Switzerland 2025 - Day 6 / Männlichen, Kleine Scheidegg, Wengen, Interlaken

Steps today: 21 529 / 14.2 km

The forecast promised clear blue skies again today, so we decided on the easy and stunning Panorama hike from Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg.

To get to Männlichen you take a cable car from Grindelwald, but when we got there is was nothing but fog.  We knew it would burn away eventually so instead of heading up immediately we went for a little walk to buy a bit more time.

After about an hour, we started the journey up. The fog was lifting and the patches of blue were getting bigger and bigger.  We left the cotton ball in the valley and emerged to into stunning views

We relaxed for a while on the terrasse soaking it all in....

Then we set off -  It was amazing. Took about an hour and half.

In Kleine Scheidegg, we relaxed again to enjoy the views... and an Aperol Spritz!

Next on the agenda, the plan was to go to Wengen for lunch.  Our train pass doesn't cover the journey from Kleine Scheidegg, but we do get a discount on the tickets.  When Frank went to the washroom, I went to buy our tickets from the machine.  Was there too much booze in my Spritz? Instead of buying 2 tickets I only bought 1... and didn't even take the ticket (I swear I never saw it) but just the receipt.  I found this out the hard way when the conductor on the train came around to control the tickets OOPS!  how embarrassing.  Ah well, these are the things that happen on vacation.  He charged us the fee and we continued on our journey. 

Not a helluva lot to do in Wengen, but the views are (or course) incredible. We found a beautiful terrasse and settled in for a fondue al fresco. Perfection.

We finished the day in Interlaken, back again at the café overlooking the park enjoying a boozy coffee for dessert.

Switzerland 2025 - Day 3 / Aareschlucht, Lake Brienz, Thun, Interlaken

Steps today: 18 712 / 12.34 km

Day 3 was jam-packed with activities from start to finish, just the way I like it!

First was the Aare Gorge, fascinating carved by glaciers.

Next I wanted to visit the Reichenbach Falls, but the funicular that takes you up was closed for the season... a little detail Google left out!

Instead, after hemming and hawing over what to do next, we decided on a lunch cruise on Lake Brienz

But not before an Aperol Spritz stop!

The cruise was beautiful!

And lunch was delicious!

Next, we got on the train and went to spend a few hours wandering around in Thun

What to do for supper? Well, lack of imagination sent us back to Interlaken and to the place with the cute bread for more fondue.

I wasn't ready to call it quits after this... so we went on for a last hoorah overlooking the park.

Finally making it back to Wilderswil just after 7PM.  The hotel is about a 10-minute walk from the bus/train... I presume on this night we took the train since I took this picture!

Switzerland 2025 - Day 1 / Interlaken and Wilderswil

Steps today: 20 266 / 13.36 km 

As one would hope and expect, we made it save & sound and landed nice and early around 6-something AM. 

Leg 2 was a 2.5-hour train journey from Zürich Airport to Interlaken, which thankfully was direct because it was jam-packed so we were happy to get seats and places for our bags where we could see them! 

We arrived just after 10AM, and according to my app, from Interlaken it was a quick walk to the bus stop that would take us to our final destination of Wilderswil, but we could not find it for the life of us! In hindsight, I know what happened: if you take the train to Interlaken WEST, you get to Wilderswil by bus (9 minutes) but if you stay on the train to Interlaken EAST, you get to Wilderswil by train (5 minutes). I must have mixed up east and west in my mind; we were in "East" walking in circles looking for the bus stop with no success, and eventually gave up and took the train.  Both the bus and train end up in the same spot.

The hotel was predictably not ready, but we were already impressed by the location and the views - Amazing! That's it behind the cow in the distance.

And what a view! and the melodious sounds of cow bells in the air added to the atmosphere.  I was a little nervous that it would keep us up at night, but it didn't. It was calming, not annoying at all.

We left our bags and went back to Interlaken for lunch - my goal was to go have fondue at a place we went to back in 2014 where the bread presentation really impressed me.  I have never seen it served this way before or since, would they still have it? yes!

After lunch it was up to the Harder Kulm to enjoy the sweeping views over Interlaken. It seems every time I am up here, the view is hazy...  I don't mind, it's better than cloudy!

I wanted to sit and have a drink, but the terrasse was packed and there was no shade. It was TOO HOT

We spent the rest of the afternoon just strolling around Interlaken

And of course, an Aperol Spritz stop!

By about 4PM, we headed back to Wilderswil to collect our bags and unpack. The hotel was fantastic. I was a bit nervous about it because it was an annex to the main hotel, and Google Street View made it seem like it was a motel on the side of the road. OMG I had nothing to worry about! Yes it was motel-ish, a two-story block of about 16 rooms with individual doors at the back and gardens or balconies at the front all gazing towards the Jungfrau. Jaw dropping.

This is the view from all the rooms, and that building in the shot was the breakfast room. A little chilly in the early morning to run over to it, but it was great! 

After we unpacked, we set off on a wander around the village. It was idyllic.

By about 7PM we were ready to call it quits. It was a full first day!