David on the Jungfraujoch 3,454 metres (11,333 feet) 2024
David + Lynne on the Jungfraujoch in 1973!
I spent a couple of hours in the British Library which is just across the road from the hotel. I spent most of the time in the 'Treasures of the British Library' where you can explore precious artefacts such as the early Gospels, the Magna Carta and other priceless manuscripts. My favourites were John Lennon's handwritten lyrics for 'It's Been A Hard Day's Night' and Siegfreid Sassoon's handwritten poem 'The March Past' written on Christmas Day 1916!
I later spent the rest of the day on an 8 mile London 'walk-about' eventually strolling on the Embankment beside the River Thames. At the end of the day I enjoyed a delicious meal at the King's Cross Tandoori. I was really excited about the days ahead . . . my journey to see the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau in Winter!
London 2024 . . . 'Treasures of the British Library' + London 'Walk-About'
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EuroStar to Brussels . . . St Pancras International Station . . . London
This morning I was at our meeting place in St Pancras International for 7.00.am where I met Julie our 'tour manager' and some of my fellow travellers. We had 90 minutes before our scheduled departure on the EuroStar to Brussels Midi at 09.01. There are 25 of us altogether . . . 11 from the USA and 14 from the UK. I always enjoy the excitement of going through the Channel Tunnel. We were soon speeding through the French and then Belgian countryside. We changed trains in Brussels for Cologne where we arrived at 15.15. We then had to travel on a coach to our final destination of Mannheim in Germany because the entire German rail network was on strike! We stayed overnight at the Hilton Garden Inn. Our evening meal was the first opportunity for our group to get to know each other. As a solo long-distance walker it felt quite different to be part of a group! However it was soon clear that we all shared a passion for travel . . . they were a lovely group of people! I had a beautiful room and slept well!
London St Pancras International to Mannheim in Germany via Brussels and Cologne
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This morning we had a 3.5 hour coach journey from Mannheim to the Swiss border at Liestal. We had a couple of hours to spare before our onward train to Interlaken. So I decided to explore the cobbled streets of the old town. Liestal developed because of its strategic location between the first bridge over the River Rhine at Basel and the St Gotthard Pass. From Liestal it was a 2 hour train journey to Interlaken. The scenery slowly changed to a typical Swiss landscape as we approached the Alps. We eventually travelled along the beautiful shoreline of Lake Thun with our first views of the snowy peaks of the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau. On arrival at Interlaken Ost station we had a 15 minute walk to the Metropole Hotel . . . our base for the next 5 nights. I was in room 103 on the 10th floor with awesome views of the Jungfrau!
Mannheim to Interlaken via Liestal
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David on the Skyline View Platform . . . the summit of the Schilthorn 2,970 metres (9,744 feet)
After a delicious breakfast in our hotel we set off on the 15 minute walk to the Interlaken Ost Station. We caught the 09.34. train to Lauterbrunnen. We then ascended the cable-car up to Grutschalp at 1,487 metres (4,879 feet). From Grutschalp we travelled on the narrow gauge electric railway which rises 152 metres ( 499 feet) to the mountain village of Murren. We enjoyed magnificent views of the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau across the depths of the impressive Lauterbrunnen Valley.
Murren is a prestigious car-free Alpine village at a height of 1,638 metres (5,374 feet) above sea level. It is one of the most popular tourist spots in Switzerland both in Winter and Summer. Winter sports have been an important part of Murren's history since the first British winter tourists arrived in 1911.
There was a lot more snow in Murren and the walk to the Schilthorn cable-car was quite icy. The clear views of the surrounding mountains, especially the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau, were truly breathtaking! Amazingly there are 52km (32 miles) of ski runs around Murren including six cable-cars, seven chair-lifts and three railways!! I was so excited as we made our way to the base-station of the cable-car up to the Schilthorn!!!
