Mürren and the Lauterbrunnen Valley are among my favorite places to visit in the Swiss Alps. This picturesque region has become a staple for long weekends and a must-visit when friends and family come to town. My first trip here introduced me to the thrilling world of Klettersteigs, starting with the route from Mürren to nearby Gimmelwald.
Perched on a ledge 800 meters (2,700 feet) above the Lauterbrunnen Valley, Mürren is a charming Swiss town offering stunning views of the iconic Bernese peaks Jungfrau, Mönch, and Eiger directly across the valley. The town retains reminders of its cinematic history as the primary filming location for “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service,” the sixth James Bond installment and only to star George Lazenby in the iconic role. It’s easy to see why this beautiful place was chosen for the movie.
Unlike most Klettersteigs that ascend, the route from Mürren descends 300 meters (1,000 feet) over 2.2 kilometers (1.4 miles), reaching Gimmelwald in approximately three hours. The path primarily traverses the edge of the shelf, sitting between the woods on one side and the cliff falling into the valley on the other. The route also crosses multiple streams along the way. This adventure is not for the faint-hearted or those without a clear head for heights.
The route starts in the center of Mürren, south of the Sports Chalet, through a small unlit tunnel that leads to the bottom of the tennis court’s retaining wall. Here, you clip in and begin your adventure.
Much of the route follows the wooded edge of the cliff shelf. The first highlight is an airy stretch where you traverse the side of the cliff on rebar footings, looking down at the valley floor hundreds of meters below. This is followed by a long set of ladders descending to a smaller shelf.
Next, you encounter a couple of three-wire bridges across streams and waterfalls cascading down the cliff. An 80-meter Tyrolean zipline optionally replaces one of the three-wire bridges, but this is only available if you are with a guide.
Finally, you reach the 60-meter Nepalese suspension bridge. Although the sign indicates that multiple people can cross simultaneously, I wouldn’t recommend it for the faint-hearted, as the swaying escalates exponentially with each additional footstep. As you pause to take in the view, you can wave to passengers on the Stechelberg Cable Car.
From here, the route shortly becomes wooded and leads quickly to the Cable Car station in Gimmelwald. You can take a quick cable car ride to either Mürren or Stechelberg. Alternatively, there is a lovely one-hour walk back to Mürren if you haven’t had enough exercise yet.
However, before continuing, I highly recommend stopping for pizza and a drink at the Gimmelwald Mountain Hostel, a mere 60 m (200 ft) from the Gimmelwald Cable Car Station.
Details
Arriving:
The route starts in the center of Mürren, south of the Sports Chalet, through a small unlit tunnel that leads to the bottom of the tennis court’s retaining wall.
If arriving by car, park at the Cable Car station in Stechelberg and take the cable car to Mürren.
If arriving by train, take the cable car from Lauterbrunnen, followed by a small mountain train for the final stretch to Mürren. Either station in Mürren is a short walk to the center of town and the start of the Klettersteig.
Gear & Guide Options:
Intersports is only a few steps away from the start of the Klettersteig. They rent Klettersteig gear and offer scheduled trips with a guide if you are unfamiliar with Klettersteige.
Length: 2.2 km (1.4 miles)
Elevation Change: Descent of 300 m (1,000 ft)
Time: Allow 3 hours
Difficulty: K3