Swiss Alps in Bernese Oberland and Beyond: the ways to tackle the
Apr 8th, 2019, 01:15 PM
#421
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Obenhofen and its castle and its old town center on the lake makes a good stop - but Thun is great too - you can take a bus from Oberhofen to Thun if boat timers not convenient: https://www.google.com/search?q=ober...iw=645&bih=613
Nice town for lunch or early dinner.
Nice town for lunch or early dinner.
Apr 8th, 2019, 06:23 PM
#422
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A little more info on First.
BO Day plan #4 Walk from your hotel to the Gondolabahn Grindelwald -First (GGF) station at the east end of the main street.
Take the 6 person gondola all the way to the top station at First passing the stations Bort and Grindal.
This is one of the longest gondola rides, 3-1/2 miles in 20 min over green pastures and pine trees.
The usual suspects are seen from the terrace at the top-Wetterhorn, Schreckhorn, Fiescherhorn, Eiger, Jungfrau to the south.
To the east, you can see the path to Grosse Scheidegg Pass, and to the west, Kleine Scheidegg. Below is the Grindelwald basin.
After taking in the scenery take the Cliff Walk.
Then for walking take the scenic 2 hour round trip to Bachalpsee, two small lakes.
After exploring the lakes return to the station. You can ride the gondola down or take one of the adventure ways down.
https://www.swisspasses.com/excursio...irst/index.htm ( click on slide show)
An option to the walk to Bachalpsee would be to take the 2 hour walk to Grosse Scheidegg followed by a bus ride back to Grindelwald.
There are numerous other hikes in the area but they are in the more strenuous category or are much longer.
BO Day plan #4 Walk from your hotel to the Gondolabahn Grindelwald -First (GGF) station at the east end of the main street.
Take the 6 person gondola all the way to the top station at First passing the stations Bort and Grindal.
This is one of the longest gondola rides, 3-1/2 miles in 20 min over green pastures and pine trees.
The usual suspects are seen from the terrace at the top-Wetterhorn, Schreckhorn, Fiescherhorn, Eiger, Jungfrau to the south.
To the east, you can see the path to Grosse Scheidegg Pass, and to the west, Kleine Scheidegg. Below is the Grindelwald basin.
After taking in the scenery take the Cliff Walk.
Then for walking take the scenic 2 hour round trip to Bachalpsee, two small lakes.
After exploring the lakes return to the station. You can ride the gondola down or take one of the adventure ways down.
https://www.swisspasses.com/excursio...irst/index.htm ( click on slide show)
An option to the walk to Bachalpsee would be to take the 2 hour walk to Grosse Scheidegg followed by a bus ride back to Grindelwald.
There are numerous other hikes in the area but they are in the more strenuous category or are much longer.
Thank you for your input and proposal, which are helpful.
Both route will be great hiking routes even for cloudy days, I guess. I would chose Grosse Scheidegg, it is shorter and seems less popular than the Bachalpsee, so less crowded. So will take bus ride down to Grindelwald. then continue on another excursion
( to be decided)
Apr 8th, 2019, 06:48 PM
#423
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A pair of optional days.
1-For arrival day in place of Schynige Platte: Leave Montreux at 8:12 train to Grindelwald arriving 11:08 (via Visp, Spiez).
Drop off luggage at your hotel.
Take First excursion as described in Post # 418. (Have lunch at restaurant at First)
2- For BO day plan #4b Combine Schynige Platte with Thunersee Steamer
One possible itinerary.
Leave Grindelwald (BOB) 7:49. Arrive Schynige Platte 9:37.
If that is too early for you leave Grindelwald (BOB) 8:49. Arrive Schynige Platte 10:17.
Spend time at the top until taking the train at 12:21 back to Wilderswil.
Then a 10 min bus ride to Interlaken West arriving at 13:31.
Steamer leaves at 14:10.
After 10 stops the Steamer arrives at Thun at 16:20.
Explore Thun as you wish.
