parkplace

Six of us (4 mid-50s adults, 2 teens) are going to Switzerland in June, and we want to spend a day experiencing the Berner Oberland area. I wish we had longer, but we don't. From Interlaken, we would like to spend the day on easy hikes -- downhill or level -- amid beautiful Swiss meadows, seeing spectacular scenery.

From researching it looks like the most common way to get up the mountains to do those great hikes is to take cable cars. However, one in our group has a fear of heights and cannot do cable cars -- but could do a train or a taxi (if those are available). Is there a hike such as I have described that is reachable by train or taxi?

If there is no way we can go up the mountains by train or car to be able to do a level, easy hike, or a downhill hike, and not have to ride in a cable car, then what walks on the valley floor from Interlaken would you recommend for best view and Alpine experience?

Ideally I would love for us to have a lunch or dinner in that restaurant with the 360-degree view - Piz Gloria. Is there a way to reach it that would work for my friend?

twk

I'm going to spend a week in Wengen in June, so this isn't personal experience, but there are several walks that might be good without using a cable car (and I'm assuming that you aren't into walks that would be anything more than "wanderwegs," the easy ones with the yellow signs).

If I recall correctly, the funicular to Gruschalp (which leads you to Murren and the west side of the Lauterbrunnen valley) was replaced by a cable car, so that rules out the west side of the valley unless you want to walk up all the way. The folks that climb up to Piz Gloria will usually take a cable car to Murren, then the funicular to Allmendhubel, before walking. I can't see your group making that trip without using cable cars.

On the East side, you can take the train through Wengen as far up as Kleine Sheidegg. The walk on that side that everyone recommends is Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg, but what most folks do is take the cable car from Wengen to Mannlichen. You could, however, do that as a round trip from Kleine Scheidegg, or you could do the walk from Wengen to Kleine Scheidegg (a little more change in elevation, I think, than Mannlichen-KS), using the train one way, and walking the other.

Another option would be taking the cog train up to Schynigge Platte and doing one of the shorter round-trip walks where you come back to the train station, rather than the day long trek to First (where you take a gondola down to Grindewald, if I recall correctly). This will give you a little more distant view of the Lauterbrunne valley and the Eigher, Moch, and Jungfrau on one side, while affording you a view of Interlaken and Lakes Thun and Briez on the other.

twk

Here's a helpful link:

http://www.jungfrau.ch/en/tourism/tr...rails/summary/

PalenQ

Ditto to the Kl Scheidegg to Mannlichen and back hike and you have awesome but different views in each direction.

I leisurely strolled downhill from Kl Scheidegg to Wengen (can take train from Wengen there and train from Wengen to Interlaken via Lauterbrunnen - it's a wide track that mountain bikes go over so is easy - but walking downhill can be tiring too because of constant braking - you can catch the train that parallels the trail a lot at several points if you tire but if you take 3-4 hours it would be a leisurely stroll - bring a picnic - rave views over the Lauterbrunnen Valley far below.

I once did a fairly easy stroll from Grindelwald to a glacier about a mile or so away (maybe a bit more but easy hike).

MikeS

There are loop trails around Kleine Scheidegg. You can also hike toward Wengen from Kleine Scheidegg and be able to use train stops Wengeralp or Allmend. If you do the hike from Kleine Scheidgg to Wengen be sure to have shoes/boots that fit(large enough that your foot doesn't bump agsinst the front of your boot.

Instead of returning to Lauterbrunnen, you could continue on the train from Kleine Scheidgg to Grindelwald and transfer to the train to Interlaken.

An alternate is to take the train to Schynige Platte. There are trails there with great views down into the valley and of the peaks. There are also a restaurant at Schynige Platte.

When you get to Lauterbrunnen look for a free pamplet "Wandern Hiking" at the train station that shows all the major hikes in the area.

PalenQ

Jungfrau Magazine which at least used to be on every hotel brochure rack has a neat relief maps with hikes/walks characterized by three colors for simple, intermediate and rigorous/experienced only- has all the trails on it with elevations and distances and how to get to the trail.