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A week in Wengen hiking the Bernese Oberland

A week in Wengen hiking the Bernese Oberland

Old Jul 14th, 2013, 01:15 PM
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A week in Wengen hiking the Bernese Oberland

We have joined the converted. We had our first trip to Switzerland last week and thoroughly enjoyed our week in Wengen hiking in the Alps. I'll come back with the typical TR info, but for now enjoy the photos:

http://ukfrey.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07...en-hiking.html
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Old Jul 14th, 2013, 01:50 PM
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Next time try to fit in a stay at the Hotel Faulhorn. It's unique in many ways. You can hike the route you did or from First or from Grindelwald.

From the hotel a great hike is then down the other side to the Hotel Giessbach where you can get the ferry to Interlaken.

Meiringen just up the valley from Interlaken is the home of Reichenbach Falls where Sherlock Holmes and Moriarty fell to their deaths and you can walk to the falls from the Meiringen train station quite easily. While in Meiringen try some of the meringue you will see in the bakeries. It originated there. http://www.isyours.com/e/guide/berne.../meringue.html

You should also look at a day visiting Ballenberg open air museum. http://ballenberg.ch/en/Welcome

After dozens of trips to Switzerland totally perhaps more than a year of time, I still haven't seen all there is to see in that small country. Makes you wonder when you read about people trying to 'do Europe in 2 weeks'.
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Old Jul 14th, 2013, 01:51 PM
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Meant to include: http://www.myswitzerland.com/en/moun...-faulhorn.html
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Old Jul 14th, 2013, 08:00 PM
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Great report. Where did you get the map images and hike profiles?
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Old Jul 14th, 2013, 08:23 PM
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Welcome to the club!
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Old Jul 14th, 2013, 09:36 PM
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Some further info for those interested:

First of all, a special thanks to KimSanJose for her 40-page document on the area (Wengen in particular). The information was extremely helpful and her patience with follow up questions was admirable.

You can contact Kim via TA:
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/members-forums/kimsanjose

Who: Family of 4 (daughter 14, son 11), American ex-pats living in Derby, UK.

When: July 6th - 13th

Where: Wengen

How: Slightly easier than from the State but still most of a day to get there. Flights from Birmingham (UK) to Zurich via CDG. (£150pp). 4 trains to Wengen (Zurich Airport/Bern/Interlaken Ost/Lauterbrunnen/Wengen). I opted for first class to increase the odds of siting together. (144.60 CHF per adult, return, with Half Fare Card (120 CHF))

The train connections are very tight (by design) which can be a little intimidating to a first timer but it is really straightforward once you get there. Ask for a "timetable" when you buy your tickets.

Lodging:

Given that we are a family of 4 we opted for a chalet for the week. Could not have been happier. Loved the space, the quiet and the facilities (kitchen, washer AND dryer, etc.). We went with Chalet Service who were excellent to work with.

http://www.chalet-service.ch/en/chalets/search.html

We started listed out our preferences (2BR, 2BA, wi-fi, washer/dryer/dishwasher, short walk to town, etc.) and gravitated to the "5*" listings. We settled on the Steingartli chalet and were very happy with our choice.

It was 1917 CHF for the week (looks like it is 1950 CHF now).

More on the hikes and costs in a future post.
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Old Jul 14th, 2013, 09:39 PM
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twk asked: "Where did you get the map images and hike profiles?"

see if this works:
http://www.swissholidayco.com/page/M...N_HIKING_POPUP

Kim's document had descriptions of various walks as well. The timings, length and altitude in my blog are what we actually did (I have a GPS).

More specifics on the walks to come.
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Old Jul 15th, 2013, 01:09 AM
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Waiting with bated breath...
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Old Jul 15th, 2013, 04:29 AM
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WOW! I am impressed with all the hikes-EXTREME to this open-heights Switzerland-ophile!
I have been to many of the same towns, but only partaking of 'baby' hikes!
Beautiful photos of the scenery.
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Old Jul 15th, 2013, 05:56 AM
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Wow! Great report and stunning pictures. Makes me want to go back to this beautiful part of the world! Beautiful family. I'm impressed with all the hiking your kids did. Well done!
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Old Jul 15th, 2013, 06:10 AM
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Anxiously awaiting your report as I am scheduled to leave for Wengen in September. Never having been to the region, I am a bit nervous as I have read so many things about costs. Also, a friend of mine just came back from Basel and she said that she paid almost $7 USD for a bottle of water. I plan on going to the Coop in Interlaken upon arrival and getting supplies for breakfast, lunch, snacks, drinks, etc. Hopefully only eating out once a day for dinner.
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Old Jul 15th, 2013, 12:13 PM
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For those that don’t want to slog through the blog (and that’s understandable), here’s what we ended up doing:

Day 1: Wengen to Kleine Scheidegg + swimming
Day 2: Grutschalp to Murren (Mountain View Trail) + Almendhubel to Murren (North Face trail)
Day 3: Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg + family fun around Grindelwald
Day 4: Lauterbrunnen to Stechelberg + Trummelbach Falls + swimming
Day 5: Schynige Platte to First
Day 6: First to Gross Platte via Schilt

We had planned to go up the Schilthorn but it was clouded in (Day 2). Never planned on going up to the Jungfraujoch.

On day 3, we split up to do the Family Fun Package at First. DD and I took the gondola from Grindelwald to First, took the zipline down to Schreckfield, and then the gondola to Bort. DW & DS had been enjoying the playground there while waiting for us.

http://www.jungfrau.ch/en//tourism/e...un-activities/

From Bort, all four of us took the Trottibikes down. What fun! But, as we found out, a little extreme for us. It is easy to pick up speed and without careful concentration, it’s easy to wipe out. I’m afraid DW, DD and DS separately left some skin outside Grindelwald. I guess we are more of a low impact family. Still fun – too bad about the scrapes though.