The train station is across the street from the Steamer dock.
Catch a Train back to Grindelwald (1hr15min) leaves every half hour.
The train ride is along the south shore of the Thunersee. Change in Spiez.
1-For arrival day in place of Schynige Platte: Leave Montreux at 8:12 train to Grindelwald arriving 11:08 (via Visp, Spiez).
Drop off luggage at your hotel.
Take First excursion as described in Post # 418. (Have lunch at restaurant at First)
2- For BO day plan #4b Combine Schynige Platte with Thunersee Steamer
One possible itinerary.
Leave Grindelwald (BOB) 7:49. Arrive Schynige Platte 9:37.
If that is too early for you leave Grindelwald (BOB) 8:49. Arrive Schynige Platte 10:17.
Spend time at the top until taking the train at 12:21 back to Wilderswil.
Then a 10 min bus ride to Interlaken West arriving at 13:31.
Steamer leaves at 14:10.
After 10 stops the Steamer arrives at Thun at 16:20.
Explore Thun as you wish.
The train station is across the street from the Steamer dock.
Catch a Train back to Grindelwald (1hr15min) leaves every half hour.
The train ride is along the south shore of the Thunersee. Change in Spiez.
This 4 B is possible if plan A won't work, but unless it's big rain, we can still do the first - thrill walk - Grosse Scheidegg in the morning
So we could do this- add Schynige Platte (if not done yet) to the afternoon after First if weather permits, or Thunersee if weather not permissible
For the half day on way Montreux to Grindelwald, if weather is good, would do Schynige Platte, if not Thunersee, since both are from Interlaken, on our way to Grindelwald,
Apr 8th, 2019, 07:04 PM
#424
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While browsing hiking information in BO, found the following posts (from 2016) by the two experts, just copied and pasted here, for the benefits of those who would read this thread:
"You can hike all over Switzerland: more than 40.000 (fourty thousand)miles of well signmarked hiking trails!
Grindelwald isn't bad. Most popular trails:
First - Grosse Scheidegg
First - Lake Bachalp - Faulhorn - Schynige Platte
Maennlichen - Kleine Scheidegg
Alpiglen - Eiger Glacier (Eiger trail)
Wengen - Mettlenalp - Eiger Glacier.
I suppose you know that weather is alway unpredictable in the Alps. May be you will have 2 beautiful days, may be you can't hike at all, because of rain, fog and wind.
Sometimes it rains at Grindelwald while the sun shines in the Cantons of Ticino or Valais. The best is to be flexible." - neckervd
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"I will say for the average casual hiker the Jungfrau Region is excellent - I would not say 'not bad' as that implies it ain't that good - but I've hiked all the trains neckervd lists above and man I could not want any nicer hikes and hiking is not the only thing you can do in the Jungfrau Region - there are so so many other neat things.
I would not pick an area to visit just because there may be better hikes elsewhere - where I can't fathom and again to me the Grindelwald-Lauterbrunnen-Murren area has so so many fantastic hikes - I would not expect any better for me anyway - locals like neckervd I think sometimes do not put themselves in the eyes of a foreign tourist as they become jaded to extremely popular places where tourists go - IMO - and for a variety of reasons I think for first-timers to Switzerland who want to experience an Alpine wonderland the Jungfrau Region is the best - there may be places for better hikes from a hikers' point of view where the hike is the thing but the ones in the Jungfrau Region are sheer pleasure for novice hikers - no special shoes or gear needed.
The most popular don't miss hike is the famous Ridge Walk from The Mannlichen (an acclaimed vista point for views over the spiny ridge of central Switzerland) and the walk descends slowly to Kleine Scheidegg, from where the Jungfraujoch train starts - easy to take a gondola from either Wengen or Grindelwald to The Mannlichen - walk to Kleine Scheidegg and hop the train (or vice versa) - the Ridge walk lets you see both the Grindelwald amphitheatre-like valley and the deep gorge-like Lauterbrunnen Valley with the glacier-girdled Jungfrau Massif always in front of you when going towards Kl Scheidegg.
