the river is called Louwenenbach). 

Crossing the bridge over the Hüsenbach before descending on this section of the trail to the valley bottom. 

On the way down, we also have to cross the railway line to the Brünig Pass. Cogwheels are required on the train to make this ascent. 

This is the railway line from Meiringen to the Brünig Pass.

After crossing the Hüsenbach Stream (which enters the Aar River further to the west), we observe the train heading up from Meiringen to the Brünig Pass. 

Walking now along the Haslital Basin, the mountains at the junction of the Gadmen Valley (on the right) and the Aaretal (on the left) loom large! (The Aar River, one of Switzerland's major rivers, has its source in the Grimsel Region up that valley on the left). 

We had a stretch of about two kilometers of very flat landscape, partly along canals. It was a bit tedious and I was glad to head back up the mountain again! From here you can see the fog still hanging over the Brünig Pass. 

A look eastward. We followed the Hüsenbach stream here to a lake at a gravel pit, before heading up the mountain again. The trail was tedious, but the view behind us was spectacular. 

To the south of us is the Aar River Canal. The train between Meiringen and Brienz runs along the Aar River. Unfortunately, the air was now hazy in that direction, so we didn't see the mountains so well any more!

At the gravel pit, our preferred trail heads up the mountain again toward Brienzwiler, which is our planned goal for the day, one hour and 20 minutes from here. At this point it's 14:15, and we want to catch the 16:23 bus in Brienzwiler. So that gives us an extra 40 minutes! 

First we had a quick look at the lovely lake (man-made) next to the gravel-pit. There is another trail which follows the lakeside down to the Aar River and follows the river there. But that would not at all be interesting for us. 

Happy to be back up on a mountain trail!

Cute little cabin in a clearing called Schwendlen

This was a cute little footpath, passing an old barn (barely visible ahead). 

There are always these cool large fungi on old tree trunks!

So exciting to see the first colour in the forests, especially the snow bells!

I had to squat to get this photo. Down below is the Aar River, but it is "tamed" by a canal from the Aare Gorge (east of Meiringen) to Lake Brienz. 

This part of the forest trail was a bit rough. 

We found another perfectly-situated bench for another break!

The view from our little bench. Below us is the Meiringen airport. 

Mountains at the junction of the Gadmen and Aare Valleys to the east. 

These views reminded me of the hikes we have done above the Rhone Valley. (In particular, this March 2016 hike). 

Our first glimpse of the Brienzer Rothorn peak as we approach Brienzwiler. 

The first houses in Brienzwiler, with the backdrop of the Brienzer Rothorn peak. 

There are lots of pretty (and some very old) chalets in this village. For example, the date engraved on this house is 1594.

Urs is trying to find the location of the bus stop we need to catch the 16:23 bus to the Brünig Pass. We don't have a lot of extra time, as it is now already 16:11! (We used up most of our extra time at that last bench!)

Mt. Brienzer Rothorn

So many pretty houses here. The one on the lower left is also old, from 1561, renovated from 1999-2022. We had a good look through the village back in February 2023, when we walked down from the Brünig Pass to Brienz via Brienzwiler (photos HERE). 

We settled for the bus stop at the top of the village. 

We still had to wait 5 minutes for the bus, with this lovely view in the early evening sunshine. 

What our hike looks like on Google Satellite Maps. First we took the cable-car up the mountain, then walked 12 kilometers to Brienzwiler. 

Look at that overhang on the main road to the Brünig Pass! We were the only two passengers in this bus, and I sat at the front next to the driver. 

View out of the bus window as we head up to the Brünig Pass . 

We got to the pass at 4:30 p.m., but had to wait there for 20 minutes till the train came. In the meantime, the fog has lifted here as well. 

This is the north end of Lake Lungern, north of the Brünig Pass. The sun is just setting, but it is also somewhat overcast here. 

These are all the hikes we have done so far in the region of Hasliberg and the Brünig Pass. 

Location of Meiringen within Switzerland. 

