Grindelwald questions
 

Can anyone recommend good restaurants, things to do, and scenic walks around Grindelwald?

I've always stayed at Hotel Eiger and eaten there on the half-board plan. The restaurant is open to the public and I think it's quite good, though I have nothing to compare it to. I had a lovely lunch once at the Hotel Wetterhorn - south of town near the base of the Pfingstegg tram.<BR><BR>One of the major attractions of the area is the train trip through the Eiger to the Jungfraujoch station - at over 11,000' between the Eiger and the Monch, which leaves from Kleine Scheidegg. There are many lovely walks, with maps and information available everywhere in town.

I can suggest three that I like.<BR>Take the gondola to First, and hike to the top of the Faulhorn. <BR><BR>If you really want a hike, get an early start on the Faulhorn trail and go all the way to Schynige Platte. Return to Grindelwald by train. The &quot;toonerville trolley&quot; comes down the mountain to Wilderswil and you can take the BOB train back to Grindelwald from there.<BR><BR>The First to Schynige Platte hike is one of the great classic hikes in all of the Berner Oberland, and the Faulhorn alone is no slouch!! It is one of the greatest viewpoints in Switzerland because you can see the Brienzer See and the Thuner See on either side of Interlaken looking north, and the full glories of the Berner Oberland like to the south.<BR>Egads what a place!!<BR><BR>The second one, and this one depends on your stamina and strength, take the lift up to Pfingstegg and walk to the restaurant at Stieregg. Beyond Stieregg, you can traverse a gully hanging onto a cable, then scramble over rough trail to the cliffs of the Rots Gufer,which you ascend with ladders and cables. You can cut this one off at any point and return. The trail follows the ledge above the glacier and leads right into the thick of it so to speak. The Fiescherhorn Glacier flows off the mountain to the west, and all around you are towering mountains and glaciers. The Eiger is on your west as well. It is a wild, glacial landscape.<BR><BR>A third one leads out from Stechelberg, which is farther &quot;valley inwards&quot; from Lauterbrunnen. Take the trail to the Oberhornsee. The Jungfrau looms to your left, and other peaks of the main range of the Berner Oberland are in front of you. <BR><BR>If you want more, you can walk from Grosse Scheidegg to First, and come down on the gondola.<BR><BR>And perhaps I should throw in a hike along the M&auml;nnlichen. It can be reached by a long gondola ride from Grindelwald Grund. Then it is possible to walk down to Kleine Scheidegg and take the train back to Grindelwald.<BR>Or you could go by train to Kleine Scheidegg and hike the Eigerwand Trail.<BR>(Wand = wall)<BR><BR>And if that is not enough, go to M&uuml;rren and take the trail over the Sefinenfurka. There is an extension over the H&ouml;hturli to Kandersteg that may require overnighting at a mountain cabin. That route is a lung buster, first class. Too much for my 70 year old legs!!<BR>

What are the seasonal limits on these hikes. We will be there in mid-May and I'm interested in the hike to the cafe at Stieregg, but I don't know if they will be open that early.

Rocky -<BR><BR>We were in Grindelwald late last May and took the Pfingstegg gondola/tram, hoping to do some hiking. Unfortunately, all but one trail was closed, although there wasn't much snow at the time.<BR><BR>The Pizza Mercato in the Hotel Spinne in Grindelwald is a good place to eat. <BR>