On rainy days you can easily day trip by train to Bern, a lovely city with unique covered walkways in its shopping area or even to Lucerne - when it is raining in the mountains it may not be down in those cities.
And besides hiking you have the Jungfraujoch Train - the long long gondolas to The Schilthorn - James Bond's On Her Majesty's Secret Service was largely shot at The Schilthorn in the famous revolving Piz Gloria restaurant while it was under construction. And you are not marooned indoors if the weather turns bad as you can day trip to Thun, Bern, Lucerne or take a boat trip on either lake bookending Interlaken.
So there may be better hiking areas for hikers but there is no better place for first-time visitors to Switzerland and who also like many various types of hikes - from easy to very challenging.' - PalenQ
"You can hike all over Switzerland: more than 40.000 (fourty thousand)miles of well signmarked hiking trails!
Grindelwald isn't bad. Most popular trails:
First - Grosse Scheidegg
First - Lake Bachalp - Faulhorn - Schynige Platte
Maennlichen - Kleine Scheidegg
Alpiglen - Eiger Glacier (Eiger trail)
Wengen - Mettlenalp - Eiger Glacier.
I suppose you know that weather is alway unpredictable in the Alps. May be you will have 2 beautiful days, may be you can't hike at all, because of rain, fog and wind.
Sometimes it rains at Grindelwald while the sun shines in the Cantons of Ticino or Valais. The best is to be flexible." - neckervd
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I will say for the average casual hiker the Jungfrau Region is excellent - I would not say 'not bad' as that implies it ain't that good - but I've hiked all the trains neckervd lists above and man I could not want any nicer hikes and hiking is not the only thing you can do in the Jungfrau Region - there are so so many other neat things.
I would not pick an area to visit just because there may be better hikes elsewhere - where I can't fathom and again to me the Grindelwald-Lauterbrunnen-Murren area has so so many fantastic hikes - I would not expect any better for me anyway - locals like neckervd I think sometimes do not put themselves in the eyes of a foreign tourist as they become jaded to extremely popular places where tourists go - IMO - and for a variety of reasons I think for first-timers to Switzerland who want to experience an Alpine wonderland the Jungfrau Region is the best - there may be places for better hikes from a hikers' point of view where the hike is the thing but the ones in the Jungfrau Region are sheer pleasure for novice hikers - no special shoes or gear needed.
The most popular don't miss hike is the famous Ridge Walk from The Mannlichen (an acclaimed vista point for views over the spiny ridge of central Switzerland) and the walk descends slowly to Kleine Scheidegg, from where the Jungfraujoch train starts - easy to take a gondola from either Wengen or Grindelwald to The Mannlichen - walk to Kleine Scheidegg and hop the train (or vice versa) - the Ridge walk lets you see both the Grindelwald amphitheatre-like valley and the deep gorge-like Lauterbrunnen Valley with the glacier-girdled Jungfrau Massif always in front of you when going towards Kl Scheidegg.
On rainy days you can easily day trip by train to Bern, a lovely city with unique covered walkways in its shopping area or even to Lucerne - when it is raining in the mountains it may not be down in those cities.
And besides hiking you have the Jungfraujoch Train - the long long gondolas to The Schilthorn - James Bond's On Her Majesty's Secret Service was largely shot at The Schilthorn in the famous revolving Piz Gloria restaurant while it was under construction. And you are not marooned indoors if the weather turns bad as you can day trip to Thun, Bern, Lucerne or take a boat trip on either lake bookending Interlaken.