Interlaken to Murren
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As we ascended from Murren we were rewarded with spectacular views of the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From the observation platform of the Schilthorn we had 360-degree a panoramic view of more than 200 snowy peaks . . . it was breathtaking! in addition to all the Bernese Alps I could see the Jura Mountains up to the Vosges Mountains as far as the Black Forest . . . even Mont Blanc is just visible! I was so excited!!!
Lucky for us our group had reserved window tables in the revolving restaurant. It revolves a full 360 degrees in 45 minutes . . . slightly faster than the minute hand of a clock. We all enjoyed a welcome cocktail, a James Bond gin martini . . . shaken not stirred, as we looked out on the awesome snowy peaks.
I spent a full hour out on the observation platform transfixed by the incredible mountain vista! As you are probably aware I absolutely love mountains!
Schilthorn 'Piz Gloria' . . . 2,970 metres (9,744 feet)
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Today was a free day. I decided to go to Grindelwald even though it was also planned for us to go there tomorrow. This is because the Swiss weather forecast had predicted poor weather for the next day and I really wanted to have clear views from the summit of Grindelwald First. At 2,168 metres (7,112 feet) I knew there were awesome views of the Eiger, Wetterhorn and Schreckhorn mountains plus Lynne and I had gone up to 'Grindelwald First' 50 years ago in 1973! So going on a day with a better forecast was a priority!
So after breakfast I walked to Interlaken Ost to get the 9.35.am train to Grindelwald. I had a lovely chat with Minkyung and Hayeon from South Korea on the 35 minute journey to Grindelwald. Grindelwald village is located at 1,034 metres (3,392 feet). It is probably now one of the most important tourist destination of Switzerland and the Alps. It is overlooked by awesome mountains! My first priority was to take the cable-car up to Grindelwald First as early as possible. It was a 15 minute walk to the base-station of the Grindelwald First further up in the village.
The 25 minute gondola ride up to Grindelwald First from Grindelwald was fantastic. I shared a cabin with a lady from Bern. She and her dog were going tobogganing form the summit back down to Grindelwald . . . her dog was to sit in-front of her on the way down!! Grindelwald First is a spectacular mountain location and minor summit on the slopes of the Schwarzhorn. I enjoyed exploring the summit area which was covered in fresh snow and ice. Lots of skiers were negotiating the surrounding slopes with some going even higher on chair-lifts.
I was so excited to stand on the 'First View Platform' with 360 views of the surrounding mountains . . . it's different cardinal positions offered nine different perspectives of the diverse alpine 'mountain ring' of the Bernese Oberland! Each 'rotor blade' of the platform is offset in height enabling different views!
The highlight for me was walking out on an awesome one-way way 40 metre cantilevered metal platform out over the stunning alpine landscape. I enjoyed a coffee and berry crumble traybake outside the Bergrestaurant First at 2,200 metres (7,217 feet) surrounded by snowy peaks!
Adventure on Grindelwald First . . . 2,200 metres ( 7,217 feet)
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Delightful walk around Grindelwald 1,034 metres (3,392 feet)
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After exploring Grindelwald I caught the train back down to Interlaken Ost. The sky was a beautiful deep blue so I decided to walk to Brienerzsee (Lake Brienz). I followed the footpath from Interlaken Ost along the banks of the River Aare . . . this river links Brienzersee to the other big lake of Thunersee (Lake Thun). I recognised the railway bridge that crosses over the river where it enters the lake. Lynne and I took a photo of the bridge 50 years ago in 1973 as one of the lake steamers passed underneath. Brienzersee was a stunning blue . . . it resembled a Norwegian fjord as the mountains seemed much closer and wilder than Thunersee. It is 14km (8.7 miles) long with a width of 2.8 km ( 1.7 miles) and a maximum depth of 260 metres (850 feet).
I also seem to remember Lynne and I were camped quite close to this spot! The reflections of the mountains and sky in the still waters of Briezersee were truly breathtaking. I felt quite emotional as I strolled along the lakeside where Lynne and had looked out across the lake so many years ago!
Bridge near Brienzersee in 2024 and 1973 . . . half a century apart!!
