Grindelwald resembles a picture-perfect Swiss town on a postcard!In August, we spent two nights at Grindelwald, and as soon as we arrived, I wanted to stay longer. The European summer was thankfully over, which meant that the days were bright and beautiful. Utilizing all of the hiking routes in Grindelwald throughout the summer is essential. Here, you might easily spend a week exploring different paths. We chose to hike to Lake Bachalpsee, the most well-liked trail, because of our brief visit.Trekking at Bachalpsee LakeReaching Lake Bachalpsee is among the most well-liked summertime activities in Grindelwald. We rode the cable car up to Grindelwald First from the village of Grindelwald to begin the climb. The trip takes about 25 minutes, and the return fare is 60 Swiss Francs, or about $85 AUD. To avoid the line, we were able to purchase our tickets directly from our hotel.The cable car ride is a delightful experience in and of itself because you are encircled by breathtaking scenery. In total quiet, you are carried up higher and higher. Starting from Grindelwald First, we headed towards Lake Bachalpsee. According to the signage, getting there takes fifty minutes. We stopped frequently to take in the scenery, so it took us about 1.5 hours.
The cable car itself is a fantastic journey!
It’s hard to convey the beauty of the hike. It’s like all your senses have come alive at once and you’re struck in absolute awe. We were surrounded by snow capped mountains. The north face of the Eiger dominates the skyline.
The hike isn’t a difficult one. But it is breathtaking.
We would come across the local herds of mountain goats and cows and the constant ringing of their bells. These moments were so Swiss. We joked that the only thing that could make it moreso, is if Roger Federer turned up munching on a Toblerone!
When you think of the Swiss Alps, does it get any more Swiss than this?
This mountain goat is definitely the king of Grindelwald. And a friendly king at that!
Arriving at the lake, I was struck by how peaceful it was. There were over 100 people sitting around enjoying the scenery. We took up a spot and devoured our pre-packed picnic lunch we purchased at a bakery beforehand. We spent about an hour here resting and admiring the views. It’s hard to leave these type of scenes. We reluctantly headed back on the same path to Grindelwald First.
OH MY GOD! Lake Bachalpsee is a proper show off!
It’s difficult to have to leave when you have views like this.
Grindelwald First cliff walk
Just outside the Grindelwald First cable car station you’ll find the Tissot Grindelwald First cliff walk. This is an absolute must-do! It’s not for the faint-hearted but offers incredible views as you follow the path that wraps around a cliff face. Looking down might give you a bit of a shock, so keep your eyes up if you’re not so good with heights.
The Tissot walk hugs the cliff and there are spots where there is quite a drop. Look up if you’re no good with heights!
Don’t look down!
What goes up, must come down. So once we were done, we enjoyed the cable car trip back down to Grindelwald.
Our room with a view
Our stay in Grindelwald was all the better because of our charming hotel. Hotel Gletschergarten is a family run hotel that is quintessentially alpine. We loved relaxing on our balcony with gorgeous mountain views. The breakfasts were delicious and included in the stay too!
I just love the flowers that decorated the hotel. So Swiss!
Grindelwald town
The town itself is super cute and our sunset strolls down the main street were stunning. It’s much quieter in the evenings once the day-trippers depart. Our favourite meal was at a small family-run restaurant called Onkel Tom’s Hutte, which served delicious oven-baked pizzas.
We had a storm lurking whilst we were there. Luckily it didn’t hit, those big mountains copped the brunt of it.