Berghaus Männlichen to Lauterbrunnen – Playing hide and seek with the stunning Swiss mountains.

Weekends are for… hikes! If the weather is nice, the views here must be stunning, though on my first visit to the Jungfrau region we were mainly greeted with heavy clouds. Only later on the day did the sun start to poke out and did we manage to get a glimpse of some of Switzerland’s impressive mountains such as the Eiger, Münch and Jungfrau.

Details of the hike

Description

This walk is part of the region round the famous Interlaken town. If you start at Berghaus Männlichen, the hike goes mostly downhill and offers you a great view of the Eiger, Münch and Jungrau which for a big part of this hike will be right in front of you. If you prefer ascends, then you could just as easily do this hike in the other direction.

Leaving the Grindelwald train station behind you make your way to the Männlichen gondola (Grundstrasse 54, 3818 Grindelwald) and get a one-way ticket to the top at 2.222m (A one way ticket costs 32CHF at the time of writing, look on maennlichen.ch for the current prices.). Do make sure to enjoy the view on your way up there and keep an eye out for the marmots that live on the slope. Chances are pretty high you see some of them walking around in the grass. The area around the terminal station of the gondola is extremely family friendly with a huge playground and modern facilities. Once there you can take a look in the Berghaus, pack up on some snacks and enjoy a nice coffee with a view before setting of. The hike itself is very straightforward and is suited to people of all fitness levels.

The first part of the hike is mostly through an open mountainous landscape during which most of the times you are surrounded by the impressive mountain peaks. The track is really straightforward, well maintained and easy to navigate by following the signs. For the first part of the hike you simply follow the signs labeled ‘Panaroma weg’ which will give you some stunning views of the Swiss peaks (if the weather is nice). When you arrive at the Kleine Sheidegg you follow the Mendelsohnweg to the Allmend gondola. From there it’s easy going to Wengen and finally Lauterbrunnen. Any of these places will also allow you to interrupt your hike and go home early. Along the route there are plenty of picnic options, but you could just as well have lunch at one of the many huts, hotels or restaurants along this stunning route to grab a quick bite. Whatever you choose, it won’t disappoint!