are accessible from the village, and climbs may be had on the various Blüemlisalp peaks as well as on the Balmhorn and Altels which rise to the south at the entrance to the Gasterntal.
Of the easier high summits of the Bernese Oberland, both Wildstrubel and Wildhorn should be mentioned. The Wildstrubel has as one of its major features the large snow-filled basin of the Plaine Morte, from which several tops rise. Climbed from either Kandersteg, Adelboden or Lenk, the Wildstrubel itself consists of a number of summits which barely rise above its southeastern glacier.
West of the Wildhorn massif comes Les Diablerets, a great lump of mountain at 3210m, across whose main summit runs the invisible boundary separating canton Bern from canton Vaud. Les Diablerets dominates a large area and is seen to great effect from the softer, more luxurious hillsides to the north, where tarns gleam in the sunshine, insects seethe among flower-strewn meadows and birds warble in the forests. Walkers’ country, this is, with views of lofty mountain peaks. Far away in the west a glimpse is to be had of the Dents du Midi and the distant snows of Mont Blanc. Big mountains all.
These are indeed big mountains with snow and ice-caked summits, but this book is concerned not with climbing mountains, not with reaching summits, but with wandering in their shadow; spending days of delight exploring valleys, ambling over hillsides clattering with cowbells and crossing remote passes in order to gain fresh valley systems. The Bernese Oberland is not short of prospects.
Getting There
By Air
While details in this section were correct at the time of writing, readers should be aware that information in regard to air travel is particularly vulnerable to change. Apart from complex fare structures, schedules are often rearranged at short notice, new routes introduced and abandoned, while the growth of cut-price, no-frills carriers often results in fledgling airlines being formed, merged, taken over or collapsing with alarming frequency. The best advice, therefore, is to check the current situation with either your local travel agent, the Switzerland Travel Centre (see Appendix A), or on the internet.
Gentle countryside above Adelboden, on the way to the Hahnenmoos Pass on Route 87
Swiss airports to consider are either Basle, Geneva or Zürich, with regular scheduled flights from the UK being operated by major carriers throughout the year. British Airways, EasyJet and SWISS currently dominate the market from a choice of airports; Aer Lingus also flies a regular service from Dublin.
Both Geneva and Zürich airports are fully integrated into the Swiss rail network, being just an escalator ride from a mainline station, while a bus service links Basle airport with the town’s main railway station.
Fly-Rail baggage transfers: Passengers with pre-booked accommodation can take advantage of a unique ‘fly rail baggage’ scheme which enables ‘nothing to declare’ baggage checked-in at the departure airport to be transported directly to the railway station of the chosen resort. There’s no waiting at the arrival airport’s carousel, or hustling your baggage from plane to train. The system is straightforward and convenient, and also works on the homeward journey. However, the scheme is not applicable for EasyJet flights, or for British Airways passengers with ‘E’ tickets.
British Airways:www.britishairways.com currently operates out of London Heathrow, Gatwick, and Manchester.
EasyJet:www.easyjet.com flights from London Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and Liverpool.
SWISS International Airlines:www.swiss.com has scheduled departures from London Heathrow and City, Birmingham, Dublin and Manchester.
Aer Lingus:www.aerlingus.com flies a regular service between Dublin and Zürich.
Online booking agents
www.cheapflights.com – simply feed your requirements into the search engine and await the response.
www.skyscanner.net – an easy-to-use interface.
www.ebookers.com – accommodation and transport to numerous destinations.
Note: Flight tickets can also be arranged through the Switzerland Travel Centre in London (Tel 020 7420 4934, www.switzerlandtravelcentre.co.uk)
Travel by Train
With a combination of Eurostar from London’s St Pancras station to Paris via the Channel Tunnel, and TGV to Lausanne, high-speed rail travel provides a viable (but possibly more expensive) alternative for those who prefer not to fly. Currently Eurostar operates at least 14 trains per day for the 3-hours-plus journey between St Pancras and the Gare du Nord in Paris. There you transfer to the Gare de Lyon for TGV departure to Lausanne; a journey of around 4½hrs. Change at Lausanne for Bern for onward trains to your choice of final destination.
For up-to-date rail information, contact Rail Europe (Tel 08705 848 848 www.raileurope.com). Note that the Switzerland Travel Centre can take reservations for Eurostar, TGV, and Swiss rail travel (Tel 020 7420 4934).
Under 26? Consider purchasing a Billet International de Jeunesse (BIJ), which enables discounts of up to 50% to be made on international rail journeys. Contact Rail Europe, 179 Piccadilly, London W1 (for telephone and email details see above).
Internet train times: To work out your rail journey through Switzerland in advance, log on to www.rail.ch, feed in details of the journey’s start, destination and date of travel, and you will receive all the information you require, including platform numbers where a change of train is needed, plus connecting bus services where appropriate. Also SBB Mobile is a very useful app which covers all public transport information.
Travel by Road
Should you prefer to drive to Switzerland, note that a vignette (sticker) must be purchased and displayed on your vehicle when travelling within the country. This is, in effect, a motorway tax, the current cost of which is CHF40. Valid for multiple entries during the licensed period shown on the sticker, the vignette can be bought at the Swiss border of entry, or in advance from the Switzerland Travel Centre (see Appendix A).
The minimum age for driving in Switzerland is 18, and motorists are advised to obtain a Green Card from their insurers to receive the same insurance protection as in the UK.
Major road passes into the Bernese Alps region are the Susten (open June–November), Grimsel (open June–October), Col du Pillon and the Jaun Pass both of which are open throughout the year. Roads are well-maintained, and an increasing number of tunnels are being created to avoid some of the higher passes. The interlinking motorway system is good, and journey times can be surprisingly low considering the complex topography; but expect delays at peak times. The motorway speed limit is 120kph (75mph); in built-up areas it’s 50kph (31mph), and 80kph (50mph) on other roads unless signed to the contrary.
Public Transport in the Bernese Oberland
Gondolas,