River Walk along the Morobbia and the Ticino from Giubiasco to Castione

Thursday February 20, 2025 -- Here and there now a few days without fog, but very overcast, even in the Ticino, except this Thursday (Urs even swapped his days off), so we headed there for some sunshine. What was our surprise when we got to Bellinzona and couldn't see ANY of the many mountains surrounding this city because of the very hazy air! In fact, we could barely see the three fortresses which the city is famous for. (This has rarely ever been the case for the many trips we have made here).  

We had planned a riverside walk (Morobbia and Ticino Rivers) ending at the Castel Grande fortress, but there wasn’t much point in heading up to the castle (which we had visited back in 2015, but is definitely worth another visit), so we just extended our walk along the Ticino River to end further north at the train station in Castione-Arbedo, an almost 11-kilometer walk in all. As outings go, it was probably the best choice for this day: Going higher up would not have given us the views we love, and because the trees were devoid of leaves, we saw more of the rivers than we would have in summer. Also, the small footpaths along the river made the walk more interesting. (Usually I don't manage such long riverbank walks). 

It only takes us 1 hour and 40 minutes to get from home to Giubiasco, where we started our walk, so the trip isn’t a great loss for us, even if it’s not quite what we had expected.

It took us a little over 90 minutes to get from home to Giubiasco, where we started our walk at about 11:25 from the train station to a small church which we saw on the map. The church is called San Giobbe, built in 1627 and renovated in the 19th Century. 

Three of the walls were fairly plain (it looked like a simple Romanesque building), but the apse side is heavily decorated with stucco artwork. 

The frescoes depict the life of the Virgin Mary, and the large painting behind the altar depicts the Holy Trinity between two angels and is a valuable work of art by a (Swiss?) artist named Alessandro Gorla (17th Century). 

We had a peek into the small building next to the church, where I glanced a very nice ceiling with paintings, but there was currently a wake going on for a recently deceased person, so we closed the door right away and left 

In Giubiasco.

In the center of Giubiasco is another church we have visited once before (March 2021, photos HERE), and passed recently on a walk down from the mountains which we see in the background (those photos HERE). The church is called Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta. The church was built in the 12th Century, then later enlarged in the 15th Century and rebuilt in the Baroque style in the 17th Century. 

Entering the church through the pretty carved wooden main doors, from 1777. 

The frescoes on the interior were discovered during renovations in the 20th Century. They date from the 15th and 16th Centuries. 

The apse is richly covered in stucco sculptures and features a beautiful marble altar from 1793. 

The organ (built in 2008) is HUGE and takes up about 1/3rd of the back part of the building. On the right is a fresco featuring "The Last Supper". 

Checking out the various restaurants here as it was close to lunch time, but we decided to walk to the Morobbia River and look for a bench there to eat the sandwiches we had brought along. 

To the north we finally can see a bit of the mountains here. That one is called Pizzo di Claro. 

We got to the Morobbia River at noon, but it was so hazy that we could not even see the mountains at the back of the Morobbia Valley!

We found a convenient bench and ate our sandwiches here, before heading out on our walk.

From the train station in Giubiasco, we walked to the town center, then toward the Morobbia River which we followed to where it enters the Ticino River. The rest of the walk was along the Ticino river, past the castles in Bellinzona, to the train station in Castione-Arbedo. In all it was 11 kilometers, starting at 11:30 and getting to Castione at shortly after 3 p.m. 

Following a trail along the Morobbia River. 

Along the way we saw this sign that reads "Morobbia River Trail"; it is probably used mostly by locals. 

Up river we can now see the mountains at the back of the Morobbia Valley. We have done a couple of hikes there in 2016 (those photos are HERE and HERE.)

We had to cross under the railway line to get to the Ticino River. 

Heading west toward the Ticino River. 

Another look up the Morobbia Valley

This is where the Morobbia River enters the Ticino River. That interesting bridge behind Urs reflected blue and yellow onto the river!

This is where the Morobbia River enters the Ticino River. 

Now we follow the river northwards for seven kilometers (Although originally the idea was leave the river at the level of the Castel Grande Fortress). 

The National Trail no.7: Via Gottardo runs parallel to the river as well, but on a dam just slightly to the east of here. Although that trail gives a better view of the castles, this smaller footpath through a park we found out later was called the "Parco Fluviale Saleggi-Boschetti"--a renaturation project by the city of Bellinzona--was more interesting. 

