Switzerland: Murren to Trummelbach

Leaving Murren

 We left Murren early the next morning after a final breakfast in the guest house dining room, and walked to the cable car to Gimmelwald. We were sorry to leave. There were days more hiking and sight seeing to be had, but Geneva with its urban charms beckoned. And we were excited by the prospect of beautiful weather and a morning hike down the valley far below.

Going Down

We had originally thought to take the bus from the last cable car in the valley at Steckleberg on to Lauterbrunnen and the train, but decided instead to walk the length of the valley, stopping along the way to visit the famous Trummelbach falls. We caught excellent views of our sister car arriving at Gimmelwald station, transferred, and fell off the edge of the world. The shear cliff appeared almost close enough to touch as we dropped steeply to the flat green glacial valley below, our destination station tiny in the distance, passing waterfalls from above tumbling along the face beside us. What a way to start the morning.

The Cliff-side Approach to Stechelberg

Valley with Cable in the Distance

At Stechelberg we crossed the parking lot and easily found the foot path the paralleled the river the length of the valley. We were told this was where local cross country skiers go in the winter. I suppose with the extreme topography here, there is little other place that isn't so steep as to require downhill skis.

As we walked the broad path in morning shadow, we could look back up the valley across the fields and see the glint off the cable from Gimmelwald to Stechelberg. Amazing.

The path wound through fields and farms, crossed the river, then meandered through small Swiss valley towns as we neared Trummelbach. We arrived just in time for the morning opening of the falls, more like a cave, cut deep into the cliff.