Hello again all,

I know Grindelwald does not have quite as high a reputation with you Fodorites as the surrounding towns, but nonetheless my friend and I will be staying there in a hostel for 2 nights.

Just wondering if anyone could point me in the direction of a site with some decent information about local hikes and sights to see. Maps would be an added bonus. Most of the sites I've found are mainly about winter activities like skiing and such.

Also, we're not going strictly for the hiking, but I am a hiker here at home in the States and wouldn't mind doing a bit while I am there. However, I don't have room to bring my big old hiking boots with me for the whole trip, so I'll just have my regular old walking shoes. So maybe some easier hikes? Like waterfalls or something like that?

Any help would be appreciated!!
Thanks guys and girls!

The TIs will have an abundance of maps and up to date advice on trail closings, difficulty level, etc. In the meantime, this is a great little book:

Swiss Bernese Oberland: A Travel Guide with Specific Trips to the Mountains, Lakes and Villages, Third Edition
by Philip Alspach, Loretta Alspach.

PS. Check out the Mountain Hostel in Gimmelwald.

http://www.mountainhostel.com/

Check this out:

http://switzerland.isyours.com/e/gui...indelwald.html

Have fun!

If you are a quick hiker, I suggest the trail from the First gondola station to Schynige Platte.
It involves some high priced gondola and train rides, but it is memorable.

If not that much, take the trail to the top of the Faulhorn from First.
The gondola station is visible about a mile up the main street from the rail station.

Hostel in Grindelwald? Where is it?

Another hike: lift to Pfingstegg and take the trail to Stieregg and beyond as far as your nerve and strength will take you to a high mountain shelter. The first couple of miles are easy. Then the going gets tougher.

Hello reddington.

Personally, I love to have my base in Grindelwald for my Swiss hiking adventures. I think you'll find it a wonderful town with lots of personality. Plus the views are extraordinary!

Besides the link mentioned above of myswitzerland.com, I like to visit www.grindelwald.ch for info on Grindelwald. Just click on "E" for English and take it from there. There's a hiking section, as well as sections on other tourist things to do.
You'll find your 2 days fill up very quickly in Grindelwald.

Happy travels!

Thank you all for your helpful replies.

The youth hostel is simply called Grindelwald Youth Hostel.... I think the URL is www.youthhostel.ch... but I'm not looking at my paperwork right now. I hope it's okay!!

I'm going to look at these links in a few minutes. I've studied some maps for a bit and kind of see how things work... but what's a gondola station like First like when you get off the gondola? Is it just a bunch of trailheads? Are there maps and guideposts at the top?

I'm trying to picture how this works in my head....

Thanks for the trip down memory lane, reddington. It's been 33 years (give or take a month) since I stayed at that hostel. The photo on the website you referenced is exactly as I remember it. And the view from the first floor deck is one that will be imprinted in my mind for the rest of my life. Enjoy! Just have sense enough not to go climbing around on any glaciers without the proper gear!

wow! that's incredible and very encouraging beachbum.... thank you.

And no glaciers for us... this will be late in our journey and I'm thinking more along the lines of laying on my back in a swiss meadow soaking it all in!

I found the hostel you described . I had tried to help a friend find one, but somehow that one eluded us. Not to worry, he went to Lauterbrunnen instead and found a girl friend.

Anyone who has trashed Grindlewald on this forum probably has never ventured off the main street.

There is a wealth of beauty around and above Grindlewald.

Sure the main street is cluttered with folks during the day, but the scenery is great.

Walk down the lower street in the direction of the rail station and you can get a good view of the Eiger.

But there are tons of hikes around and above Grindlewald.


There are some fabulous hikes and walks in the area.

Grandma's walk is a walk that the whole family can do. You can take a picnic lunch and set off for Kleine Scheidegg from Mannlichen and you'll be rewarded with some wonderful views of the Eiger and eventually, the Jungfrau. There are more strenuous and advanced hikes in the area also. The Schwartzhorn for one!

Put me down as a Grindlewald person when it comes to where I want to stay over night as well.

Someone who has been critical of Grindlewald who has never ventured off the main street has about as much value as a hanging chad with Al Gore's name on it.

Now the other villages are nice also and I certainly am nt saying that those villages do not have their own wonders and beauty, because they do, but Grindlewald is a nice place to spend the night. Once the sun goes down, the town thins out.

And you ctay in one of the hotels around Grindlewald. You do not have to stay on the main road!

I told you about the Grandma's walk. Here is a nice *addition* to that hike, assuming your legs have not given out. Don't try too much the first few days. You can get those hanging out in a meadow with the Eiger, Wetterhorn, Jung Frau in your face all day.

Once you have arrived in Kleine
Scheidegg, walk up where that Tee Pee is and set off for the Rothorn.

As memory serves, the walk up takes about 30-50 minutes or so.

Once at the top, man, you get great views of the villages of Murren, Wengen and Lauterbrunnen valley on one side and then get great views of Grindlewald on the other side.

The Eiger and Jung Frau views are awesome as well.

Then go back down to Kleine Scheidegg and reward yourself with some cold beer and some freshly made pizza straight out of that big outdoor oven.

Or sample the goulash zuppe. (Soup)

Then if you are up to going back the next day, go back to Kleine Scheidegg and walk up to the Jung Frau rail station. You can continue on down the trail to Alpligen.

Be warned. Good boots are a must for this one, but the views of the Jung Frau and the Eiger Gletcher are second to none in the area in my opinion.

Once down in Alpligen, you can take the train back up to Kleine Scheidegg where you can connect to your village of choice. If you stayed in Grindlewald, you could just catch the train back down to Grindlewald.