MySwissAlps.com features ads, commercial and non-commercial Hikes with easy climbing in Bernese Oberland area?
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Hi! I will be staying in Stechelberg for 6 days with my boyfriend in July. Trying to plan out hikes we can do. We’re definitely going to do Stechelberg, but I was wondering if anyone have any recommended hikes with easy climbing in this area? (I guess that translates to a hike with some steep parts? but not that steep so you need ropes and stuff. I’m sorry, my English isn’t the best) Or just general advice on full day-trips of hiking, on mildly-advanced routes.
I was also wondering if you’d recommend getting a travel pass for such a short time? I’m not sure how much we will take the bus for example, and we might also go up to murres/wengen sometimes… And maybe we’ll have to take the bus/cable car to some good hikes?
In advance, thanks for all the answers!
edit:
I was also wondering, is it easy to find maps around in shops there? Is some maps recommended over others? Or should I order online before we are leaving? edit2: found this http://www.myswissalps.com/hi king/maps , which I guess answers my edit1.
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Hi Sarawm,
Best to have a look at our hiking page here: https://www.myswissalp s.com/hiking
Use the legend on the side to search for Bernese Oberland only (or Jungfrau region only to narrow it down to closer to Stechelberg).The hikes listed show how to get to them, the route and length, difficulty etc.
If you have any questions or concerns about any of those hikes do ask us and we can help fill in the blanks for you!
As for rail passes, you need to first decide on your daily itinerary (what trips are you making by train, cable car, bus, boat etc) for each day. Then you can find prices and compare to different rail pass options to find the most economical. Our spreadsheet here will help you: https://www.myswissalp s.com/train/ticketspas ses/practical/choosera ilpass
My thinking is, you should look at the Swiss Half Fare Card, The Jungfrau Travel Pass or perhaps the Regional Pass – Bernese Oberland (depending on how far from Stechelberg you decide to go). See the links below and be sure to open the PDF maps for each rail pass under the “where it’s valid tab“.
Hi Sara-
Maps at stores are harder to find since the internet has made Smartphones into reference libraries.
If you come in through Zuerich, this store has an excellent selection:
This site has a lot…useful if you read topos:
Useful but without altitudes:
map.search.ch/?pos=637600,158688&z=8
Hikes?
http://www.myswissalps.com/hi king/maennlichen-kleinescheidegg
Useful information?
http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/tips-about-wengen-and-the-jungfrau-region-by-kim
You may find things a bit crowded in July….planning for July is best done in March. ;-(
Slowpoke
Hello Sarawm and welcom to the forum!
>I will be staying in Stechelberg for 6 days with my boyfriend in July. <
Good for you! Few people choose to base in Stechelberg as it is a bit off the beaten path.The first time my husband and I visited the region (22 years ago) we chose to base for 5 nights at Stechelberg Inn and positively adored it. We have returned to the Bernese Oberland every year since then. Regardless of where you are staying in Stechelberg (not many choices!) I highly recommend the restaurant at Stechelberg Inn. Fabulous fresh trout. Breakfast featuring eggs from the many chickens in the garden. Stunning Schnitzel. Although we now choose to base in Wengen we NEVER miss a trip to Stechelberg Inn for lunch, dinner, or just Cafe und Kuchen (coffee and cake) in mid-afternoon. Beyond charming and real rural Switzerland.
There are a few great hikes to do from a Stechelberg base, including up to Mürren and to Obersteinberg. Both of these involve some vertical ascent (approx 800 – 900 meters) and then back down. Many others as well.
To experience the best the region has to offer you will find yourselves traveling a bit out of Stechelberg “village” (not really a village, just a couple of hotels and a bus stop) From Stechelberg it is a 30 minute bus ride into Lauterbrunnen and the bus only runs every hour or so. You can easily walk the flat 3.5 miles but that takes an hour or so as well depending on how fast you walk. And, of course, the gondola up to Gimmelwald, Mürren, and Schilthorn is also available within a 10 minute walk of Stechelberg village. But you will need to get to Lauterbrunnen to go elsewhere. You will find yourselves wanting you use lots of public transport so I highly recommend a Half Fare Card. It is the easiest to understand and also the best value for the money IMO. With 6 days you will save at least 2x – 3x the 120 CHF cost.
For a (somewhat) concise summary of tips about transport, hiking, etc in this part of Switzerland I refer you to the document I’ve put together based on my 20+ years of experience hiking in the region.
http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/tips-about-wengen-and-the-jungfrau-region-by-kim
You do not need maps, just ask at your lodging and follow the very well-marked trails.
You will want to explore
Thank you for your thoroughly answer Kim! (and also you Slowpoke) We mostly choose Stechelberg randomly, as it was one of the cheapest places (420 CHF for a week). So good to hear its a good place to stay! Will check out the restaurant. Oh, and I’ve read your document Kim, its really a lot of good information.
I think the hardest thing will be to prioritize what to do, as its so many hikes I want to go on. Only two days more until we leave!
Just had lunch yesterday at Stechelberg Inn and happy to report that it is as good as ever!
<<“I was also wondering, is it easy to find maps around in shops there?”>>
Hi Sarawm-
You asked this in your first post and got some good answers, including the link that you found.
One more comment is appropriate. Especially in areas such as the Jungfrau region, with a lot of hiking options, but, usually , throughout the country, the local convenience store (Volg, Apero, Kiosk) will have some maps of the nearby region. In the Jungfrau region, most probably the sporting good stors…Intersport….will have them, to.