So there may be better hiking areas for hikers but there is no better place for first-time visitors to Switzerland and who also like many various types of hikes - from easy to very challenging.' - PalenQ
Apr 9th, 2019, 01:05 AM
#425
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" For the half day on way Montreux to Grindelwald, if weather is good, would do Schynige Platte, if not Thunersee, since both are from Interlaken, on our way to Grindelwald"
If you want to include Lake Thun in your Montreux - Grindelwald journey, you have to board the Thunersee boat at Thun and not at Interlaken, unless you like to backtrack.
for example:
Montreux dp 9.44 - Spiez ar 12.21, dp 12.25 (same platform) - Thun ar 12.34, dp by boat 12.40 - Interlaken ar 14.49. Or ake the boat at 13.40 if you want to have lunch at Thun.
If you want to include Lake Thun in your Montreux - Grindelwald journey, you have to board the Thunersee boat at Thun and not at Interlaken, unless you like to backtrack.
for example:
Montreux dp 9.44 - Spiez ar 12.21, dp 12.25 (same platform) - Thun ar 12.34, dp by boat 12.40 - Interlaken ar 14.49. Or ake the boat at 13.40 if you want to have lunch at Thun.
Apr 9th, 2019, 08:42 AM
#426
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Thanks for your reply and suggestions, great idea, does this leave us enough time to do schynige platte after Thun? The only thing is our bags, we may also miss gold panoramic express from Montreux.
Apr 9th, 2019, 01:47 PM
#428
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You can do the Thunersee Steamer and Schynige Platte in one day by sacrificing the GoldenPass train ride.
Take the 7:39 train from Montreux to Thun, then the 9:40 steamer, and then the train/bus from Interlaken arriving Schynige Platte at 13:37.
Last edited by dugi_otok; Apr 9th, 2019 at 01:58 PM.
Apr 9th, 2019, 02:08 PM
#431
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Thunnersee boat trip is long, 2 hours and 6 mins, plus visiting the castles and old town, it will take at least 3 to 4 hours, it's a bad weather option.
Last edited by jane86; Apr 9th, 2019 at 02:18 PM.
Apr 9th, 2019, 02:34 PM
#432
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You can see bags ahead on Swiss Raiways for about 15CHF and if turn in early enough have them waiting at station.
If you were taking Golden Pass and Thun boat ride you could easily spend until 2-3 pm on lake or in Thun, etc/ and pick up Golden Pass train at Spiez - just few minutes from Thun - Spiez has its own spectacular castles right above the boat dock:
If you were taking Golden Pass and Thun boat ride you could easily spend until 2-3 pm on lake or in Thun, etc/ and pick up Golden Pass train at Spiez - just few minutes from Thun - Spiez has its own spectacular castles right above the boat dock:
Apr 9th, 2019, 03:15 PM
#433
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You can see bags ahead on Swiss Raiways for about 15CHF and if turn in early enough have them waiting at station.
If you were taking Golden Pass and Thun boat ride you could easily spend until 2-3 pm on lake or in Thun, etc/ and pick up Golden Pass train at Spiez - just few minutes from Thun - Spiez has its own spectacular castles right above the boat dock:
If you were taking Golden Pass and Thun boat ride you could easily spend until 2-3 pm on lake or in Thun, etc/ and pick up Golden Pass train at Spiez - just few minutes from Thun - Spiez has its own spectacular castles right above the boat dock:
Do you mean we should stop at Spiez on the way back from Thun to see the castles at Spiez? So coming back from Thun by boat, get off from Spiez, see the castles, then train to Interlaken Ost?
Last edited by jane86; Apr 9th, 2019 at 03:25 PM.
Apr 9th, 2019, 03:18 PM
#434
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No, you do not have time for the GoldenPass train, Thunersee Steamer, and Schynige Platte in one day from Montreux to Grindelwald..
You can do the Thunersee Steamer and Schynige Platte in one day by sacrificing the GoldenPass train ride.
Take the 7:39 train from Montreux to Thun, then the 9:40 steamer, and then the train/bus from Interlaken arriving Schynige Platte at 13:37.
You can do the Thunersee Steamer and Schynige Platte in one day by sacrificing the GoldenPass train ride.
