With the Funicular out of commission, what are all the options for getting to Murren -- bus/rail/cable/walk?

Lunch?

ride the gondola up from Stechelberg to gimmelwald and walk back to Murren

Budman, one of my top 5 favorite lunches in my LIFE was at Gimmelwald. Just beyond the cable station, you walk down the (tiny) street and next to the hostel is the restaurant with the deck that stares at the surrounding mountains in one of the most breathtaking and awesome views I've seen in a lifetime. We had a big tossed salad, a tall Cardinal beer and a steaming cheese fondue for two that almost made me cry! Hey, write me at this name at aol.com and I'll send you a picture of the place! Now, if you're in pretty good shape, it's a nice way to burn the calories walking up the hill to Murren, lol! We then took the path down an easy walk past Winteregg to a cable station at Grutschalp and back to Lauterbrunnen. Starts out pretty boring, but ends up in forests, meadows and lots of cowbell music. You're in for a TREAT!

LLindaC, I sent you mail yesterday.

bud, I sent you a pic and an invitation to see some pics in my album at photobucket. Just a few pics, I was watching our slideshow from last year salivating. The Lauterbrunnen Valley walk was beautiful. We walked from Wengen to the Trummelbach falls, then took a bus to the cable station that took us to Gimmelwald. And in that picture, we were drinking Scneider beer! JA!

Linda, do you know the name of the restaurant in Gimmelwald?

http://homepage.sunrise.ch/homepage/...wald/index.htm
Take a look at that web page, it gives you a map of the village, plus some AWESOME pics and history.The restaurant is at the Pension Hotel right next door to the Hostel. It has a big deck on back with tables and umbrellas and the food is GREAT. If anyone else wants to view the album, write to me at my screen name at aol.com and I'll send you an invite.

Sorry, the correct name in the Pension Gimmelwald.
http://www.pensiongimmelwald.ch/index.php?id=26&L=1

Hi LLindaC, I hope you don't mind but I sent you an email as well. My husband and I will be honeymooning in this area this summer. I've read so much on the funicular being out of commission and all the beautiful hikes up that way .. that it's a bit overwhelming.
Thanks!

Thanks, LLindaC. We will be staying in Wengen for 3 nights in June and sorting through the hiking and cable options is a bit overwhelming. And, thanks to Budman for asking this question...when will you be there?

I wasn't sure if we could walk from Wengen to Trummelbach. Any other recommendations?

The hikes around the whole BO area are astounding. Get a map, maybe buy one of Kev Reynold's hiking books at amazon.com. I have several of his, and he gives great tips. He is honest about the level of difficulty as well. There are great easy walks,too, and if you can't take the heat, there are always cable cars!!!

We'll be in the area from the 20th to the 26th of May. Here's a great map to give one a feel for the area. I guess it would be very difficult to walk to Gimmelwald from Stechelberg. Also, looking at this map, I could drive to Stechelberg, cable to Murren then up to the Schilthorn. The following day, cable to Murren, hike (downhill) to Gimmelwald, lunch, and cable back down to the car. Seems like it would take two full days to do that area.

http://www.gimmelwald.com/pics/gimmelwald/hikemap.jpg

We checked out a Rick Steves video from the local library, and when my wife saw all the Gondolas passing by in the background, I got a "there's no way you're going to get me up in one of those things."

she'll be okay, just give her a few beers! DO check the weather on the Schiltorn. If it's cloudy, it's not worth the $$$ to cable all the way up there. No, you don't want to walk UP to Gimmelwald, lol. It's all downhill from Murren and doesn't take very long.

Getting down to Stechelberg from Mürren is no problem. Just get one of those paragliding outfits and jump off the side of the cliff. People do it every day.

Technically speaking, the cable cars on the Schilthornbahn are not gondolas.
The German term is Luftseilbahn, which means air rope tram. It is one cabin that holds about 80 people sardine style.

A Gondelbahn consists of a continuous stream of small cabins dangling from a cable, each one holds about 4 adults in comfort. The only two I know of in the Grindelwald area are the one that goes from Grindelwald to First and the one from Grindelwald Grund to the crest of the Männlichen.

Hi LLindaC
I just sent you an e-mail for the link to your album as well. I can't wait to get to Switzerland! Thanks for whetting my appetite!

Thanks LLindaC, the pictures were great! Two days and a wake up.