Switzerland
We stayed 5 nights in Oberstdorf and drove to Switzerland on Tuesday 18th July. We were headed for Interlaken but needed an overnight stop on the way. We try not to drive more than 4 or 5 hours on a moving day - its too hot in the afternoons and we are in no hurry.
We found a campsite at Walenstadt, just over the Swiss border from Liechtenstein. The site was on the edge of a lake and walking distance from town but that is really all that can be said for this stop. Definitely just somewhere to break the journey so we only stayed one night.
At Interlaken we opted to stay at one of the town sites and are so pleased we did. The camping fee includes all local buses so we are able to get about quite well. The big attractions here are the Eiger and Jungfrau which are still covered in snow and are easily seen from our camp site. There are numerous trains and cable cars that run between the towns. We have opted not to use the cable cars and have only purchased day tickets on the trains.
Our first day saw us taking the train to Grindewald and walking to Bort - just a 6k hike which we thought would be easy. It was certainly signposted as an easy wegg (walk). Well we nearly did not make it, the walk was so steep and the day so hot it nearly defeated us.
The view however just kept getting better and spurred us on, the photo shows just a few of the glaciers that surrounded us. The reward at the top was an excellent lunch and then we were going to hire scooters to come down but having seen how steep it was we walked down. We were so pleased when the evening thunderstorms rolled in and finally cooled us down.
Our second day was more leisurely. This time a train to Lauterbrunnen and a walk up the valley to see the numerous waterfalls. We then took a tour of the Trummelbach falls where it is possible to see the only accessible underground glacial waterfalls in Europe. They were spectacular, the noise deafening and Jane's fear of heights seriously challenged.
On Saturday we browsed the shops in Interlaken and then walked by the lake. We thought Switzerland was expensive, the trains and buses ran to the minute but the people were not as friendly as we found elsewhere. We left on Sunday 23rd July and headed for the Black Forest in Germany.
We found a campsite at Walenstadt, just over the Swiss border from Liechtenstein. The site was on the edge of a lake and walking distance from town but that is really all that can be said for this stop. Definitely just somewhere to break the journey so we only stayed one night.
At Interlaken we opted to stay at one of the town sites and are so pleased we did. The camping fee includes all local buses so we are able to get about quite well. The big attractions here are the Eiger and Jungfrau which are still covered in snow and are easily seen from our camp site. There are numerous trains and cable cars that run between the towns. We have opted not to use the cable cars and have only purchased day tickets on the trains.
Our first day saw us taking the train to Grindewald and walking to Bort - just a 6k hike which we thought would be easy. It was certainly signposted as an easy wegg (walk). Well we nearly did not make it, the walk was so steep and the day so hot it nearly defeated us.
The view however just kept getting better and spurred us on, the photo shows just a few of the glaciers that surrounded us. The reward at the top was an excellent lunch and then we were going to hire scooters to come down but having seen how steep it was we walked down. We were so pleased when the evening thunderstorms rolled in and finally cooled us down.Our second day was more leisurely. This time a train to Lauterbrunnen and a walk up the valley to see the numerous waterfalls. We then took a tour of the Trummelbach falls where it is possible to see the only accessible underground glacial waterfalls in Europe. They were spectacular, the noise deafening and Jane's fear of heights seriously challenged.
On Saturday we browsed the shops in Interlaken and then walked by the lake. We thought Switzerland was expensive, the trains and buses ran to the minute but the people were not as friendly as we found elsewhere. We left on Sunday 23rd July and headed for the Black Forest in Germany.
posted by Stephen and Jane | 7:33 PM
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