dossier
Walks around Meiringen
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ITINERARY |
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Typical Walking Program Whether you are self guided or escorted, you will receive a guide book to more than 25 walks in the area. The following represents a possible one week winter walking program in the Meiringen area. Summaries of some popular routes are given below. We also provide walkers' maps. The excellent local transport system enables you to shorten or lengthen your walks if you wish. Winter Walking Itinerary – Sample Please note that other walks are possible and you can come and go on any day you wish. Day: 1 Flight to Zürich or Basel or Geneva. Train from Zurich airport or Basel to Meiringen (change trains at Luzern). Or train from Geneva airport to Meiringen (change trains at Bern and Interlaken Ost). We provide you with a personalized railway schedule to connect with your arrival flight, it even gives platform numbers. The Hotel Baer is just outside the station. Evening meal from 18:30 at your hotel. Day 2: Hasliberg (Panorama Way). 12km (7mi). A good introduction to the area at any time of year and in almost any weather. You start with a 10 minute train ride from Meiringen (600m) up to Brünig Pass (1100m). (Allow 2 SFR for train fare.) The walk starts in forest; then you traverse the open terrace of alpine meadows above Meiringen with stunning views across the Bernese Oberland peaks and glaciers. No need to carry a picnic: for lunch we recommend the "Rosti House" at Wasserwendi. Many local Rosti specialities to choose from! Allow about 12SFRs for lunch. After lunch, you walk on along the Panorama way to Reuti (1045m). From Reuti you can either take the cable car down or walk down to Meiringen through the forest. Day 3: Reichenbech Valley Circular walk. Ride up from Meiringen by minibus to the little hamlet of Gschwantenmad. From here it is a 5 km (3mi) walk along the Reichenbech river to Schwarzwaldalp where you can have lunch in the cosy mountain restaurant. Usually Luzius or his wife will make a cauldron of delicious goulash soup served with fresh crusty bread. (Naturally there are alternatives for vegetarians.) Thus fortified, walk the circular winter route via Rosenlaui before finishing at Kaltenbrunnen where our minibus will be waiting.(There may be time for another Glüwien if we get there early! This is a fabulous walk right in the heart of the mountains. The Eiger north face dominates the skyline and the beautiful blue Rosenlaui glacier towers above you. Day 4. At Leisure. You will have our comprehensive local walks and information pack and so there is plenty to choose from. Why not visit the city of Luzern or Bern? You may like to go to the top of Europe ....the Jungfraujoch, or to the Piz Gloria (of James Bond fame), or you may like to try one of the local walks in our booklet. Day 5. "Hasliberg Heights" Take the cable car to Käserstatt (5000 feet above Meiringen). This is where we learn how the other half lives! Skiers jostle and push and queue and queue. Why anyone would want to spend their holiday standing in a queue I have yet to fathom out. Move quickly away from the hurly burly and set out on the magnificent high level walk across the Hasliberg. Pause for lunch at Bidmi before completing the walk across the snow carpeted alpine meadows. The final lap of the walk takes you through the snow clad forest back down to Meiringen. Day 6. Across the Brünig Pass. Take the train over the Brünig Pass to the next valley to the village of Lungern with its beautiful green lake. A good route for snowy days because you are walking due south and as the snow usually comes out of the north, it will be behind and not driving into your face. Walk up the gradual incline to the pass where you can have lunch in the friendly and comfortable pass restaurant. After lunch, wind your way up through section of forest before turning downward and back to Meiringen via dingly dell! Day 7. At Leisure. Other points of interest near Meiringen include (i) The Ballenberg open-air museum at Brienzwiler (15 minutes by train from Meiringen), where a variety of traditional farm buildings from all over Switzerland have been reconstructed. (ii) The lakeshore town of Brienz, where you can relax at a waterside cafe and admire the view across the lake to the mountains of the Bernese Oberland. Day 8. Departure by train from Meiringen to Zürich or Basel via Luzern and flights back home. We will advise you of the train deadlines for flight connections. You can also avail yourself of the fly/rail baggage system so that you can spend some time in Luzern or Zürich en-route without the hassle of luggage. This is a sample itinerary of a typical winter week in Meiringen, available between December and Easter. Obviously there are many other walks to choose from and your guide will vary the program according to weather and conditions. Summer / Autumn Itinerary – Sample Day 1: Fly to Zürich or Basel with forward rail connection to Meiringen via Luzern. Evening meal from 6.30 at your hotel. Day 2:. "Hasliberg Perambulation" During this first day, You can explore the Hasliberg mountains immediately above Meiringen using the extensive cable car system to take us up to about 7000 feet. It is a most beautiful walking area and enables guests to get the feel of the place and see the layout and geography of the region. You can walk for about 5 hours to loosen up and acclimatize. Day 3: "The Romantic Way" Take the post bus from Meiringen climbing on spectacular twisting roads to 2000m eventually arriving at the Grosse Scheidegg right into the heart of the mountains with the 12,000' peak of the Wetterhorn dominating and the Eiger north-face in front. There are also spectacular views of the Rosenlaui Glacier for most of the day with its beautiful deep blue colour. This is a lovely gentle contour walk, not in the least bit strenuous and a visit to the Reichenbach Falls can be incorporated into the itinerary during the afternoon. Day 4. At Leisure. You will have our comprehensive local walks and information pack and so there is plenty to choose from. Why not visit the city of Luzern or Bern? You may like to go to the top of Europe ....the Jungfraujoch, or to the Piz Gloria (of James Bond fame), or you may like to try one of the 25 local walks in our booklet. Day 5: "Paradise Way" You can take the post bus from Meiringen, this time heading north east to the idyllic mountain lake of Engstlenalp beneath the Joch Pass. From here follow the contour all day through meadows of wonderful flowers and beneath rugged limestone crags, noted for eagle's eyries. Ahead of us is the grand panorama of the Bernese Oberland Massif with literally hundreds of peaks and glaciers in view. Finish at the cable car station above Meiringen for a "non knee trembling" descent! Day 6. "Faulhorn" Travel by train along beautiful Lake Brienz then by mountain railway to Schynigge Platte. From there walk to Faulhorn it is a long but steady climb and thereafter a descent via Bachalpsee to the First Gondolas above Grindelwald. We take a lunch break at the Weber Hut. The views this day are quite breathtaking with the best from off the plateau between Waber hut and Faulhom. For those up to it we take a slight detour to the Faulhorn summit, it is best to stay with the main path and go up to the top from the eastern side. Once you have worn off the sense of achievement and probably before you have tired of the view, return via the gondola at First and catch the train back home to Meiringen. Or if we are well up on time, we will walk on from First to Grosse Scheidegg and take the bus down to Day 7: At Leisure. Other points of interest near Meiringen include (i) The Ballenberg open-air museum at Brienzwiler (15 minutes by train from Meiringen), where a variety of traditional farm buildings from all over Switzerland have been reconstructed. (ii) The lakeshore town of Brienz, where you can relax at a waterside cafe and admire the view across the lake to the mountains of the Bernese Oberland. (iii) the Aare Gorge, a popular tourist attraction with a walkway through the gorge which is only open in summer. Day 8. Departure by train from Meiringen to Zürich or Basel via Luzern and flights back to North America. We will advise you of the train deadlines for flight connections. You can also avail yourself of the fly/rail baggage system so that you can spend some time in Luzern or Zürich en-route without the hassle of luggage. This is an example of a typical "Summer"week, obviously there are many other walks to choose from. |