My wife and I will be spending 6 days in Lauterbrunnen towards the end of June 2016. We plan on spending much of that time hiking on both sides of the valley. For those that have hiked in the area, what type of shoes do you recommend - low cut, 3/4 cut or high cut?
Thanks in advance.
I am a fan of high-top, although I think you would call my Salomons 2/4 cut as they are not terribly high. Also buy walking sticks to aid you. We find them indispensable and you can find economical ones locally.
If you're attempting anything at higher elevations (ie, far above Muerren and Kleine Scheidigg), definately go with something that provides ankle support.
Tom - We do not plan on hiking anything at higher elevations, just simple hikes and trails (maybe with some elevation changes though)
If you are mostly doing the hikes listed in Rick's book, all you need are regular walking shoes; the ones you are already wearing. The trails are mostly service roads, not rugged wilderness trails. I recommend you look at bringing along a hiking stick instead.
@Chris - I plan on buying and using the Berner Oberland Pass for our stay there. I see that I can buy it on SBB's website 10 days before the first day of use and then print it out at home. I know I can also buy it at any train station in Switzerland when we're there. Any real benefit to buying it ahead of time? Oder es ist egal?
Vielen Dank.
I wore Ahnu waterproof hiking shoes as my only shoes for my trip last summer. They worked great on cobblestone streets and mountain trails. I was glad I had them on some of the trails above Murren.
DB, For what it's worth, we love staying in Lauterbrunnen, especially for a longer stay like you have. We like Muerren very much, but it takes a long time to get to places on the other side of the valley: Wengen, Grindelwald, etc. The Schynige Platte and First are terrific lifts to try, BTW. The pass is a terrific money saver.
@Carol - Thanks for the insight. It's what I figured also but I wanted to see what people's experiences have been.
@Laurel - That's why I chose Lauterbrunnen. Other people have told me the same thing for my length of stay. Also we do want to see Luzern one day (when it's rainy) and figured Lauterbrunnen was more central. Thanks for the insight, I will definitely try the Schynige Platte and First lifts.
DB,
As you're planning to tour both sides of the valley, basing in Lauterbrunnen makes sense as it's the transportation "hub" for that area. You probably won't be spending that much time there anyway, aside from sleeping.
"We do not plan on hiking anything at higher elevations, just simple hikes and trails (maybe with some elevation changes though)"
As you don't appear to be planning any difficult technical hikes, you could probably manage just fine with a low cut (unless of course you need the ankle support). My preferred travel footwear for many years has been the ECCO Trac II Low. It's designed for that sort of activity and has robust construction. At my age, my hiking activities could probably be categorized as "light" so it works fine for me.
