Hello!

I have a few days in the Berner Oberland in July/August of this year (Date not confirmed yet), and was thinking of doing a full day hiking trip and needed some help and suggestions.

I plan on walking from the Mannlichen on to Kleine Scheidegg and then up to the Eigergletscher. From there, I'm not exactly sure where to go or what route to take to get back down. I thought of just reversing direction and going back to KS and then to Wengen. Are there any better options?

Also, I will be a solo hiker, and I'd like to be in an area where there might be other people nearby in case of an emergency, and I would be willing to cancel the Eigergletscher portion of the hike if it'd be too lonely on that section.

Some questions I had:
1. Are there any places to fill up water bottles along the way? (Including lakes or streams that would have water clean enough to drink)
2. How long would this take?
3. Where should I go past the Eigergletscher?
4. Is it worth my time? I would only have 2 days in the BO, and this would take up one, with the other being the Schilthorn and shorter hikes around Lauterbrunnen, including Trummelbach Falls

I've done those hikes though not all at once but well could have - there is a hotel/restaurant building at Kl Scheidegg to fill bottles but don't remember others - but look at hiking maps as they indicate where cafes are - there are a few different ways to walk Kl Sch-Wengen - I took wide track along railway - even mountain bikes were doing it but there are longer paths I believe and only took me about an hour.

Consult hiking maps for times and distances as everyone of course walks a different pace - but I would say you will have loads of time doing these three walks -Kl Sch-Wengen took me only a few hours on main track but I was walking fairly fast.

Seems Eigergletscher-Kl Scheidegg an hour each way (going down can be as slow as going up due to constant braking required but this trail is not that steep):

https://www.maennlichen.ch/en/royal-walk.html

Says about 1.5 hr Mannlichen-Kl Sch; 1 hr each way up to Eigergletscher and 1 hr down
1 hr Kl Sch-Wengen.

So for a full day very easy it seems.

ad 3)
Go from Eigergletscher just to the place where you want to end your hike.
If it's Wengen:
Eigergletscher - Wyssi Flue - Biglenalp - Mettlenalp - Wengen
if it's Grindelwald:
Eigertrail
if it's Stechelberg:
Eigergletscher - Wyssi Flue - Biglenalp - Mettlenalp -Preech - Truemmelbach - Stechelberg

ad 4) Nobody can decide for you

#4: I fully agree with neckervd! But if it helps: One of the things I enjoyed about taking several shorter hikes in the area was that I got to see a much more diverse range of scenery than I could have done -- or, I should say, than I think I could have done (I could be wrong!) -- with a single long hike.

As another solo traveler, I appreciate your concern about being on trails where you are likely to encounter others. I think I remember reading about a particular signal pattern that is understood, throughout Switzerland, to convey a need for help -- maybe repetitions of a particular signal in groups of 3 -- like a whistle call repeated 3 times, then a pause, then again, etc.? I hope one of our experts on Switzerland will chime in -- even if only once

Enjoy and be safe!

" I think I remember reading about a particular signal pattern that is understood, throughout Switzerland, to convey a need for help"

Nowadays everybody uses cellphones

Not everyone has a cell phone.

Carry matches or a lighter to make smoke signals for the one in a million sans mobile phone?

Perhaps Kja is referring to SOS which follows the 3-3-3 pattern. There may be a different Swiss version I am not aware of:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/SOS

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/SOS

A hike in Lauterbrunnen, including Trummelbach Falls, was our plan B in case of rain (and we did visit them on our third time in the area). If you are lucky to have two glorious sunshine days in the mountains, my advice would be to stay up in the mountains. The Trummelbach Falls and the Lauterbrunnen valley, although very beautiful is in IMO not to be substituted to the many hikes that you could experience at a higher altitude.

In any case you can only 'hike' in the Lauerbrunnen Valley a few miles - easy walking really.

@ xcountry: that's it -- thanks!

Smoke signals might not work very well in the Alps, better in the flatlands of the US. Ha.

I did not do any hiking in that specific region, but I would not expect to be the "lonely hiker" in that area in summer.

re. safety:
Let someone know when and where you're going, e.g. your hotel reception. But don't forget to also let them know when you're back.
Inquire locally about trail conditions. The local TI knows if there have been recent trail closures etc.
Bring proper footwear, some light rain cover, possibly also a light weight soft shell sweater in case you climb to higher elevations.
Weather can change rapidly in the Alps. Check weather forecast on that very same day in the morning.
When you see thunderstorms building up (often in the afternoons of hot, sunny days), turn around and go back.
No hikes without a working, fully loaded mobile phone. Know how you can send your location in case of emergency.
Do not drink water from any open body of water, regardless how clean that creek may look.

Good advice from Cowboy1968, but really, people managed for millenia without cell phones – I don’t disagree that it would be a good idea to have one with you, but I just can’t bring myself to see it as an absolute necessity. JMO.

Well, you're obviously free to take with you or leave at home what you like.
But a working, charged mobile phone is nowadays what you take with you.
I wouldn't know any hiking association which does not recommend to do so:
For Switzerland, I recommend the official website: www.randonner.ch
It's only available in the three major languages of Switzerland, but I think you can easily translate the French site into English with Google.

I don't own one. I haven't found the need.

If I were going hiking in environs with little contact with other hikers and especially rugged trails I would always have a mobile phone in case of illness or injury and anyone who doesn't it's plain old stupid.

Good point! That's one reason that I don't take the kinds of hikes you describe.