Hiking options for April 2018 – Wengen area

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    7 March 2018 at 14:37:51 #814656

    Hi, my husband and I are travelling for the first time to Swtizerland from the 7th to the 13th of April and I’ve booked a hotel in Ledi just above Wengen (15min) with amazing views over the valley. Now I’ve just realised that most of the cable cars will be closed in April for maintenance as it is off season. I’ve obviously overlooked this!

    The Mannlichen to Kleine Sheidegg cable car will be closed – I was looking forward to this hike. Is there another way to get there or are there alternative hikes that are just as scenic if not more beautiful from Wengen? Will Wengen be dead in April? I’m just trying to see if staying in Wengen will be practical for us or if staying in Murren will make more sense for the Schilthorn trip that we definitely wanna do. If staying in Murren will it be more quiet than Wengen?

    I’m concerned about transportation and getting around and what other scenic hikes we can do during off peak season.

    Many thanks in advance!

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    8 March 2018 at 14:22:04 #877969

    Hi Tipptopp and welcome to MySwissAlps!

    Yes, unfortunately, April isn’t the best time to visit the Jungfrau region.

    There are hikes in the area that you can look at, but the problem is whether they will be open in April. Higher altitudes may, with any luck be ok for winter hiking still in early April but they may well be closed between the winter season and summer hiking season (June approximately).

    I think you will get a similar experience staying at Mürren or Wengen overall. Certainly it is easier to get to Schilthorn from Murren.

    You can see some details on cable car closures on this thread.

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    8 March 2018 at 15:19:50 #877970

    Thank you for the advise. I will have a look. I saw on the this website that the hiking trail from Mannlichen to KS will be open.

    m.maennlichen.ch/en/

    If the cable car is not operating how do we get there? If not at all possible I’m sure we will find some other alternative activities that are just as good and scenic.

    Mark
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    8 March 2018 at 15:48:44 #877971

    Hi Tiptop

    you will have to hike from KS to Männlichen then return by same route but it is fairly level. The local tourist office will likely know if the trail is passable as well as which other trails are maintained in winter and still passable. It is possible some trails from First may be maintained as First to Bachalpsee or First to Grosse Scheidegg. You might also check the walk from Lauderbrunnen to Stechelberg and return by bus. Several trails are open in winter and summer and maintained by locals but in the transition between seasons may be impassable. I believe the local tourist offices will have that up to date information. Mark

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    8 March 2018 at 16:06:55 #877972

    Mark thank you for these suggestions. I will go check them out now. We would prefer easy hikes but wouldn’t mind taking a bus or train to places. The ultimate goal is to get to a breathtaking view, sit for a few hours and have a picnic 🙂

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    8 March 2018 at 16:09:41 #877973

    By the way it’s not a hotel we’re staying at but a chalet in a quiet area above Wengen to get an authentic experience of staying in the alps even for only 3 nights 🙂

    Mark
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    8 March 2018 at 23:03:24 #877974

    All 4 hikes mentioned are easy. Two of them require you to return the same route you came so double the distance,namely KS to Männlichen and the First to Bachalpsee hikes. The other 2 you can hike one way and take a bus back, namely First to Grosse Scheidegg or Lauterbrunnen to Stechelberg. However there is some chance they would be impassable due to fresh snow,slush, or mud in April. Mark

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    9 March 2018 at 7:26:11 #877975

    Ok thanks for the heads up. Have got these 4 on my list as well as Grutschalp-Winteregg-Murren on the way to Schilthorn and will see when we get there which ones we can do. In your opinion which is the most scenic so I can list them in order of priority.

    Mark
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    9 March 2018 at 13:15:35 #877976

    Männlichen to KS and First to Bachalpsee are probably the most scenic but the other 2 are spectacular as well. On an overcast day Lauderbrunnen to Stechelberg is a good choice. Mark

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    9 March 2018 at 14:11:21 #877977

    Thanks again for all your help Mark.

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    10 March 2018 at 0:46:28 #877978

    Grutschalp – Murren and Murren itself give the best views of the three ‘big peaks’. Kleine Scheidegg – Grindelwald takes you right below the north face of the Eiger.

    April is not great for Swiss walking as you can be between the two seasons. The yellow summer Wangerweg’ may be officially closed, but so might the official (pink) Winterwanderweg.

    In other words it can be too early for one and too late for the other.

    We fell foul of this one Easter and ended up in boggy snow melt fields unsure if we were following the yellow or pink path

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    10 March 2018 at 2:42:50 #877979

    Hi Tipptopp,

    >> I’ve booked a hotel in Ledi just above Wengen (15min) with amazing views over the valley … By the way it’s not a hotel we’re staying at but a chalet in a quiet area above Wengen

    As far as I can tell, that’s below Wengen, not above it i.e. downhill from Wengen railway station. It would be overlooking the Lauterbrunnen Valley. However, my memory of that part of Wengen is a bit hazy. Will your host pick you and your luggage up from Wengen station?

    >> I saw on the this website that the hiking trail from Mannlichen to KS will be open.

    That just says it’s open now. I would not expect it to be groomed for walking once the cableways to Männlichen close after 2 April. However, as Marki mentions, you can check the status of hiking trails with the tourist office when you are there.

    Alpenrose

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    10 March 2018 at 5:29:23 #877980

    Thank you both. I think we will have to play it by ear when we get there what we can do. If nothing else we could just stay and explore the valley. I also found online the First Cliff Walk and I’m really interested to see this. Would you know if this is open first week of April?

    Alpenrose – from the Airbnb listing the host said the chalet is located 15min walk above Wengen by a stream called Ledibach. It’s also mentioned it’s a 15min walk uphill but rewarded by amazing views (according to reviews too)

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    10 March 2018 at 5:34:00 #877981

    They gave us a number for a taxi if we have trolley luggages 🙂

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    10 March 2018 at 5:54:51 #877982

    I saw on the website First Cliff Walk by Tissot open from 3 April – happy days 🙂

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    10 March 2018 at 7:12:17 #877983

    >> I saw on the website First Cliff Walk by Tissot open from 3 April – happy days

    It’s fun, and quite a thrill, but only takes about 10 minutes.

    Alpenrose

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    10 March 2018 at 7:22:36 #877984

    >> Alpenrose – from the Airbnb listing the host said the chalet is located 15min walk above Wengen by a stream called Ledibach.

    Ah, I see. There is an area called Ledi below Wengen station, and another called An der Ledi above Wengen station. Your chalet is probably at An der Ledi. The views would indeed be wonderful from up there!

    Alpenrose

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    10 March 2018 at 7:37:04 #877985

    I’m so excited. To get there do we hike feom First to Bachalpsee?

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    10 March 2018 at 8:07:23 #877986

    >> To get there do we hike feom First to Bachalpsee?

    Do you mean the First Cliff Walk? There’s no hiking involved – it’s adjacent to the restaurant at the top gondola station. You walk straight onto it from the restaurant terrace.

    I have attached some photos. The green one was taken in September 2016; the brown ones in December 2016.

    Alpenrose

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    10 March 2018 at 8:58:03 #877987

    Beautiful photos. Can’t wait to see this view. Could we hike from First to Bachalpsee then come here on the same day?

    Mark
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    10 March 2018 at 14:34:45 #877988

    yes it is common to do the First cliff walk and then hike to Bachalpsee and back to First. First to Grosse Scheidegg also an option. see photos attached. Hopefully the trails will be open, both are paved and normally quite popular. mark

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