The zipline was fun though not as amazing (or as fast) as I had imagined. I’d give the nod to the Trottibikes if you had to choose.

We had planned to try the toboggan run out of Pfingstegg as well on the last day but that was one time I blanched at the cost. The gondola was privately run and therefore our Half Fare and Family Cards were not accepted. It would have been about 50 CHF to go up/down the gondola plus another 30 CHF for the kids to get half a dozen runs. I didn’t feel it was worth it. Perhaps it was more out of (false) principle. Oh well.

Hike descriptions next . . .
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Old Jul 15th, 2013, 01:34 PM
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indy, loved your pics - looked like a grand trip.
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Old Jul 15th, 2013, 02:54 PM
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Another wonderful indy-dad and family adventure. I'm in awe of your collective stamina. Also love the cow photos. Is it my imagination or are Swiss cows more beautiful than most?

Thanks for again letting us tag along.
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Old Jul 15th, 2013, 05:15 PM
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Great photos and beautiful family!
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Old Jul 16th, 2013, 07:35 AM
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Catherinehaas, don't let one price throw you off. Switzerland is no more expensive in my opinion than the UK for example.

While it is possible to pay $7USD for a bottle of water, it is also possible to pay that much in the USA. A price out of context tells you nothing. They did NOT pay $7USD in a supermarket. Look here: http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living...nd&city=Zurich

It shows you the median price for a 1.5L bottle of water in a supermarket is 1 CHF which is $1.06 US at today's exchange rate. That's a long way from $7.

People often compare what it costs a tourist with what they spend when living at HOME. Compare what it will cost if you travel in your home country as a tourist, not what you spend living at home. While Switzerland is no doubt more expensive than the USA, don't get carried away worrying you can't afford anything.

Perhaps Indy can take a minute to address your concern and give you some prices they paid. I think it is a pretty safe bet they didn't buy any $7 bottles of water.
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Old Jul 16th, 2013, 07:48 AM
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Phew!!! Thank you!
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Old Jul 16th, 2013, 07:52 AM
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Just checked out the website and that is fantastic and really eased my mind. Stocking up at the Coop for sure and then inexpensive meals out at night (< 50CHF for 1 person). Should be manageable; however, I won't be shopping for Levi's or Nike's over there. WOW!
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Old Jul 16th, 2013, 11:41 AM
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Cost comparisons coming later, but first a bit about the hikes . . .

We are not a particularly active family by UK standards (no cycling to work or 10-20 mile walks) but we do try to get out on the weekends if we can (life gets in the way sometime). We’ve worked up from 4-5 miles walks to 7-9 mile walks in the Peak District. DW14 and I have also climbed Snowdon and Kinder Scout but DW & DS11 haven’t.

With that background in mind, I would classify the walks as such:

Easy
Grutschalp to Murren (Mountain View Trail)
Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg
Lauterbrunnen to Stechelberg

Medium
Almendhubel to Murren (North Face trail)
First to Gross Platte via Schilt

Hard
Wengen to Kleine Scheidegg
Schynige Platte to First

I’m not interested in climbing just for the sake of climbing. I like a good view/effort ratio. This area makes it easy with all trains, funiculars, gondolas, lifts, etc. I wouldn’t suggest climbing in/out of the valleys but rather save your effort for more rewarding endeavors. Remember: going down is actually harder (on knees, feet, etc.) than going up.

Distances and times are from my experience (and handheld GPS). First, the easy walks:

Grutschalp to Murren (Mountain View Trail)
Train from Wengen to Lauterbrunnen. Walk through the station to the gondola to Grutschalp (well signed posted). Then walk to Murren.

You get great (and varied) views of the mountains (Jungfrau, Monch, Eiger and others). It is fairly flat/level.

Posted time (trail 52) was 1:10 and we did it in just over that. 3.1 miles. Highly recommended. The views in the other direction wouldn’t be as inspiring IMO.

Note: the gondola to the Schilthorn is on the opposite side of Murren so you would need to walk through town.

Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg
This is the standard and popular route. We went first thing so didn’t encounter much of a crowd but it was more crowded than others. To get to Mannlichen you simply take the gondola up from Wengen. At Kleine Scheidegg, you can take the train back to Wengen or carry on to Jungfroujach or Grindelwald (our option for the day).

Posted time of 1:20 which we did in about 90 minutes. Slightly downhill (500’ over 3.3 miles).

Excellent views as promised. This really is a must-do and is easy enough that most everyone can (hence the crowds).

Lauterbrunnen to Stechelberg
Train from Wengen to Lauterbrunnen. You can take the gondola to Gimmelwald/Murren or take the bus back to Lauterbrunnen (our choice). Save this for a cooler day if possible. Push comes to shove, you could also do this one on a rainier day as well.

The walk in total is about 4 miles (completely flat). You get a different perspective being in the valley and slowly walking towards the mountains. The big draw is the waterfalls coming down the cliffs. Staubbach Falls is a large one towards Lauterbrunnen but there are many more (supposedly 72).

We found the detour to Trummelbach Falls to be fascinating. It was one of our more memorable experiences and is highly recommended.

In hindsight, and partly due to the increasing heat, the walk after Trummelbach was anticlimactic for us. If pushed for time (and not heading to Murren), one could simply turn around (walk or bus) after that IMO.

Medium and Hard walks next . . .
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Old Jul 16th, 2013, 12:00 PM
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oops -- Gross Platte should of course be Gross Scheidegg
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