This foreign tourist does (and has):)

This foreign tourist has been to Gimmelwald several times, including sleeping in the low-key youth hostel there and another time sleeping in the straw - a cow barn that when bovines are out in the summer they (used to not any longer I believe) put straw down with sleeping bags for hikers and anyone to sleep in.

"There is nothing there" - yes and that's just great:

https://www.google.com/search?q=gimm...w=1455&bih=978

If in Murren instead of taking the cable car to Gimmelwald, there is a short sweet downhill walk along a paved foot path that yields great views over the Lauterbrunnen gorge en route - walking that few kms is better than taking the cable way on this portion IMO.

"This foreign tourist does (and has)"

because it's in the holy Jungfrau area, I guess.

It might not be the same at places like Zuort, Chants, Partnun, Lü, Pontirone, Pian delle Cascine, Gspon, Saulesses, Mandelon, Commeire, etc. (all unspoilt places in the Swiss Alps).

Even the Swiss don't know where Gimmelwald is.

It might not be the same at places like Zuort, Chants, Partnun, Lü, Pontirone, Pian delle Cascine, Gspon, Saulesses, Mandelon, Commeire, etc. (all unspoilt places in the Swiss Alps).>

so these are all Gimmelwald like places - tiny farming hamlets out in the middle of nowhere's awesome scenery? Thanks.

Visiting Gimmelwald is like watching paint dry.>

Thin has a very different take on things than many folks - she/he recently said Spiez and Thun were as nice as Lucerne - different strokes for different folks - and we all give our subjective takes on places - one may love it the other loathe it.

No, I DO NOT have an unusual take on things.

People visit Gimmelwald because it is recommended in Rick Steves' travel guide for CH.

I can understand wanting to sleep there because it is so quiet.

I don't understand the NEED to visit and stare at some Swiss houses and sheds.

Thin

Thun is very nice and honestly, underrated.

I think you misunderstood my post neckervd -

I'm a fan of areas with very few people in general. The BO has become too crowded for my tastes, but there's no denying how beautiful it is. I loved the Engadine and Zuort.

I thought there was a lot to see and experience in Gimmelwald. The architecture, building materials and lifestyle, it was like an outdoor museum. Loved their garden gnomes, vegetable and flower gardens, goats, stacks of firewood waiting for winter. When we were there they were making hay by hand. Beauty everywhere.

I realize their way of life is subsidized by the government, and Rick Steve's has made Gimmelwald popular. Don't care, I think it is lovely, and can't wait to be there and watch the paint dry one day!

Thanks for the links for the passes, I'm not sure which ones my husband has checked on, but we will now be staying in Murren for a week, so we are checking out other options, we may buy the 6 day pass and another 4 day pass which covers the Schilthorn and Stechelburg to Murren.

And it sounds like buying them when we are there makes the most sense. Can we buy in Lauterbrunnen when we park the car?

You buy those passes at the train station in Lauterbrunnen - not sure where the parking lots are for long-term stays but Lauterbrunnen is a rather small town.

BTW: if your unspoilt small village with glacier views must absolutely be close to Lauterbrunnen, you may check Sulwald too

Neckervd, I think Google found Suwald for me, how do we get there?

And PalenQ , thanks for the tip on walking to Gimmelwald, we did that last time we were there and enjoyed it immensely.

Sounds like you have to do a fairly rugged hike!

http://www.myswitzerland.com/en-us/a...h-sulwald.html

I was putting in Suwald - wren's typo instead of Sulwald!

http://www.visitscotland.com/en-us/

thanks - I also enjoyed walking from Grutschalp, the upper terminus of the aerial cable way from Lauterbrunnen, to Murren via a stop at the famous restaurant/cafe with ubiqutious sun terrace about half way - stunning views from the path down into the Lauterbrunnen Valley - do not get too close to the cliff's edge of course - and smack opposite the majestic Jungfrau Massif in all its glory. A well-beaten flat easy few-mile walk, not a hike.

Many Germans and Swiss in Leiderhosens were on the trail when I took it - of course with their walking sticks!

Germans in Lederhosen: yes!
Swiss people in Lederhosen: rather unbelievable!

Well I did not know if they were Schweizer Deutsch or whatever you call German-speaking Swiss or Germans themselves - so now I know - German speakers in Lederhosen are Germans not German Swiss. Thanks for the up take on that.