Along the way we passed several bridges spanning the Ticino River. This one leads to the community of Monte Carasso, where the Sementina River enters the Ticino. (Upriver along the Sementina is the fabulous Tibetan Bridge which we crossed a couple of times. Some of the photos are HERE. We also did a large loop hike higher on that mountain back in March of 2019, from where we got a look at the Bellinzona castles from above. Photos HERE). 

We passed through a section of the park with many very pretty birch trees. 

Up ahead is another large bridge crossing the river, the main motor-vehicle bridge from Bellinzona to Monte Carasso. All along this trail we remarked that we could see more of the river at this time of year, when the trees are leafless, than we would have in summer!

This is the north end of the "Saleggi-Boschetti Riverside Park" renaturation project, with another cool bridge crossing the river. To the north is the summit of Pizzo di Claro. 

This was the information placard we saw at the north end of the park, which informed us that the entire trail we had just walked from the Morobbia River was a riverside renaturization project, starting in 2020, with additional sections planned for 2025. 

A really cool bridge!

At some point we left the smaller footpath and climbed up to the dam trail, for a view of the three fortresses which are the features of the city which make it a UNESCO heritage site. The large one in the front is Castel Grande, on the left you can make out the Castello di Montebello, and higher up on the mountain is the Castello di Sasso Corbaro. (We visited all of these castles in 2015, photos are HERE). 

Looking back behind us at the dam trail which we are now walking on. 

This trail is part of two National Trails: "No.7: Via Gottardo" and "No.2: Trans-Swiss Trail". To the south, this riverside trail is alled "Magadino Trail" (Magadino is the valley basin between here and Lake Maggiore), and to the north where we are headed along the "Riviera Trail", another hour to go to the train station in Castione. ("Riviera" is the valley between here and Biasca) 

Heading north along the dam trail next to the Ticino River. 

Directly to the east we study that mountain, wondering if we walked across that flank. We determined that it was across this mountain flank which we walked in March of 2021 when we visited the mountain villages up there, after also that first visit of the Santa Maria Assunta church in Giubiasco. (Photos HERE)

The summit of Pizzo di Claro comes into view again. We are, once again, in awe that we have walked up there, having taken a cable car about two-thirds up the mountain and spending a night in a hostel (at the right arrow) before continuing over the ridge to the Calanca Valley (left arrow) on the next day (those photos are HERE). 

Another look behind us. 

To the left of the walking trail was a very large off-leash dog park, fortunately separated from the walking trail by a fence. It was interesting to watch all the people with their many dogs walking there. 

A short detour (unintentionally) down to the river in Arbedo, and a view of the Castello di Montebello above Bellinzona to the south. 

Across the river we see the bell-tower of a church in the village of Gorduno, a place we have not yet visited, so an option for a future trip (although there are not a lot of hiking trails on that side of the river, except way up onto the mountain!)

Close-up of the village of Gorduno across the Ticino River. 

Just north of a small stream coming down from the Valle d'Arbedo, we head away from the vehicle road for a short stretch through the forest near the Moesa Delta. (Moesa is the large river flowing down from the San Bernardino Pass through the Mesocco Valley to enter the Ticino River here). 

The train passes us from Bellinzona heading north to the Gotthard Tunnel, as we get a nice look into the Mesocco Valley. 

Final stretch now as we cross the Moesa River (which flows into the Ticino River here) just before reaching the Castione-Arbedo train station (where we just missed the 15:05 train back to Bellinzona, and had to wait 30 minutes for the next train home from there. (Side Note: In September of 2024, I did a walk on my own coming down the Mesocco Valley along this river, and crossed the bridge here at the time as well. Those photos are HERE).  

What our walk looked like on Google Satellite Maps. 

These are all the hikes we have done in the region around Bellinzona. 

This is a photo from our March 2019 hike (photos HERE) when we walked high up on mountain above Monte Carasso. Down below we can see the stretch of the Ticino River at Arbedo, where the Moesa River enters the Ticino River from the Mesocco Valley. 

Also from our March 2019 walk on the mountain across from Bellinzona, we could see both the Montebello and Castel Grande Castles from above.