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Season
Recommended
01 May to 31 October.
Level of Difficulty
Fitness:
We grade the tour as 'Moderate', but in practice any day can be as easy or
(up to a point) as hard as you care to make it.
Day
Stages: Anything from 2 to 8 hours or
more - depending on your preference.
Waymarks:
Footpaths in Switzerland are classified into 2 categories: Wanderweg
(footpaths) and Bergweg (mountain
paths). Bergweg may include
rough, rocky and narrow sections where more care and effort may be needed. Each category is distinctively waymarked.
Signposts at path junctions show the estimated time to specific
destinations which are usually also named on the maps. Time estimates may
be shorter on a Bergweg than on a similar length of Wanderweg as you are
expected to be in better shape!
Meals & Accommodation
This
is a centre-based holiday with the whole week spent in the same hotel. We
use 3-star accommodation close to the center of town. All rooms are
en-suite, many with baths as well as showers.
Your
booking is half-board (3 course evening meal, bed and breakfast). Lunches
are not included in the tour cost. There are supermarkets and other food
shops in Meiringen where picnic materials can be bought (closed Sundays).
In the high summer season you can usually stop for lunch at a friendly mountain
restaurant.
General Information
Hotels:
The hotels described are our usual choice of accommodation, however if
these are not available then alternatives are used and if these are of a
different standard you will be informed at the time of booking.
Baths/showers: Many rooms with ensuite/private
facilities have a shower rather than a bath, usually because of limited
space. Some hotels/guesthouses may however have a separate room in the
house where a bath is available to guests.
Breakfast:
in countries such as Switzerland are usually buffet style, please don’t
offend your hosts by making up a picnic lunch from the breakfast buffet
unless it has been specifically organised for you.
Special
Dietary Requirements: It is important
for you to tell us if you have any dietary requirements when you book your
holiday so that we can inform everyone that you are staying with.
Single
Supplements: are payable on most of
our tours. The single
supplement guarantees the privacy of your own room, however, rooms can at
times be small and in some places may not enjoy the same facilities as
double/twin rooms.
Language:
When
travelling in less frequented areas you will not necessarily come
across people speaking English. Remember you are experiencing a different
culture, buy a phrase book and try to learn a little of the local
language!
Route
Notes: Please note that one set of
route notes per room booked is included in the cost of the holiday. If you
require more sets of notes then there is a charge of £25 per set ordered.
Insurance:
All clients must have appropriate cover for the activities included for
the duration of our trip.
Itinerary
q
Day
1: Flight to Zürich / Basel / 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). Evening meal at your hotel.
q
Day
2 - 7: Walks from Meiringen
q
Day
8:
Departure by train from Meiringen to Zürich or Basel via Luzern
and flights back to the UK. You can stop en route, there are left luggage
lockers in all stations, so that you can spend some time in Luzern or Zürich.
Typical Walking Programme
This
is just a sample of the possible walks; your exact programme will vary
according to weather conditions, and your own preference. You
will receive a set of route notes detailing numerous walks in the area.
The following is a selection of popular routes. The excellent local
transport system enables you to shorten or lengthen your walks if you
wish.
-
Hasliberg (Panorama Way). 12km. You start with a 10-minute
train ride. Take the train from Meiringen (600m) up to Brünig Pass
(1100m) where the walk starts through forest before traversing the open
alpine meadows above Meiringen. Views stretch to the Bernese Oberland
peaks and glaciers. This is an ideal introduction to the area in almost any weather. There is no need to carry a picnic for
lunch if you want to try the “Rosti House” at Wasserwendi. Choose from
the many Rosti specialities. After lunch, continue on the Panorama way to
Reuti (1045m) and either take the cablecar or walk down to Meiringen
through the forest.
-
Reichenbech Valley Circular Walk. Take the bus up to the little hamlet
of Gschwantenmad. There is no rush to cover the first 5 km along the
Reichenbech River to Schwarzwaldalp where you can have lunch in the cosy
mountain restaurant. The standard fare is a cauldron of delicious goulash
soup served with fresh crusty bread or a vegetarian alternative. Thus
fortified, walk the circular winter route via Rosenlaui finishing at
Kaltenbrunnen from where you take a bus or taxi back to Meiringen. (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 Wetterhorn north
face dominates the skyline and the beautiful blue Rosenlaui Glacier towers
above you.
