I am partial to a bit of chocolate, and those who know me might say more than partial. Chocolate aside, Switzerland is one of the most stunning countries I've ever visited. I've only been twice and already I could call it home. If you love the outdoors, fresh air, postcard scenery and emerald green lakes, you'll love it.
The trip that nearly didn't happen
My first attempt to visit ended badly. In 2017 I planned to take both my daughters. Everything was paid for, the passports were up to date and the bags were packed. About a week before we flew, my eldest had her ear pierced, and five days before the flight it became infected. It wasn't her fault, and the place had a good reputation. Some people just react.
The infection got worse over the week, and she was admitted to hospital as sepsis started to set in. When my younger daughter and I visited her, we realised she wouldn't make the flight. She insisted we go without her. My youngest was upset, about her sister and about whether I'd decide to go. She desperately wanted to go, and so did I, but the whole point was to go together. We cancelled at the eleventh hour and put the trip off to the following year.
When it finally came round, my daughter was under strict instructions: no piercings! We flew with British Airways from Newcastle to Geneva, changing at Heathrow. I like to plan my travel properly, but I thought a two-hour connection would be plenty. I hadn't been through Heathrow for years and it has changed massively. Those two hours went on finding our gate.
Geneva was easy once we landed, and that's where the planning paid off. Arriving in a new country with no research is like your first driving lesson. You know what you want to do and think you know how, but put the two together and you stall, or bunny hop down the road looking for the biting point.
Trains that leave on time
The Swiss trains are everything you've read about: efficient and on time. If the train leaves at 13:10, it leaves at 13:10. They don't wait for anyone, and that's why you can rely on them. Maybe the UK could learn a thing or two. Our journey to Interlaken took about three hours. In the UK that might feel like a slog, but with mountain backdrops, waterfalls, little villages and the excitement of the holiday starting, those three hours flew by.
We'd arrived in the middle of a heatwave. Everyone wants good weather on holiday, but 30 degrees and more? It was hot from the moment we stepped off the train. Our base was a wooden cabin on a campsite, not ideal in that heat, but you can only plan so much. Then I took the girls up Harder Kulm. If you've done that hike, you're probably reaching for your phone to report me for child cruelty.
Harder Kulm
It was a tough hike, especially in the heatwave, but credit to my girls, they did it. Nearly three and a half hours later we were at the top, looking out over Lake Thun and Lake Brienz. After that we lightened things up for the rest of the week. I put my hiking hat to one side so my daughters could enjoy the trip without that daily Harder Kulm feeling.
We had a fabulous week. We explored the Lauterbrunnen Valley, took the local bus to Iseltwald and walked along Lake Brienz to the stunning Giessbach Falls. A visit to Bern and a swim in Lake Thun made it the perfect week.
I also film on my GoPro. It's sold as an action camera, but with the right settings it's a handy little video camera for capturing memories. Between the photographs and the videos of the bells round the cows' necks (as soon as you hear them, you know you're in Switzerland) it's a trip we won't forget.
On foot or by funicular
This is a tough hike. I'm fit, and even I felt three hours of uphill by the top. The easiest way up is the funicular, the Harderbahn, which gets you there in about 20 minutes. There's a fee, with a discount if you have the Interlaken visitor's pass.
Or you walk. The road up is safe on foot and winds around, cutting out some of the steeper climbs. The road and the path meet near the top, where a wooded trail takes you the rest of the way, with a couple of viewpoints to catch your breath. Depending on your fitness, allow three to four hours.
We walked from our campsite in Interlaken along the river to the start of the climb. Everywhere is set up for visitors and well signposted until the climb starts; after that the signs are occasional. I've got a good sense of direction, but my advice is to download a Google map for offline use so you stay on the right path.
At the top you get some of the best views in Switzerland, your reward for the hard work (or easy effort, if you took the funicular). If you have a head for heights, walk out onto the see-through platform. Grab a coffee or a beer and stay a while. On a clear day you'll see the Jungfrau in the distance along the Lauterbrunnen Valley, and to the right of the platform there may be paragliders floating around.
Lauterbrunnen Valley
Of everywhere I've been in Switzerland, the Lauterbrunnen Valley is my favourite: a valley full of waterfalls, and a train journey to die for. The train from Interlaken takes about 20 minutes, and Lauterbrunnen station sits at the start of the valley, so you can set off on a stroll straight away.
The first waterfall on your right is Staubbach Falls, and you can walk up to a viewing platform near the bottom. Neither of my visits brought much rain, so I haven't seen it as dramatic as it gets nearer winter, but it's stunning all the same.
Walking along the valley floor is an easy day out. It's flat and well signposted, and the paths are wide enough for wheelchairs and pushchairs. Keep right on the way up the valley and come back on the other side of the river for a loop, crossing back near the end to reach the station.
