10 hours in Lucerne and feedback on 6 days in BO

Hi again, syedghani –

I’ll give some partial answers –

Your question about sneakers on the trails.

For the easy trails, they are OK, if you don’t mind getting your feet wet. Most people who walk the trails frequently prefer sturdy shoes with lugged soles. Boots are even better to avoid twisted ankles.

http://www.myswissalps.com/hi king

This explains the trail markers:

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

Here are some hikes near the Jungfrau:

http://www.jungfrau.ch/en/som mer/tourism/destinatio ns/kleine-scheidegg/hiking-trails/

Note the yellow signs (tolerable in sneakers) and red/white signs – need sturdy shoes, or better boots for ankle support and hiking staffs for safety. (You can rent them)

Day 3 might be a bit much if you are not serious walkers.

I suggest a different order-

Cableway from Wengen to Männlichen, walk to Kleine Scheidegg. Optional walk to Alpiglen or, walk up to ( or take train to) Eigergletscher stop, then walk the Eiger trail ( boots…lots of scree) over and down to Alpiglen.

Train from Alpiglen to Grindelwald.

From there. train or ski lifts to your sleep location.

Note altitudes on this map:

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&layers_visi bility=false,true&X=16 2380.00&Y=636360.00&zo om=5

<<“We are not avid walkers 🙂 but surroundings can keep us going at some pace.”>>

You will see that some of the walks you proposed have substantial altitude changes. Kleine Scheidegg to Grindelwald Grund is more than a 1000 meter descent. Unless your knees are in excellent shape, they will be painful by the time you reach Alpiglen, very sore at the bottom, and remain quite sore for a few days.

And, I have turned on hiking trails on a map overlay, which are color coded as yellow, red and blue. Blue is technical climbing.

Slowpoke

Day 2-

Walk around Brienz, along the main street at least as far as Jobin, a famous wood carvers store. They have an attached museum which s probably not worth the few CHF admission, but might be, depending on your tastes. The store is worth a look.

Up top, there are some substantial hikes, but I don’t know if you wish to try them. At that altitude, the up and down portions of the trails, even the short trail to the small lake, can make you pant and pause, unless you are accustomed to high altitudes.

The walk to Schönbüel used to be a challenging one, with lifts down to Lungern, and train ride back. I think that only some of the lifts above Lungern are running these days….I’d not take that walk if I had to do it as a return trip.

http://www.turren.ch/

That link is for the part directly above Lungern; it does seem to be running, but I think the leg from Schönbüel is not running….

If you do go down the “back” side of the mountain, via the cable way to Sörenberg, you have a long ride to get back to Lauterbrunnen by bus and trains.

Slowpoke

Hi Syedghani –

<<” Day5: Train from Lauterbrunnen to Bern for day trip

Day6: Train from Lauterbrunnen to Lucerne for day trip and continue on to Zurich airport”>>

In my opinion, unless you decide to visit some museums, you might not find that Bern will occupy a full day for you.

You might consider going to Bern, and when you are finished, go to Luzern, Stay in Luzern. That would give you a bit of Day 6 on Day 5.

You may not wish to do this if your accommodations in Lauterbrunnen are firm, and Luzern hotels could be quite full by now, but it is an option that you might consider.

Also, on day 2, you might wish to take a lake boat to the stop for the hotel Giesbach…it has its own funicular, and a cup of tea or a snack on the terrace can be very pleasant. Nt sure if it would fit into your schedule, but I thought I’d mention it. Watch for the Giesbach waterfall across the lake as you ride on the train up to the Brienzer Rothorn.

Slowpoke

Hi Syedghani-

Yioou interpeted my suggestions and options correctly.

You can understand the distances by looking at this map:

map.search.ch/?pos=645024,159792&z=32 &poi=bergbahn,halteste lle,zug

Altitude changes and distances are visible on the SwissTopo map that I linked you to before on August 5th ( geoadmin….link)

Details of each walk or hike in the Kleine Scheidegg trail list are available if you dig into the menus. Even in German, time and distance is clear. Anstieg is climb, Abstieg is descent. Maps are given. if you want a more detailed map, go to the Swisstop link I mentioned before (geo admin….)

The Eiger trail has a fairly level section with modest and mildly annoying ups and down across the face of the Eiger, lots of scree., then a steep descent to Alpiglen.

It would be a difficult option, but does not have as much descent as you were considering earlier. You are corerect , it is “hiking trail” (red/white marker) and boots are necessary because of the ease of slipping on the scree. I am not recommending it, but, rather pointing it out in view of your originally stated plans.

The Eiger Walk would be more suitable for you, and could be continued as noted.

The indicated trail fro the “Walk” ( just as for the “Trail” ) also starts at Eigergletscher station and goes down hill back to Kleine Scheidegg. From there, as noted in the discussion of this walk, you could take an easy trail to Alpiglen ( preferred for views) or to Wengernalp. Both aer train stops.

Slowpoke