Lauterbrunnen In Switzerland And Its Impressive Rock Faces
Lauterbrunnen is a beautiful town located in the Swiss commune of the same name in the canton of Bern. Its location between impressive rocky walls and high mountain peaks, as well as 72 waterfalls with crystal clear waters, make this place a magical setting.
What’s more, although the Lord of the Rings films were shot in the fabulous landscapes of New Zealand, JRR Tolkien’s source of inspiration was the rugged Swiss valley of Lauterbrunnen, a place he visited in 1911.
The commune of Lauterbrunnen is known for its important winter sports resorts. One of them is Wengen, where several stages of the Alpine Skiing World Cup have been held. In addition, in summer the village of Lauterbrunnen is the starting point for many excursions in the Jungfrau region.
What can we do in Lauterbrunnen?
1. Visit the waterfalls
With the melting of the alpine snows, waterfalls begin to spring up in the Lauterbrunnen Valley. As we have already pointed out, there are nothing more and nothing less than 72 waterfalls in this paradisiac valley. All of them are fabulous, but there are some that stand out.
In Staubbach’s, the water falls into a void from a height of about 300 meters. This makes it the highest waterfall in Switzerland and one of the highest in Europe. During the summer there is the possibility of visiting this waterfall from the back, as a gallery has been set up in the rock for this.
It is, without a doubt, a wonder for the senses and it is not surprising that it was the source of inspiration for Goethe, who after visiting the valley in 1779 wrote Song of the Spirits on the Waters . As if its beauty were not enough, in high season the waterfall is illuminated at night.
The falls of
Inside the mountain we can admire ten waterfalls that release up to 20,000 liters of water per second. They are waters that come from the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau glaciers. It is a unique opportunity to admire the only glacial waterfalls in Europe within a mountain. This show can only be visited in summer and with a tunnel cable car.
2. Hiking in Lauterbrunnen
The town of Lauterbrunnen is the starting point for many excursions. If we go to the eastern flank of the valley we can take a rack railway that will take us up to the town of Wengen. This is a place with breathtaking panoramic views.
From there, you can take the train to Kleine Scheidegg or take a cable car that will ascend to the Männlichen, a peak over 2300 meters high. From that point there is a path that descends to Kleine Scheidegg. It is a quiet walk where you can admire the majesty of the Swiss Alps, especially three peaks: the Eiger, the Mönch and the Jungfrau.
3. Other corners of Lauterbrunnen
On the opposite side of the valley you will find the tourist center of Mürren. It can be reached from Lauterbrunnen by taking a cable car to Grütschalp and from there by train to the town. It is also possible to go up to this tourist center from Stechelberg by cable car.
If you want to visit one of the sets of the James Bond film In His Majesty’s Service , from Mürren you must take a cable car that will take you to the peak of the Schilthorn, at an altitude of 2,971 meters. There you can enjoy breakfast or lunch at Piz Gloria Restaurant, a revolving restaurant set in the James Bond movie.
Throughout the 45 minutes it takes the restaurant to make a 360º turn, you will be able to admire more than 200 alpine mountain peaks. On clear days you can see the Mont Blanc massif in France and even the Black Forest in Germany.
And in the winter?
If you like winter activities, the Lauterbrunnen region is a perfect place for it. The Wengen-Kleine Scheidegg and Mürren-Schilthorn ski regions are very accessible via the mountain railways.
Here you can enjoy the 213 kilometers of slopes, the 100 kilometers for winter hikers, 50 kilometers of toboggan trails or the abundant spaces for cross-country skiing.