Tip Walk right to the end of the valley to the cafe in Stechelberg for traditional cakes. It's about an hour and a half from the station at a relaxed pace, and you'll stop at every corner. There's a bus stop there if you don't fancy the walk back.
Trummelbach Falls
On the loop back you'll pass Trummelbach Falls: ten glacier-fed waterfalls inside the mountain, reached by a tunnel funicular with stairs and lighting. We took the funicular to the highest floor, climbed another level or two, then walked slowly down, admiring each waterfall on the way.
The noise is immense. The roar of the water through the rock is hard to describe. It's mostly a dark, wet, dimly lit tunnel. It's safe, with plenty of room to pass people, but if you don't like enclosed spaces some levels may not be for you. There are paths outside where you can see a couple of the falls, so it's still worth the small entry fee, and they give you a great view of the valley whatever the weather.
Oeschinensee and its alpine lake
Canada is on my list. I've never been, but the moment you arrive at Oeschinensee you think this must be what the Rockies look like. From stepping off the train to reaching the lake at the top, it's that stunning.
There are two, maybe three, ways up. The cable car runs to a seasonal timetable, so check it's running when you go. Or walk: several paths lead up, roughly 4 km from Kandersteg station to the lake at 1,578 metres, so it's uphill all the way, with plenty of places to stop and take in the views. A road also runs up beside the path to the restaurant by the lake. I'm not sure whether that's only for staff.
At the top it feels like a secluded lake all to yourself. It isn't, and depending on the time of year it can be busy, but there's room for everyone, with walks all round the lake. We followed the path along the shore to the far side. Along it I stood on a big boulder to give one photograph a sense of scale, and there are waterfalls all the way. Mountainscapes galore.
My partner and I were there in May 2019, as the last of the winter snow was melting. So much so that we witnessed an avalanche. That sounds more dramatic than it was. We heard the rumble but couldn't see it at first, and by the time we caught it on camera it had slowed into a snow shower. Still, an avalanche is an avalanche.
Zermatt and the Matterhorn
Zermatt is better known for skiing, climbing and hiking, but I like chocolate a lot, so when I see the Matterhorn I think of Toblerone.
Remember those train journeys to die for? This is another. From Interlaken it takes up to three hours, depending on the route. There's a quicker one that skips some of the scenery, which might suit a commuter, but for a visitor it's all about the journey. You'll need an early start if you're staying in Interlaken, and maybe a couple of coffees, but it's worth it.
As everywhere in Switzerland, the station puts you right in the heart of town. We set off on the five lakes walk, but only had time to reach Lake Leisee, one of the three lakes that reflect the Matterhorn (the others are Grindjisee and Stellisee). It took us about two and a half hours to get to this beautiful spot, where we stopped for lunch. What a view.
I'm always drawn to reflections, and I'd hoped to photograph the Matterhorn reflected in Stellisee. We could have reached it at a faster pace, but we wanted to enjoy the walk, not rush it for one picture. The cable car hadn't opened when we went in May; in peak season you can reach all five lakes in a day and still get back. We had the place pretty much to ourselves for a couple of hours. On the way down they were setting off charges to trigger small avalanches. We couldn't see much, but the booms around the valley were deafening.
Next time we'll stay overnight to fit in another hike. If you'd rather not walk up, the cable car to Sunnegga station takes you close to Lake Leisee. Back in town, Bahnhofstrasse is lined with boutique shops, hotels and restaurants, with a lively après-ski scene in season. You can drive to Zermatt, but parking is limited.
The Jungfrau
The Jungfrau is one of the main summits of the Bernese Alps, at 4,158 metres. To reach its backdrop of ice and snow you take the Jungfrau Railway or the newer Eiger Express gondola. We took the popular route from Interlaken Ost through Grindelwald and Kleine Scheidegg, then through the north face of the Eiger to Europe's highest railway station, at 3,454 metres.
Near the top the train stops a couple of times so you can acclimatise, and some people feel a little queasy. We didn't notice much once we were outside, though on the way up I couldn't decide whether I felt anything or my mind was playing tricks. Walking out onto the platform was surreal. Can fresh air smell fresh? It felt great to breathe that cold, crisp air and take in those views.
We had an hour or two of clear skies before the cloud rolled in, quite a sight when you're already above the clouds. I believe later in the season you can hike up to the hut in my photograph. The main photograph from the top suited black and white, with the cloud rolling in fast. Ten minutes after I took it you couldn't see a thing, which meant only one thing: time for the Lindt shop.
Before you go, check opening times, the weather and travel updates on the official Jungfrau website, and look at the SBB timetable. You can buy tickets for the Jungfrau at Interlaken Ost, and some rail passes give you a discount. You'll find more of my Swiss photographs in the Europe collection.
Nick
