We are travelling from the UK with our car. Stopping at Colmar on the way. Looking for some suggestions. We are keen hikers, we love mountains and lakes. We have 3 nights in Wengen and 2 in St German
Thoughts so far
I know this is weather dependent so help with priorities would be good.
Day 1
Drive from Colmar.
I’d like to do a shortish hike or mixture of hike and cable cars to a good view of lakes. I was thinking somewhere from Lucerne but maybe that’s too far, maybe do something near Interlaken. It would be good to do some swimming too. We’ll need to park in Lauterbrugen so need to get a parking space.
Day 2
Early to Jungfraujoch, Then walk Panoramaweg Männlichen zur Kleinen Scheidegg but in the opposite direction. I’m considering going to Grindelwald from here.
Day 3
Mixture of hiking and transport to Murren, Gimmelwald, Schilthorn.
Day 4
Travel to St German
I was going to go to Oeschinen Lake on the way but I have read so much about it being very very busy, it has put me off. We could do something missed from days 2-3 instead or something else?
Day 5
Zermatt.
Drive to Tasch and get train to Zermatt
Get the cog railway to Gornergrat., May hike up and get train down.
Posted by
Nashville, TN
812 posts
Sorry but what’s St.German? Maybe you mean St.Gallen? Also, when is this trip? That makes a difference in suggestions.
Posted by
OP
5 posts
Sorry I missed the time of year, it’s busy period, late July.
It’s near Visp
Posted by
Nashville, TN
812 posts
If you’re planning to hike all the way up the Gornergrat then I’d definitely call you a keen hiker :)
If the crowds at Oeschinensee turn you off, then you should certainly be turned off by Jungfraujoch. And if you’re that fit of a hiker, I’d skip it and hike to some amazing viewpoints instead of going with the crowds. July at Jungfraujoch is going to be absolutely bonkers. I can go for free anytime I want and I stay away from it like the plague :) If you want to see the Aletsch Glacier, go up to Bettmeralp on your day going to St German. No one does those hikes up there and the views are epic. The UNESCO Trail from Bettmerhorn to Eggishorn kicks Jungfraujoch’s butt :)
https://www.novo-monde.com/en/aletsch-unesco-ridge-trail-eggishorn-bettmerhorn/
Day 1
Drive from Colmar in the early AM, park in Lauterbrunnen, train to Wilderswil, cog train up to Schynige Platte + ridge hike to see lakes/mountains (Panoramaweg Daube Oberberghorn) - then head to Wengen
Day 2
Skip Jungfraujoch and maybe do something like hike Mannlichen > Kleine Scheidegg > Fallbodensee (kneipp baths) > Eigergletscher > Kleine Scheidegg > Wengernalp > Wengen OR if you left early enough in the AM, when you’re up at Eigergletscher take the Eiger Express into Grindelwald Terminal, bus to Grosse Scheidegg and hike to First (make sure to time before cable car from First stops running)
Day 3
Wengen > train Lauterbrunnen > cable to Grutschalp > train to Mürren (walk through the village) > cable to Schilthorn > cable down to Birg and then hike down to Mürren via the Thrill Walk > Grauseeli (swimmable)>Wasenegg Ridge > Bryndlii > Mürren > cable car down to Gimmelwald for dinner > Cable to Stechelberg > bus to Lauterbrunnen > train to Wengen
Day 4
Oeschinensee will be very busy at the cable car and beginning of the lake, but if you want to do the loop hike crowds thin out whenever effort is required :) The area on the shoreline & first 1/4 mile of the hike will be busy and then after that it’s fine. Alternatively there are plenty of other beautiful hikes to do in areas that aren’t so crowded and you may need this day as weather buffer for the above activities. Or like I mentioned above, do the hike to Eggishorn for better views of the Aletsch Glacier instead of Jungfraujoch.
Day 5
Zermatt/Gornergrat
Posted by
OP
5 posts
This is fantastic. Thanks so much. Let me digest this and see what I can find out. I’ll probably come back with some questions!! What resources do you use for the hikes?
Posted by
Nashville, TN
812 posts
My husband & I (in our late 30s) spend our summers living & hiking in Mürren, so a lot of our hikes are routes we have customized on over the years of trying various routes, but there are also a lot already loaded onto Komoot to help you with mapping and it’s the best app for customizing routes based on skill level. If you’re particularly interested in any I mentioned I can give you more specific routing.
Posted by
OP
5 posts
Well most of it 😂
Day 1
Schynige Platte + ridge hike to see lakes/mountains (Panoramaweg Daube Oberberghorn) - then head to Wengen. We will need to go to Lauterbrugen to pick up bags to take to Wengen. But this sounds perfect.
Day 2 we will see what time we have, it’s pretty much what I was thinking. Any info you have would be great
Day 3 sounds fab and pretty much what I had in mind. Is Trummelbach falls worth going to somewhere on this route?
Day 4 The UNESCO Trail from Bettmerhorn to Eggishorn and how to get to Bettmerhorn. That sounds fab!
Day 5 The hike up to Gornergrat would be the highest we’ve done. But normally we have to come back down.!! We may get the train part way up.
Posted by
Green Bay
21929 posts
The UNESCO Trail from Bettmerhorn to Eggishorn and how to get to Bettmerhorn.
You could leave the car behind in St German and take the bus from Dorfplatz to Raron, train to Visp, then train to Bettmeralp Talstation, then cable car to Battmeralp, then walk about a mile to Bettmerhorn.
Return lift to Fiescheralp, cable car to Fiesch, train to Visp, then train to Raron, bus to St German Dorfplatz.
Posted by
OP
5 posts
We are near Raron.actually