indy_dad

In just over 2 weeks we will be heading to Switzerland for a week in Wengen. We are a UK-based family of 4 (DD14, DS11). We are a reasonably active family and I am looking forward to hiking for most of the 6 full days we have.

Starting with the excellent info pack from Kim Hawley and reading a few trips reports, I've put together a list of possible options. We'll let the mood and perhaps weather dictate which ones we do. Curious to hear your thoughts/comments on any recommendations.

Note: though I don't think we want to climb 3000' / day, we do prefer going up rather than down. I'm also trying to get a nice variety of hikes/views/experiences over the week.

In rough order of interest:

1) Wengen -- Wengerlap -- Kleine Scheidegg (4 miles, 2600')

2) Allmendhubel to Murren (North Face Trail) -- possible extension to Winteregg. And Grutschalp? Combine with Schiltorn instead of extensions?

3) Schynige Platte to First (10 miles, 3230') -- might be a bit much, particularly with the time constraint to make the gondola down to Grindlewald.

Backup: Schynige Platte Panoramaweg loop

4) Lauterbrunnen --Stechelberg (Stubbach Falls, etc.) (4.4 miles)

5) Mannlichen -- Kleine Scheidegg -- (2.8 miles) for an easy day, perhaps combined with Jungfraujoch

6) Interlaken -- "Plantenweg" (along Lake Brienz)

7) Alpiglen -- Eigergletscher -- Eiger Trail (5 miles, 2300')

Sitting here today, I'm leaning more towards the hikes than taking the trains to the top of Jungfraujoch and/or Schiltorn but I'm leaving that option open (the family could mutiny after all). Will I greatly be missing out if I don't?

Another non-walk option would be the Ballenberg Museum, but it seems like a long way to go with so much else at my doorstep.

Thoughts?

tipsygus

I took young family members to Ballenberg some years ago and they loved it. The hikes look good to, they're the ones I'm planning to do in August/September when I'm in Interlaken. Some I've done in previous years and will probably do again. I hope you enjoy the holiday.

enzian

Looks great--I am so jealous! One comment: I would combine (1) and (5). That is, hike up to KS from Wengen, stop for lunch (there is a nice little restaurant with a terrace overlooking the Grindelwald Valley about 5-10 minutes along th etrail toward Mannlichen), continue to Mannlichen, an dride the cablecar back down. I know, this has you going "backwards", heading away from the Jungfrau view instead of towards it, but you can always stop and turn around.

(7), th eEiger Northface Trail uphill, is one of my favorites. Also the Schynige Platte to First (3). It is long-ish, but I don't remember any 3.000+ feet of up and down. We stoopped for lunch at the midway hut (forget the name) and some people also went up to the Faulhorn hut while others waited; and we still had no trouble making the gondola down from First. But it might be pushing it for the 11-year-old. You could do an out-and-back from Schynige Platte one day, and then hike First to Faulhorn hut and back on a different day; that way you would cover most of the views without the stress of making the last gondola trip.

Pepper_von_snoot

You do not take a train to the Schilthorn, you take a gondola from Murren. The other gondola goes to Gimmelwald. From Gimmelwald you can take the gondola to Stechelberg. Or vice versa.

Winteregg is the midway point between Grutscalp and Murren. You can walk this or take the train. There is a restaurant at Winteregg.

If you walk from Wengen to KS via Wengernalp, you will be walking up hill.

There are two routes-- one meandering through pastures, the other straight up hill.

I think that the hike from Schynige Platte to First would be rather difficult.

The hike from Lauterbrunnen to Stechelberg is easy.

I also think a hike from KS to Grindelwald would be rather easy, going right in front of the Eiger.

Don't forget to take the train or boat to Thun; it is a cute little town with a pretty covered bridge.


Thin

indy_dad

Thanks for the input.

enzian -- good idea about combining 1 & 5. We'll make that a "stretch" goal and play it by ear.

For SP to First, I got the distance and ascent info from here:
http://www.walkingswitzerland.com/wa..._descrip/8006/

We've upped our normal outings to the 7-8 mile range with a couple of 9 milers in there. If we can have a lunch break I think we have a shot at SP to First. I'll target that one later in the week to see how we are coping.

Any particular weather sites to get a good idea of the specific forecast on the day?

Speaking of that, which of the above would you target on a less than stellar day? I assume the Stubbach Falls one -- any others?