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Hasliberg Heights. To gain initial height take the cable car to Käserstatt
(5000 feet above Meiringen). Set out on the magnificent high-level walk across the Hasliberg. There is
an option for lunch at Bidmi before completing the walk across the alpine meadows and descending through the forest to Meiringen.
-
Across the Brünig Pass. Once more by train but this time over the
Brünig Pass to the village of Lungern with its beautiful lake. The
route takes you up a steady gradual incline to the pass where there is the
option of a restaurant lunch. There is a little more ascent through the
forest after lunch before descending to Meiringen.
-
Wengen to Kliene Scheidegg. Travel to the chic resort of Wengen by
train and then walk up through the forest and pastures to the pass at
Kleiene Scheidegg. Return by trains either to Wengen or Grindelwald. You
can always opt to walk down rather than up or for a longer day walk up and
down. There are great views towards the Eiger and Jungfrau from the
Kleiene Scheidegg.
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Take an easy day. Take a short local walk or travel further afield.
Visit the city of Luzern or Bern by train or head up to the
Jungfraujoch, or to the Piz Gloria of James Bond fame. Other
possibilities near Meiringen include the Ballenberg open-air museum at
Brienzwiler where you can see a variety of traditional farm buildings from
all over Switzerland and the beautiful old lakeshore town of Brienz, where
you can sit at a waterside cafe and admire the view across the lake to the
mountains of the Oberland.
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The Romantic Way. Take the postbus from Meiringen to climb on
spectacular twisting roads to Grosse Scheidegg (2000m) at the heart of the
mountains with the 12,000' peak of the Wetterhorn towering above and views
of the north-face of the Eiger. During the walk there are spectacular
views of the Rosenlaui Glacier. This is a gentle contouring walk, not at
all strenuous. A visit to the Reichenbach Falls can be incorporated into
the itinerary during the afternoon.
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Paradise Way. Head northeast on the bus to the picturesque mountain
lake of Engstlenalp beneath the pass. From here walk all day through
meadows of wonderful flowers and beneath rugged limestone crags where
eagles nest. The grand panorama ahead is the Bernese Oberland Massif with
literally hundreds of peaks and glaciers in view. The walk ends at the
cablecar station above Meiringen for a ride back to town.
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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 followed by a descent via Bachalpsee to the First
gondolas above Grindelwald. You can take a lunch break at the Weber Hut.
The views during the walk are quite breathtaking with arguably the best
from the plateau between Weber Hut and Faulhorn. If you are feeling
energetic you can take a slight detour to the Faulhorn summit. Once you
can tear yourself away from the view, return via the gondola at First and
catch the train back to Meiringen. Or if you have made good time, you can
opt to walk from First to Grosse Scheidegg and take the bus down to
Meiringen via Schwarzwaldalp.
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Take an easy day. The Aare Gorge, a popular tourist attraction with
a walkway through the gorge, which is only open in summer.
Travel options from the UK
By
air to Zürich or Basel: Direct scheduled services with BA or Swiss
from UK.
Flights are also available via Geneva at no extra cost, but this involves
a longer train journey.
Transfers
from Airport: From Zürich or Basel. Trains are fast and efficient and
run every hour. Zürich airport has a direct rail link. Basel airport is
linked to the station by a shuttle bus. The rail journey up into the Alps
is a spectacular part of your holiday. Swiss railways are a joy to travel
on; reliable, clean and punctual.
Self
Drive: If you wish to travel down in your own car, all our hotels
have excellent parking facilities.
Swiss Card
This
is not included in your holiday package. A “Swiss Card” travel pass,
which covers your return rail journey from any Swiss Airport or border
crossing to Meiringen and entitles you to HALF-FARE travel on almost all
transport used during your holiday in Switzerland. The card costs approx
£140 and is valid for one month. Cards can be purchased from the Swiss
Travel Centre at www.stc.co.uk/swisscard.html.
If
you drive to Switzerland and want to qualify for half price travel for
almost all transport used during your holiday in Switzerland you can buy a
Swiss Half Fare Card for approx £85. This is worthwhile if you intend to
travel somewhere every day. These cards can be purchased from the Swiss
Travel Centre at www.stc.co.uk/swisshalffarecard.html
Swiss Family Card
Free
of Charge. All children up to the age of 16 travel FREE with an
accompanying adult who has a Swiss Card. This family card is FREE and
represents amazing savings for families.
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