From Wengen-hike Lake Oeschinensee? Overnight stay

Hi, My fifteen year-old and I have five nights in the area and want to do a variety of hikes. Most likely using Wengen as a base (but this is not set in stone). We want to include a hike (or two) in the area around Lake Oeschinensee and get near to a glacier if possible. I have seen suggestions to stay overnight near Oeschinensee so that you have the ability to have a full day hike. Would you recommend we stay in Wengen 3-4 nights and a night or two in Kandersteg?

Also, how does one get from Wengen to start an Oeschinensee hike?

Thanks for you help, this is a fantastic site and people are so genergous with their time to answer all these questions.

Hi Nixie

There is a well known hike from Mürren to Oeschinensee, which is part of the via Alpina

It is not easy.

Here is a source of information:

map.wanderland.ch/?lang=de&route=all&bgLa yer=pk&resolution=20&l ayers=Wanderland&E=262 7780&N=1153640

map.wanderland.ch/?lang=de&route=all&bgLa yer=pk&resolution=250& layers=Wanderland&E=26 59640&N=1182580

Slowpoke

Oops-

I just rechecked those links, and the via Alpina trail does not pop up in red dots on the map as it did when I posted the links...could be my browser..give it a try. Search for the via Alpina or Bluemlisalp or Hohtürli.

Hi Nixie and Slowpoke,

This link may work for you: https://map.wanderland .ch/?lang=en&route=all&bgLa yer=pk&resolution=20&E =2627780&N=1153640&lay ers=WanderlandEtappenN ational (check the thicker green line).

The entire Mürren to Kandersteg hike is a tough one! But just walking around the lake is perfectly fine. Beyond that things get pretty serious (deep trails, gravel, etc.). This is from hearsay. I have not done that route.

Hi Nixie-

If you don't want to do that really serious hike between Mürren and Oeschinensee, then you can use public transportation.

The time table will give you the information that you need.

www.myswissalps.com/ti metable

I entered Oeschinensee as my destination, and the timetable actualy includes the mountain restaurant by the lake.

or, you can use Kandersteg as a destination in the timetable, then allow 10 minutes or so to walk east to the cable way which has small cabins --4 people probably - and runs continuously during the day time. Nothing after late afternoon.

On a random day in July, the trip will take 2 hours and 8 minutes to Kandersteg. The timetable can show a destination of the restaurant at the lake, and claims an additional 17 minute walk to get there. It is distinctly up hill with 400 meters altitude change. I'd tend to take the cableway from the eastern edge of Kandersteg and then walk the path a bit over 1 km too the lake.

map.geo.admin.ch/?topic=ech&lang=en&bgLa yer=ch.swisstopo.pixel karte-farbe&layers=ch.bav.ha ltestellen-oev,ch.swisstopo.swiss tlm3d-wanderwege&X=149620.00 &Y=619400.00&zoom=6

That is a very good map.

I have turned on the hiking trails in the menu, as well as transport stops.

If you zoom out, you can see the trail to Mürren via Blumlisalp (1200 meters higher) which continues to Sefinafurrga, passed by Schilthorn and d escends to Mürren. Yellow trails are easy. Red trails are "mountain trails" and should only be undertaken with good boots or sturdy hiking shoes, hiking staffs, and suitable clothing for weather changes.

Note that there are no technical climbuing sections on the route . (The would be shown in blue).

www.alpenwild.com/stat icpage/trail-signs-in-the-swiss-alps/

What is your experience level as hikers?

Nice hikes near Wengen can be found here:

www.myswissalps.com/hi king, in particular scroll down to Männlichen - Kleine Scheidegg

www.myswissalps.com/hi king/maennlichen-kleinescheidegg

Also, this may help you with hikes and Wengen:

www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/tips-about-wengen-and-the-jungfrau-region-by-kim

Slowpoke

When are you going? If it is the Fall, there may be constraints on any high altitude hikes.

Thank you all for your help. We will be best off just doing 4-6 hour long day hikes, and we will be there the week of July 16-22 (last minute I know, I just recently discovered how beautiful Oeschinensee Lake is and adjusted our trip to go there. Now I'm thinking two nights in Kandersteg for hikes near the lake. Then on to Wengen for four nights, taking in the day hikes in that area - the hard part seems to be choosing one since there are so many! I still can't figure out how one gets from Kandersteg to Wengen ... I tried the timetable link but couldn't work it out. Are there local buses we could take, or is it necessary to go via Spiez and Interlaken Ost? Thanks again.

Nixie

Hi Nixie,

If you enter Kandersteg and Wengen in the timetable you'll get the train schedules. There are no buses, and the only viable route is via Spiez and Interlaken Ost. It's an easy scenic trip, with three changes but that's perfectly doable. The shortest route would be across the mountains on foot as discussed above :-)

Hi Nixie

<<"Now I'm thinking two nights in Kandersteg for hikes near the lake. Then on to Wengen for four nights, taking in the day hikes in that area - the hard part seems to be choosing one since there are so many! I">>

That is the benefit of staying near the Jungfrau...... there is tremendous variety and you don't have to pick a hike until you are there and see the lay of the land. It's not level! (Although the floor of the Lauterbrunne Valley is quite level ,and the slightly down hill walk from Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg is easy. It has a very high ratio of scenery relative to not much effort. ;-)

Off hand, and looking at the map I linked to earlier with the hiking trails made visible, the terrain near Kandersteg and the lake has a lot of climbing, and of course, descents.

By the way - the train ride from Spiez up to Kandersteg is quite scenic.....and the route down the other side of the Alps, from Goppenstein onward to Brig via Hohtenn is also very nice, with views of the Rhone River valley as you descend to Brig.

The fast international service from Spiez to Brig (via Visp) and on to Italy through the Simplon Pass now goes under the mountains at Kandersteg through the new base tunnel. So, the BLS railroad company has restored hourly scenic service on the old route with local stops from Bern to Spiez to Kandersteg to Brig on a train with big windows called the "Lötschberger."

www.myswitzerland.com/ en-us/bls-regioexpress-loetschberger.html

www.switzerlandbyrail. com/trains/scenic/lots chberger_express.htm

Building the upper line in the 1800's was quite a project, and today hiking trails parallel to the tracks go downward from Kandersteg in the direction of Frutigen and eventually to Spiez, or (on the southern side of the Alps) Hohtenn to Brig. I've never done the northern one, but have hiked higher part of the southern trail - the part of the route from Hohtenn to Ausserberg - many times. Train stations at each end.

That section of the hike is about 3- 4 hours, with a beer garden half way (high above Raron). It is called the BLS Südrampe trail. It is part of the trail as listed on My Swiss Alps:

www.myswissalps.com/hi king/hohtenn-lalden

I took a few pictures along that trail:

www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/bls-sudrampe-trail

Slowpoke