Jungfraujoch vs Schilthorn -- opinions for if we only do one?

mokka4

http://www.meteoschweiz.admin.ch/web/en.html

I found this to be of help with forecasts

Ingo

If you want to walk on a glacier, get really in touch with snow and experience it in the middle of summer, then go to Jungfraujoch. Otherwise go to Schilthorn, the (panoramic) views from there are IMO more impressive.

Hiking up from Wengen to Kleine Scheidegg is quite long-ish, mostly through woods for a long time (unless you follow the route along the train). And then hiking to Männlichen with the views behind you? No way I'd do that. I stand to my recommendation of doing it the other way around. If you don't want to walk downhill you can still take the train for parts of the route Kleine Scheidegg - Wengen.

Staubbach Falls are visible from the train Wengen - Lauterbrunnen, from the train station Lauterbrunnen it is just a 20 minutes walk. Makes for a very short excursion. If you combine it with Trümmelbach Falls, then it's a nice half day. Or see it on the way to Mürren.

I would do the hike Grütschalp - Allmendhubel - Mürren. Views ahead of you and it's mostly uphill.

Schynige Platte - First is VERY long. Don't overdo it with the kids. I suggest you finish at Bussalp, take the bus from there down to Grindelwald. We hiked from Schynige Platte to Weberhütte (that's probably where you stopped for lunch, enzian), then hiked down (long!) to Burglauenen (train stop). Make sure you start early anyway, we had to wait for the next cog-train in Wilderswil up to Schynige Platte because the first one was full.

I.

Pepper_von_snoot

In the summer months Staubbach Fall is only a trickle.


Thin

PalenQ

1) Wengen -- Wengerlap -- Kleine Scheidegg (4 miles, 2600')>

I've done this sweet stroll and if I were you I'd take the gondola Mannlichen then do the easy Ridge Walk to Ke Schiedegg and then take the gently downhill walk to Wengen - going up to me would not be as fun as rolling down this wide trail that even mountain bikes go over. You can see both Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald valleys from the ridge Walk - the most popular walk in the area.

Edward2005

Your hikes look awesome! The trip to the Jungfraujoch -- assuming good weather -- is impressive but also expensive and time consuming. It will cost around $150 roundtrip and take about 3 hours unless you linger. I did this once and enjoyed it, but I wouldn't do it again. I would have enjoyed a hike on such a day much more than being crammed into a train for much of the day.

The trip up to the Schilthorn is not as spectacular, but also costs a lot less and takes much less time. Plus, you can hike down from the top or from Birg.

neckervd

Schynige Platte - First:
The first train arrives at Schynige Platte at 8.17 and the last gondola leaves First at 18.30. Even families with very young (Kindergarden) kids and dogs never need 10 hrs for this hike. But it's not forbidden to split it in 2 parts and to sleep in the very romantic almost 200 years old Faulhorn Hotel
http://www.berghotel-faulhorn.ch/index_eng.html
A much shorter hike in the same area goes from Grosse Scheidegg bus stop to First (and then may be up to Lake Bachalp and down to Waldspitz bus stop: last bus at 17.30)

Wengen - Kleine Scheidegg: I prefer the smaller and longer but never crowded trail via Schiltwald - Ronen - Mettla - Biglenalp - Wyssi Flue - Haaregg.

indy_dad

Thanks again for the input. It's always challenging try to plan when you don't have any personal experience in the area.

I like to have a good plan in place but I'm not rigid about following it if circumstances change.

A few minor tweaks and shuffling:

1) Wengen -- Wengerlap -- Kleine Scheidegg. Will continue to review the various routes.

2) Grutschalp to Murren / Funicular to Allmendhubel /Allmendhubel to Murren (North Face Trail) -- will work in Schilthorn excursion here if possible. May drop the first part if so.

3) Mannlichen -- Kleine Scheidegg -- will investigate a First outing (by public transport) for the afternoon (zip line, Trottibikes, etc)

4) Lauterbrunnen --Stechelberg option to Murren

5) Schynige Platte to First -- move to later in the week to gauge how we are doing. (Still high on my personal list but I might get out voted)

6) Alpiglen -- Eigergletscher -- Eiger Trail

We'll definitely play the last day by ear to see if we'd rather do an excursion, activity, lake cruise, etc.

neckervd

BTW: Swiss people never plan so much. They just start in the morning if the weather is fine, change trails if they find a nicer looking one and end their walk when they get tired or if a thunderstorm is arriving. Cableway, bus and railway stations are almost omnipresent in the area (except along the Schynige Platte - Faulhorn trail) and make it easy to change ideas (longer stay than planned in a nice restaurant or on the shore of a nice mountain lake, etc.).

Huggy

Hr