Car Free Village
Located at an altitude of 5,413 ft, Mürren is a charming village with magnificent views and no traffic noise. It is perched on a shelf of Alpine pasture forming a balcony overlooking the steep cleft of the Lauterbrunnen Valley. It is a great place for hiking enthusiasts who wish to enjoy the natural beauty of Switzerland. And in winter you will find skiing for all levels.
Trails that are marked by a solid yellow sign are easy to cover and can be done by anyone. But if you see a red stripe on the trail marking, you should know that the route is challenging and is meant only for experienced hikers.
Murren was a piece of heaven to walk around, so peaceful and not crowded at all in September. Just enjoy the tranquility of the village!
After spending the morning and early afternoon in Lauterbrunnen and Schilthorn, we made our back to Mürren where we stroll around for a couple of hours. From there we did the...
...Mürren to Gimmelwald: A Must-do Hike Through A Magical Land.
Where the scenery is truly stunning in every which direction.
Starting Point: Town of Murren
Ending Point: Town of Gimmelwald
Length: 2KM
The Bernese Oberland region, no matter where you are there will be beautiful hikes to take part of. From a simple walk to alpine climbing and everything in between, the region offers all of that and more. The quaint mountainside town of Murren is no exception. One of these scenic trails is the one that takes from Murren to Gimmelwald. Overlooking the one of a kind Lauterbrunnen Valley, this trail to Gimmelwald is one that anyone can take part of.
Signs will point down towards the valley before turning right towards Gimmelwald. From the picture below, take the left path.
From the center of Murren, we descended along some concrete steps, passing by the roofs of chalets and centuries old wooden farm houses, to eventually arrive at the mountain road at the end of the village, at its lower end. This small mountain road led towards the village of Gimmelwald.
Thereon, it was an easy leisurely walk downhill, along a well paved road, with flowers still in full bloom.
While walking the trail, spectate at the Lauterbrunnen Valley down below and the snow cap peaks of the Alps out in the distance. The scenery is truly stunning in every which direction.
Along the way, paragliders were floating over the valley, soaring up and gliding down, riding the thermal currents. Gazing from a distance, we could feel the sense of adventure.
Descending through a series of spectacular views, we went past alpine meadows and pastures with a profusion of wild flowers You looked down and you could see the glacial Lauterbrunnen valley thousands of feet below and you looked up, you could see the stunning Jungfrau massif, soaring thousands of feet above.
The gentle downhill walk between the villages of Murren and Gimmelwald that would take about 30 minutes, took us over 2 hours because we stopped at different places along the way, soaking in the magnificent scenery before our eyes, inhaling the fresh alpine air, taking in the scents of the mountain blossoms, listening to the melodious tinkle of the cow bells from the distant meadows and taking like a million photos.
As we approached the tiny farming village of Gimmelwald located at 4,500 feet, we could see the cluster of chalets on a narrow terrace facing the sheer rock face of the mountain.
The small, picturesque mountain village of Gimmelwald is located on a beautiful plateau above Stechelberg in the heart of the breathtaking Swiss Alps' peaks of Eiger, Mönch and Junfrau. Gimmelwald offers a breathtaking mountain panorama, unspoilt nature and Bernese chalets decorated with flowers. The arrival with the Schilthornbahn (cable car up to Schilthorn) is spectacular!
Once finished with the trail and end up in Gimmelwald, walk around this even smaller town and enjoy all that it has to offer.
This traffic free village has narrow streets lined with charming flower laden chalets, barns and guest houses. There is a wooden trough dispensing fresh mountain spring water.
And there is Esther’s unmanned “Honesty Shop” that runs on the honour system in which you drop money in a box with a note on what you pick up, without anyone checking on you. You got local handicrafts, trinkets, snacks (local delicacies) and drinks in the shop.
We found Gimmelwald to be largely untouched by the trappings of modern life. Very few residents (none of whom seemed to be out on the streets), farm houses and a few guest houses, the village seemed to pop out from an era long gone. Everything seemed to have come to a stands still, wrapped in total silence.
From here, we took the cable car down to Stechelberg. The view over the valley is quite spectacular going down. We strolled around for a little bit while waiting for the bus and stumbled on Mürrenbachfall and Mürrenbach river.
In Stechelberg the bus terminal is just next to the cable car station (Schilthornbahn). Take the yellow PostBus B 141, a beautiful 15 mins ride to Lauterbrunnen or hike - we took the bus.
Schedule and Tickets here: https://www.postauto.ch/en/timetable-and-network/timetable-and-tic
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