Walk from Interlaken Ost to Brienzersee
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. . . . Mannlichen 2,222 metres (7,290 feet) + Interlaken old quarter in the rain!
Today I joined the rest of our GRJ group on the train to Grindelwald from Interlaken Ost. But at Grindelwald Terminal, the stop before Grindelwald village, I got off the train as I wanted to take the cable-car up to Mannlichen. The Mannlichen is a 2,343 metre (7,687 feet) mountain to the south-west of Grindelwald near the mountain village of Wengen. The Grindelwald to Mannlichen gondola cable-car was the longest passenger-carrying gondola cableway in the world when it was opened in 1978 . . . so it wasn't there when Lynne and I were in Grindelwald in 1973! It was built to provide direct access to the snow-sure and wind-sheltered Mannlichen ski region . . . enabling the ski season to extend into spring. It was up-graded in 2019 with the new 10 passenger gondolas you ride on today.
It was an exciting gondola ride across the lower valley before climbing up through wooded snow slopes to Mannlichen but at the 2/3 mark we entered thick cloud. At the top station at 2,222 metres (7,290 feet) I met a complete 'white-out' of snowy spindrift!!
It was a world of skiers and snowboarders. The majestic backdrop of the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau were left to the imagination.
I chatted to some skiers from the UK and Australia . . . they were abandoning the ski run from the top-station due to the poor visibility in the thick low cloud. After briefly exploring the surrounding area I decided to go for a snack in the Mannlichen Mountain Guest House. I enjoyed a delicious apple tart with coffee!
Mannlichen 2,222 metres (7,290 feet) . . . gondola cable-car from Grindelwald Terminal
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Old Interlaken in the rain!
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Today was a very special journey for me! It was just over 50 years since Lynne and I travelled up to the Jungfraujoch in the summer of 1973. We had been 'going out' together for just nine months . . . we were so in love!!!
The Jungfrau Railway has been taking people up to the Jungfraujoch's unique viewing and adventure platforms since 1912. It is considered a pioneering work in the development of the Alps. From 1896 an army of construction workers pushed the tunnel up through the Eiger and Monch mountains on 9.3 km (5.7 miles) route up to the Jungfraujoch from the Eigergletscher Station at 2,320 metres (7,611 feet).
But first we had several trains to take us up to the Eigergletscher from Interlaken Ost via Lauterbrunnen through Wengen to Kleine Scheidegg then finally arriving at Eigergletscher with its tunnel entrance to the Jungfrau Railway.
I was so excited!!!
View from train approaching Kleine Scheidegg 2,061 metres (6,762 feet)
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Train journey from Lauterbrunnen to Jungfraujoch
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Kleine Scheidegg 2,061 metres (6,762 feet)
Chalet Des Alpes in Kleine Scheidegg in Winter 2024 + Summer 1973
Jungfraujoch . . . 'Top of Europe' . . . 2024
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Videos of the Jungfraujoch tunnel + the Glacier Plateau of the Aletsch Glacier
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Of course I was thinking of the last time I was here with Lynne over 50 years ago in August 1973. On that occasion it was a clear blue sky with amazing views of the mountains and glaciers! Below you can view some photos of the Jungfraujoch and the Eiger, Monch and Jungfraujoch . . . can you believe it . . . half a century ago! Where have all those years gone to!.
David at the Sphinx Observatory on the Jungfraujoch at 3,571 metres (11,715 feet) . . . it was freezing!!
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David + Lynne on the Sphinx Observation Deck on the Jungfaujoch in 1973!
David + Lynne on our first overseas adventure together . . . 1973
Thank you to 'Great Rail Journeys' and all the wonderful people with who I shared this Swiss adventure.
I hope you have enjoyed my 'Jungfraujoch in Winter' blog! I would love to hear from you either by commenting directly to this blog or by secure email as outlined in the 'Contact' section of my website . . . 'Beyond the Sacred Mountains'.
Regards
David
“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.”
Jawaharlal Nehru