Switzerland: Mürren and Kleine Scheidegg to Alpingen

6 July 2009

Stephen and his father travelled to Interlaken in Switzerland for a walking holiday utilising the trains, cable cars and gondolas of the Jungfrau Railways. On the first morning, the weather didn't look promising, but a decision was made to go out anyway and hope for the best.

Waiting on the platform at Interlaken Ost for the train to Lauterbrunnen, and it is raining. The metre-gauge train of the Berner Oberland Bahn takes us to Lauterbrunnen.

Ascending the cable car from Lauterbrunnen to Grütschalp. When we were last here, this line was a funicular, so it was something of a surprise to find it replaced by a cable car. This is looking down on Lauterbrunnen in its very steep glacial valley

The station at Grütschalp where the cable car arrives and the train for Mürren departs. Instead, we are going to walk to Mürren, hoping that the weather will improve.

Dad in the rain and cloud.

A bit of shelter in the woods

The mountain path was well equipped with bins and other facilities

The train passes us - as there is no proper road to Mürren, all the people and the goods for the resort go by this short train having come up in the cable car.

In Mürren, a man stacks wood.

Having got the train from Mürren back to Grütschalp, we descend the cable car back to Lauterbrunnen.

From there we catch the cog railway up the other side of the Lauterbrunnental...

...through Wengen, seen here...

...to Kleine Scheidegg, where the Jungfraubahn heads off to the highest station in Europe, the Jungfraujoch.

The Jungfrau is hidden in thick cloud today, however.

Our route from Kleine Scheidegg lies down the other side, towards Grindelwald

The station at Kleine Scheidegg, at 2061 metres (6762 feet) above sea level.

Descending to the next station, Alpingen.

A look back at the hotels of Kleine Scheidegg

Looking down across the end of the valley where Grindelwald lies, to the pass of Grosse Scheidegg.

Me playing on a bit of dirty snow

The North Wall of the Eiger in cloud, with the railway line running in a gallery to protect it from snowfalls

Mountain life

She looks ready to burst!

More melting dirty snow

The station at Alpingen, from where we catch the train down to Grindelwald. Kleine Scheidegg from where we began our walk can just be seen on the horizon.

Approaching Grindelwald, from where we get another train back to Interlaken.