Summary: On this ambitious day, we hiked from Lauterbrunnen, ascending 3000 feet to reach the Swiss mountain village of Mürren, which can only be accessed by foot or rail. From there, we continued our walk to Gimmelwald, pausing at the locals' cheese huts to explore the treats available for visitors. The railway then carried us back down to the valley floor, where we walked the length of Lauterbrunnen valley, stopping along the way to visit Trümmelbach Falls. Once back in Lauterbrunnen, we took the train up to the ski resort town of Wengen, where we indulged in window shopping and enjoyed a well-deserved beer.
[This blog is part of a 10-days in Switzerland Trip].
Lauterbrunnen. Only 15 minutes away from our Interlaken Airbnb is the village of Lauterbrunnen. When you visit, make sure to explore both the valley floor and the mountaintop villages of Mürren and Gimmelwald. With a population of just 2,200, Lauterbrunnen primarily serves tourists and hikers alike. We spent minimal time in the town itself, dedicating most of our day to the trails.
Our first stop, was an early visit to a popular photo spot to avoid crowds. The valley reminded us of Yosemite Valley in California, with its glacier-formed granite walls on either side, except that an entire town was located on the valley floor.
Next, we made our way to Mürren on foot via well-marked trails that take you through switchbacks and other steep terrain. This traditional Wasler town is accessible only by train or foot and getting there requires a whopping 3,000 feet of elevation gain over just 4 miles.
Regrettably, the clouds remained throughout our visit, preventing us from experiencing the stunning views that such efforts typically provide.. The hike itself was still rewarding with seasonal waterfalls and little glimpses of the view below.
At the top of the climb the trail runs into the train line and from there, you follow the road into town. Given the dense fog, we proceeded directly on to Gimmelwald, the next town, another 2 miles down the road. If we had better weather, we would have stayed, but at the time, the desire was to keep warm by pushing forward. Even so, we did get to sneak a peak at the area's famous little cheese huts where villagers sell local cheese, crafts and other goods, on the honor system.
From Gimmelwald, we took the cableway back down to the valley floor. The walk back to Lauterbrunnen is another 3 miles along the valley floor.
On the walk back, we stopped at Trümmelbach Falls, which is actually a series of 10 falls located inside the mountain. This UNESCO site involves taking a lift up through the interior of the mountain, before walking out on platforms to view these glacier-fed, powerful falls.
Photos and videos do not do it justice.
The storybook walk through the valley is precisely what you imagine when picturing a Swiss mountain village. Although the weather could have been better, even without the sun, we caught glimpses of why this place is a popular bucket list destination.
Back in the town of Lauterbrunnen, we hopped on a train to Wengen, another cute Swiss mountain village. This town has a host of hotels, shops, and restaurants since it is also at the base of the local ski lifts, where the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup was recently held.
In Wengen, once again faced with bad weather (chilly rain at this point), we briefly did some window shopping before we decided to enjoy some well-earned local beer and rest our tired feet, before heading back to our car in Lauterbrunnen.
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