Updates to Berner Oberland Book

Updates to our book, “Walking in Switzerland’s Berner Oberland,” are posted here. If you have taken any of our hikes, please use the Contacts page to submit the information you believe needs to be updated.

General Note: Be sure to allow transit time to-and-from hikes. It can take 90 minutes to get to some trailheads. The SBB App is invaluable for trip planning on all methods of transportation (buses, trains, lifts, boats). You can buy tickets through the app. 

Changes since the Second Edition was published in February 2022

Hike #2 Lauterbrunnen Valley Walk: The link for the Hotel Stechelberg has changed. This is the correct link https://hotel-stechelberg.hotelescuatroestrellas.website/.

Hike #5 Allmendhubel to Winteregg and Hike #6 North Face Trail: The link to Allmendhubel is no longer valid. The correct link is https://schilthorn.ch/8/en/Allmendhubel.

Hike #19 Lötschberger Nordrampe: The link bit.ly/NordRamp no longer leads to a map of the Nord Ramp, only the Süd Rampe. Our instructions still work for an easy walk to Blausee.

Hike #12 Thun Castle Walk: Reader Janet from Idaho discovered an easy-hiker shortcut of an elevator to Castle Thun and avoiding the steep staircase on Rathausplatz. Exiting the underpass onto Obere Hauptgasse, look for a tunnel on your right at #27. This leads to a parking garage and an elevator.

Rainy days can be fun, too. See our blog entry https://girovaga.com/2022/09/30/more-rainy-day-plans/ for ideas if rain threatens your fun.

For books prior to the Second Edition

Hike #1 Grütschalp to Mürren: The path now starts above the lift station. Take the stairs or elevator to find the footpath from the new terrace. The restaurant is now up on this terrace, temporary at our visit (early Sept) but looks like there is ongoing work and perhaps there will be a bigger outlet there.

Hike #3 First to Grosse Scheidegg: Several changes/updates

  • The steep descent that used to say Marmotten Weg is still steep but a nicer path, less rocky. Leads to what appears to be a new café.
  • The easy-hiker alternative and recommended route is to take the wide sweeping road, breaking right where the trail splits (Left leads to Bachalpsee). This is what we call the Panorama Weg and is a “1” on the easy-hiker scale. The road is also shorter despite the time indicated on the signs showing the Eiger option as 5 minutes faster.
  • When you reach a point where where the sign points left up a path to Grosse Scheidegg,  stay on the road for the Panorama Weg. The path to the left is the Hohenweg (High route). It is part of the Eiger Ultra Trail and is a true hiking path. 
  • The Hohenweg has a couple of places where water will cross the trail if there’s been rain or snow melt so it might be necessary to get your boots wet. Trekking sticks were imperative for us. 
  • The Hohenweg is a “3” on the easy-hiker scale.
  • I would NOT take small children on the Hohenweg. Stick to the Panorama Weg.
  • Taking the Hohenweg option made for a hike of 1H51M and we barely stopped, only to drink a couple of times and to snap a few photos. We never rested. Plan for at least two hours unless you are very fast hikers.
  • Make sure to check the bus departure times from Grosse Scheidegg as there is only one bus per hour to Grindelwald.
The Panorama Weg as seen from the Hohenweg

Hike #5 Almendhubel to Winteregg: After two years absence from mountain hiking — and being two years older — we found the downhill portion steeper than we remembered and trekking sticks are highly recommended.

Hike #9 Monchblick: Now a level “2” on the easy-hiker scale. The elevation change of about 300 feet down then up contributes, as does an unpaved portion. I wished I’d had my hiking sticks for added security. There is now a lovely bench above the paved end of the trail. We did not scramble up but it looked appealing for those willing to do so.

Hike #10 Staubbachbänkli: Only took us an hour in 2021, 30M out and 28M return. We spent 10-15 minutes relaxing out there. Maybe last time we stopped to take more photos but this time it was less than one hour walking time.

Interlaken: The coffeeshop Ladelokai is now Spatz and opens later.

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