A guidebook to 50 day walks in Switzerland’s Bernese Oberland. Exploring the dramatic scenery of the Jungfrau region the walks are suitable for beginner and experienced walkers alike and cover Grindelwald, Wengen, Lauterbrunnen Valley and Mürren.

Walks range from 5 to 23km (3–14 miles) in length and can be enjoyed in 1–10 hours. Each walk is graded to allow you to select the most suitable routes for your ability. Many also take advantage of the widespread public transport and lifts around the Bernese Oberland to provide options for walks at a higher altitude.

• 1:50,000 maps included for each walk
• GPX files available to download
• Highlights include Untersteinberg and Schynige Platte
• Detailed information on accommodation, facilities and alpine huts

Map key

Map of the valleys

Route summary table

Introduction

Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau

The shape of the mountains

The main centres and valleys

Plants and wildlife

When to go

Getting there

Travel in the region

Discount cards and passes

Accommodation

Mountain huts, berghotels and restaurants

Other local facilities

Weather

Maps

GPX tracks

Apps

Preparation

Equipment

Using this guide

Schynige Platte to First

1 Schynige Platte Panoramaweg

2 Schynige Platte – Faulhorn – First

3 First – Bachsee – Faulhorn – Bussalp

4 First – Spitzen – Bussalp – the Höhenweg 2200

5 Bussalp – Waldspitz – First – the Höhenweg 2000

6 Bort to Bussalp – the Höhenweg 1600

7 Bussalp to Grindelwald

8 Bort – Alpenvogelpark – Hotel Wetterhorn

9 First – Grosse Scheidegg – Hotel Wetterhorn – Grindelwald

10 First – Bachsee – Waldspitz

11 The Schwarzhorn Circuit: First – Wart – Grosse Scheidegg

Grosse Scheidegg and Meiringen

12 Grosse Scheidegg to Schwarzwaldalp

13 The Rychenbach valley: Schwarzwaldalp – Rosenlaui circuit

14 Meiringen – Grosse Scheidegg – Grindelwald on the Via Alpina

Routes into the mountain wall

15 The Gleckstein Hut

16 Grindelwald – Pfingstegg – Hotel Wetterhorn circuit

17 Pfingstegg – Bäregg Hut

18 The Schreckhorn Hut

Grindelwald to Kleine Scheidegg

19 Grindelwald – Kleine Scheidegg – Wengen – Lauterbrunnen

20 Grindelwald to Alpiglen the hard way

21 The Eiger Trail – Alpiglen to Eigergletscher and Kleine Scheidegg

22 Männlichen to Alpiglen, the Romantic Way – the Höhenweg 1900

23 Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg Panoramaweg – the Höhenweg 2100

Wengen to Kleine Scheidegg

24 Kleine Scheidegg and Wengernalp

25 Eigergletscher to Wengen by the moraine

26 Wengen – Leiterhorn circuit

27 Wengen to Männlichen – the Gemsweg

28 Wengen and the Mendelssohn memorial

29 Wengen – Stalden – Allmend – Wengen

30 The Trümmelbach falls: Wengen – Stalden – Trümmelbach

Lauterbrunnen and Isenfluh

31 Saxeten to Isenfluh

32 Sulwald to Mürren by the Lobhorn hut

33 Grütschalp to Sulwald and onward routes

34 Lauterbrunnen, Trümmelbach Falls and Stechelberg

35 Lauterbrunnen to Mürren on the Via Alpina

Mürren

36 The Mountain View Trail to Grütschalp

37 Mürren, the Blumental and Chänelegg

38 The North Face Trail – Allmendhubel to Mürren via Schiltalp

39 The ‘easy’ way up the Schilthorn from Allmendhubel

40 The Schilthorn via Schiltalp and Grauseewli

41 Mürren – Gimmelwald – Mürren

42 Mürren to the Stutz waterfall and Spielbodenalp

43 Mürren, Bryndli and the Rotstock hut

44 The Sefinental and Rotstock Hut

45 Mürren to Griesalp on the Via Alpina

Stechelberg and Upper Lauterbrunnen valley

46 Stechelberg – Gimmelwald – Mürren

47 Mürren to Obersteinberg via the Tanzbödeli

48 Stechelberg to Obersteinberg

49 Obersteinberg – Oberhornsee – Stechelberg

50 Obersteinberg – Oberhornsee – Schmadri Hut – Stechelberg

Appendix A Useful contacts

Appendix B Trains, lifts, buses and discount options

Appendix C Further reading

Appendix D English–German terms

Seasons

Most routes can be walked between early June through to mid October, although higher altitude walks may still have snow patches well into late June and July. If staying overnight in any of the mountain huts, these tend to be open between mid-June and late September

Centres

The main centres with accommodation and good services are Lauterbrunnen, Grindelwald, Wengen and Mürren. Smaller villages offer more limited accommodation and services. Interlaken is the nearest larger town, with rail connections to all parts of Switzerland

Difficulty

A variety of routes are offered, graded 1-4. Grade 1 routes tend to be on easy paths with little ascent or descent. Most of the walks are graded 2 or 3, using mountain paths, some with a level of exposure or with brief sections aided by cables or steps. Grade 4 walks are on blue/white signed alpine routes, usually with considerable exposure and technical sections that require a higher level of mountain experience

Must See

Jungfraujoch, Untersteinberg UNESCO World Heritage protected area, Schilthorn, Lauterbrunnen valley waterfalls, Wengen, Mürren, Männlichen, Grindelwald, Eiger, Mönch, Jungfrau, Isenfluh, Saxeten, Lobhorn, Alpiglen, Wetterhorn, Grosse Scheidegg, Kleine Scheidegg, Schynige Platte, Faulhorn, Bachsee, Schwarzhorn, Rotstock hut, Sefinafurgga, Allmendhubel, Stechelberg, Obersteinberg, Gimmelwald

April 2024

Transport map

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