I have to warn you that wherever you want to go, you will always find that it is at the intersection of 4 map quadrants, so you have to buy 4 maps to see everything. 😉 Just joking, but it seems that way , sometimes.
Slowpoke
Hi Kim-
<“Just had lunch yesterday at Stechelberg Inn and happy to report that it is as good as ever!”>>
Thanks for the continuing tips on the inn. I have always gone through Stechelberg quickly. This coming September, I’ll make sure I stop there.
Slowpoke
We NEVER miss it, actually plan our hikes around lunch there 🙂
Thanks, Slowpoke! Hmm, maybe we won’t need maps afterall. But I will check out that store in Zurich! Landing there so will spend some time shopping (going to Transa and maybe some other hiking-stores). A map is also kind of a nice souvernir 😉
Hi Sarwm –
<<“Hmm, maybe we won’t need maps afterall.”>>
For the easy trails in the Jungfrau region you will not need maps. There will be a lot of people on them in July, and the signage is excellent.
One use of great value to me is altitudes – up and own.
You can get those nicely from the the Swiss Topo website:
Swisstopo also has an app for smartphones.
I still like maps for studying options, and helping me choose routes in areas where the trails are not so well defined.
Slowpoke
<<For the easy trails in the Jungfrau region you will not need maps. There will be a lot of people on them in July,>>
This is something I’d like to avoid, but I guess most trails, easy and challenging, will be pretty full in July?
<<I still like maps for studying options>>
this is exactly why I want maps! but I will check out the Swiss Topo website also.
I’m just wondering about one more thing; what would you consider the most challenging one day-hike in the area? Thank you for all your answers!
Sara
Most challenging? Stechelberg to top of Schilthorn via Gimmelwald-Mürren-Birg. Approx 7,000 feet of climbing over 4.5 or so miles. Posted time 6.5 hours to top. Sharp knife edge at top with steep drop offs. Short but, well, breath-catching.
Hi SaraWM-
<<“but I guess most trails, easy and challenging, will be pretty full in July?”>>
Yes- especially the easy ones.
I suspect that I misread this in your title ( …Easy Climbing) and in your first post:
<<“but I was wondering if anyone have any recommended hikes with easy
climbing in this area? (I guess that translates to a hike with some
steep parts? but not that steep so you need ropes and stuff. I’m sorry,
my English isn’t the best) Or just general advice on full day-trips of
hiking, on mildly-advanced routes.”>>
“Ropes and stuff” is “Technical Climbing”
Those are the blue trails on the Swisstopo map.
Red Trails – Difficult trails that require good footwear and hiking staffs are red trails.
Yellow trails don’t require special gear…at most,only sturdy footwear. Although, I alwways wear boots to support my ankles. Even the yellow trails can have rough surfaces and significant altitude changes.
http://www.alpenwild.com/stat icpage/trail-signs-in-the-swiss-alps/
For general info and a list of many trails:
http://www.myswissalps.com/hi king
For hiking in the Jungfrau region scroll down in this link.:
http://www.myswissalps.com/ju ngfrauregion/activitie s
The hikes that are listed all have a lot of information about the characteristics in the description. This is one of the hikes shown there and might meet your specification of “difficult” and “one day”- but there are many others:
http://www.myswissalps.com/hi king/first-schynigeplatte
Here is another way to look at trails. I find that it takes me a bit off work to figure out how to get what I want from it. However, you could use it to check out the sections of the Via Alpina in the area, for example. It gives tremendous detail including altitude profiles.
http://www.schweizmobil.ch/en /wanderland/hiking-in-switzerland.html
http://www.schweizmobil.ch/en /hiking-in-switzerland/routes/nat ional-routes.html
http://www.schweizmobil.ch/en /hiking-in-switzerland/routes/nat ional-routes/route-01.html
http://www.schweizmobil.ch/en /hiking-in-switzerland/routes/nat ional-routes/route/etappe-01560.html
images0.schweizmobil.c h/files/wl_1.11.pdf
You can also work directly from the map:
It does not seem to use the color coding of the SwissTopo maps.
Right click on the heavy green lines after you expand the map. If there is information available, it will open up.. Only works on major trails (heavier green lines).
There are others more competent than I to offer other specific suggestions. Perhaps they can add to this thread.
Just keep in mind that, if you are not used to exertion at high altitudes….say,2000 meters and above…. you may find that you need to take it easy for the first few days and pause to catch you breath on the steep ascents.
Slowpoke
Just thought I would update after being here for a few days. First of all; our host is really beyond amazing. When we arrived she gave us some bread and spreads and cookies as we hadn’t gotten to buy anything.. I told her about the trip we planned so to the next day and she explained the route and provided us with maps.
So first day we hiked/ran up to the Oberhornsee lake. I gotta say, this have been my favorite thus far! Bathed only the legs, which was cold enough 😉
Second day we took the train up to Kleine Scheidegg, with a stop in Murren, walked down to Grindelwald. Easy day.
Today we hiked the Schilthorn. We went from Stechelberg (Sandbach) – Gimmelwald – Murren – Schilthorn, in 5 hours. Took the cable car down to Murren. No views today unfortunately.
Tomorrow is the last day! 🙁 not sure what we’re doing yet, maybe the Hardegrat. I liked the Oberhornsee so good that I almost want to do it again tomorrow. Does anyone know of a similar hike?
Hi Sarawm-
Good to hear that you found some “easy” hikes that matched your needs. 😉
Lots of choices around there. I don’t have any other suggestions. Does your innkeeper or the tourist info office in Lauterbrunnen?
Slowpoke
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