Take the 7:39 train from Montreux to Thun, then the 9:40 steamer, and then the train/bus from Interlaken arriving Schynige Platte at 13:37.
Apr 9th, 2019, 08:32 PM
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Apr 10th, 2019, 05:38 AM
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" we may also miss gold panoramic express from Montreux"
What do you mean with GOLDPANORAMICEXPRESS?
The Golden Pass PANORAMIC leave Montreux at 7.44, 9.44, 11.44, 14.44, 15.44 and 17.44
The Golden Pass BELLE EPOQUE leave Montreux at 8.44 and 13.44
What do you mean with GOLDPANORAMICEXPRESS?
The Golden Pass PANORAMIC leave Montreux at 7.44, 9.44, 11.44, 14.44, 15.44 and 17.44
The Golden Pass BELLE EPOQUE leave Montreux at 8.44 and 13.44
Apr 10th, 2019, 06:11 AM
#438
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" does this leave us enough time to do schynige platte"
It's not impossible to do all together, if you like to get up around 6am and to arrive at your new destination after 8pm:
Montreux dp 7.44 - Golden Pass Panoramic - Zweisimmen ar 9.33, train change, dp 10.02 - Thun ar 10.58, dp by boat 11.40 - lunch in boat restaurant - Interlaken West ar 13.49, luggage into the lockers, dp by bus 105 at 14.27 - Wilderswil ar 14.36, dp 14.45 by cog wheel railway to Schynige Platte ar 15.37. Enjoy panorama, visit Alpengarten, dp by cog wheel railway 17.53 - Wilderswil ar 18.45, dp by bus 18.52 - Interlaken West ar 19.01, fetch your luggage, dp by train 19.24 - Interlaken Ost ar 19.28, change train, dp 19.35 - Grindelwald ar 20.08.
It's not impossible to do all together, if you like to get up around 6am and to arrive at your new destination after 8pm:
Montreux dp 7.44 - Golden Pass Panoramic - Zweisimmen ar 9.33, train change, dp 10.02 - Thun ar 10.58, dp by boat 11.40 - lunch in boat restaurant - Interlaken West ar 13.49, luggage into the lockers, dp by bus 105 at 14.27 - Wilderswil ar 14.36, dp 14.45 by cog wheel railway to Schynige Platte ar 15.37. Enjoy panorama, visit Alpengarten, dp by cog wheel railway 17.53 - Wilderswil ar 18.45, dp by bus 18.52 - Interlaken West ar 19.01, fetch your luggage, dp by train 19.24 - Interlaken Ost ar 19.28, change train, dp 19.35 - Grindelwald ar 20.08.
Apr 10th, 2019, 09:51 AM
#439
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Thank you neckervd for your reply and detailed info provided, which are very helpful for our planning of the sites.
This day is indeed too long, is there a faster train that we could take (forget the golden pass) ? or could we get off somewhere in the midway along the thunersee, and change to a train to Interlaken? so we can earn 1-2 hours? somewhere PalenQ suggested getting off from Spiez?
Thank you
This day is indeed too long, is there a faster train that we could take (forget the golden pass) ? or could we get off somewhere in the midway along the thunersee, and change to a train to Interlaken? so we can earn 1-2 hours? somewhere PalenQ suggested getting off from Spiez?
Thank you
Apr 10th, 2019, 09:56 AM
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No, you do not have time for the GoldenPass train, Thunersee Steamer, and Schynige Platte in one day from Montreux to Grindelwald..
You can do the Thunersee Steamer and Schynige Platte in one day by sacrificing the GoldenPass train ride.
Take the 7:39 train from Montreux to Thun, then the 9:40 steamer, and then the train/bus from Interlaken arriving Schynige Platte at 13:37.
You can do the Thunersee Steamer and Schynige Platte in one day by sacrificing the GoldenPass train ride.
Take the 7:39 train from Montreux to Thun, then the 9:40 steamer, and then the train/bus from Interlaken arriving Schynige Platte at 13:37.
Thank you
