Gimmelwald Things to Do

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Though you arrive by cable car, it's possible to leave Gimmelwald on foot. On the other side of the village, on the road that snakes out of town around a series of S bends, there are signs pointing in many directions. To, Murren, Lauterbrunnen and a whole host of smaller villages I hadn't heard of. For about three crazy minutes I contemplated setting off for Lauterbrunnen, thinking that I couldn't go wrong as it was all downhill, but then sanity prevailed and I contented myself with following a grassy track for about a mile, then heading back to the village. At this stage I passed about three or four walkers and one young mother coming uphill, pushing a baby buggy and not even out of breath. As you can see from photo 2, the signs indicate which routes are suitable for walking and which are suitable for mountain bikes. Tracks suitable for families and Nordic Walking are also clearly displayed.

It's a little depressing to realise you don't have the strength or the skills necessary for the serious business of Alpine hill walking but there are plenty of opportunities also for hiking on a less energetic scale. I took two mini hikes and believe me these were quite exhausting enough for a novice. I walked for about a mile or so along the track in this photograph and then later took a steep trail downwards from the mountain hostel. In both cases going forward was absolute bliss but coming back, puffing and panting, was considerably less enjoyable. it's difficult to stop because the compulsion to see what's around the next corner is addictive.The rewards ? Complete immersion in this stunning terrain, goats climing over the fence to nuzzle for titbits in your hands, meadows as far as the eye could see and storybook wooden houses.

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Leaving the village houses behind, the road continues to climb. At the very top of this hill is a small area with benches, just off the road. This seated viewpoint was the one and only concession to tourism I saw, apart from the places to stay. Here you can sit and gaze at the trinity of peaks opposite:- Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau - and now is probably a good time to admit that I didn't know which was which until I consulted my map. To be honest, all the peaks towering above looked much of a muchness to me and were no way as interesting as the village and the precipitous green slide to the valleys below. Here I met two American girls and we did the regulation taking each other's picture with the mountains in the background. By now the rain had stopped but the three peaks were still pretty much shrouded in mist.

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Full details of how to get here are in the transport section but if this is your first time in The Alps, then catching the Gondola ( Cable Car ) will be a huge part of the thrill of getting to Gimmelwald. The first photo shows Stechelberg from above, as we began our ascent and the views got steadily more spectacular, the higher we went. I'm not great with heights and I was amazed at how comfortable I felt. The fact that there were only about 6 passengers aboard helped and a painter on a ladder quite casually painting the ceiling, proved without doubt, how steady the whole journey is. So, no worries , just panoramic views and thrills all round. The second photo shows a gondola arriving in Gimmelwald.

There are many lovely hikes .
We did not see any of that since it had snowed heavily the previous night. Nevertheless, there was no a single soul on Gimmlewald that day and we had the entire village to ourselves.

This quick-and-easy trail makes a gradual descent across flowering meadows and above a dramatic drop-off over Lauterbrunnen valley. This trail, while short, provides the hiker with extraordinary views of the valley below. Cowbells ring in the distance, and the sea of blue and purple and yellow flowers is blown by a steady wind. The path crosses over tiny Gimmelwald below, making for a perfect spot to photograph the town, then dips down to the main road.

Many of the valley's waterfalls feed into this magnificent river, which carries millions of gallons of ice-cold water down from the mountains above. Unlike the usual brown colored rivers seen throughout most of Europe, this water has an incredible blue tint. On the path from Murren to Stechelburg, stand on the bridge over the Sefinen Lütschine, and feel the cool breeze coming of the rushing water below.

Numerous benches dot the path from Murren to Gimmelwald, providing a bit of rest for tired hikers and stunning views for those who want to soak in the beauty of the Alps. The benches are placed at some of the best vantage points along the trail, just under the mighty Jungfrau mountains and overlooking tremendous stretches of Lauterbrunnen valley. Grab a loaf of bread, your favorite sandwich ingredients, and an apple or two and bask in the magnificence of the valley while taking a moment to relax on a bench.