Height gain
Originally known as the Pavilion Dolfus, the Lauteraar Hut sits on a grassy shelf overlooking the concordia of two major glacier systems; the Lauteraargletscher and the Finsteraargletscher which combine to become the Unteraargletscher. This serves as a highway into the very heart of the Bernese Alps. As their names suggest, the Lauteraar Glacier is headed by the Lauteraarhorn, the Finsteraar Glacier by the Finsteraarhorn. Also in view are the Schreckhorn and Oberaarhorn and a range of mountain walls and pinnacles.
This approach route skirts the dismal-looking Grimselsee, then heads along the rubble-strewn Unteraargletscher through a landscape more reminiscent of the barren Karakoram than of the pastoral Alps. But this raw, monochrome mountainscape has great attraction for many of us, and serves as a direct contrast to that enjoyed on the vast majority of walks included in this guide. Although the route wanders along a glacier, it should be pointed out that this glacier is likely to be roughly carpeted with morainic debris. No crevasses were detected when the walk was researched, but it is important to follow marker poles and cairns (not always easy to see) for the precise up-to-date route. In poor visibility the correct point at which the glacier is left may be difficult to locate.
From the Grimsel Hospice (reached by postbus from Meiringen) go down a series of steps and across the top of the reservoir’s dam wall. Climbing up the far side the path takes you high above the northern side of the Grimselsee, through a tunnel and out to steep, shrub-covered hillsides heading west. It’s a fine walk, much of it among clusters of alpenrose, passing below cascades, then the Eldorado slabs that are very popular with climbers.
Buddhist prayer flags bring a touch of the Himalaya to the Unteraargletscher
At the far end of the lake (2–2½hrs) the path takes you onto the moraine-covered Unteraargletscher. From here the way is marked with poles and cairns on the right-hand (northern) side of the glacier, meandering to find the easiest route. On the glacier has been built a huge chorten, complete with prayer flags, which adds to the Himalayan, or Karakoram-like atmosphere.
In the first half of the 19th century the Swiss glaciologist, Louis Agassiz, built a shelter on the Unteraargletscher as a base for his studies. The so-called Hôtel des Neuchatelois consisted of ‘a large cave on a rock-island in the middle of the glacier, formed by a huge overhanging block of mica schist, made more weatherproof by a wall of stones, and more comfortable by layers of grass and oilcloth’. In the summer of 1841, James David Forbes, the young Scots geologist, adopted the ‘hotel’ as his base not only for scientific studies, but also to make the fourth ascent (and first British ascent) of the Jungfrau.
About 1hr or so along the glacier you come to a point where you can see the valley’s right-hand wall has a shallow indent with grass-covered slabs at its western end. A sign and marker poles direct you off the glacier here, then with painted waymarks on rocks you pick a route up rough slopes to find a clear path leading upvalley. Crossing one or two streams gain a grassy knoll and at last come to the Lauteraar Hut, which is not seen until just before you reach it.
The SAC-owned Lauteraar Hut has 40 places and a resident guardian during July and September when a full meals service is offered (Tel 033 973 11 10 www.lauteraarhuette.ch). Views are remarkable and justify the effort involved in getting here.
ROUTE 7
Meiringen (595m) – Rosenlaui (1328m)
| Start | Meiringen (595m) |
| Distance | 8km (one way) |
| Height gain | 733m |
| Grade | 2 |
| Time | 3hrs |
| Location | SSW of Meiringen |
Rosenlaui has a magical ring about it. Snug among the trees at the foot of the Wellhorn on the way to the Grosse Scheidegg, it is very much a climbing centre, with the big walls of the Engelhörner nearby. This approach walk, though steep at first, is none too arduous, and is just one section of a longer crossing to Grindelwald. Since much of the valley is hemmed in by steep mountains and forest, it’s preferable to choose a bright day to tackle this outing, otherwise it can seem unnecessarily gloomy.
Leaving Meiringen take the main valley road out of town and across the Aare river to enter the neighbouring village of Willigen. About 50m beyond Hotel Tourist turn right along a narrow road between a house and a barn. When the road ends take a grass path rising steeply ahead. This brings you onto another minor road which you follow briefly before cutting away again on the continuing path. Several times this path leapfrogs the road, but is waymarked with precision so there is little chance of missing it. It leads over pastures and soon reaches the hamlet of Schwendi (792m; 40mins). Accommodation may be had here at Hotel Schwendi (Tel 033 971 28 25).
Continue along the road for a short distance until a footpath cuts off to the right, enters forest and becomes a paved mule-track that brings you to Gasthaus Zwirgi (Tel 033 971 14 22), located near the Reichenbach Falls. A signpost here suggests it will take 45mins to reach Kalterbrunnen. The path leaves the road on the left and takes you through more forest and meadow before rejoining the road near Berggasthof Kaltenbrunnen (1210m) about 1¾hrs from Meiringen (beds & dorm accommodation Tel 033 971 19 08). A 4hr circular walk from Kaltenbrunnen breaks away to the northwest, visits Kaltenbrunnen Alp and Stafel, and continues to the Hochmoor – Europe’s highest protected upland moor at around 1800m.
By now the gradient has eased with the valley stretching ahead, steep-walled and forested. Keep to the road until it makes a left-hand hairpin, where you keep ahead on a footpath alongside the stream all the way to Rosenlaui. As you approach Gschwantenmad – a group of old barns and farmhouses at 1304m (2¼hrs) – the valley opens to reveal the Engelhörner peaks above to the left, the broken snout of the Rosenlaui Glacier, and the Wetterhorn at the head of the valley. Remain left of the stream, and in another 15mins or so you will arrive at Rosenlaui, with the massive Victorian Hotel Rosenlaui (beds & dorm places Tel 033 971 29 12 www.rosenlaui.ch).
While visiting Rosenlaui a recommended side-trip goes to the Gletscherschlucht (entry fee), a narrow glacier-carved gorge with spectacular cascades just a few minutes’ walk from the hotel.
ROUTE 8
Meiringen (595m) – Schwarzwaldalp (1458m) – Grosse Scheidegg (1962m) – Grindelwald (1034m)
| Start | Meiringen (595m) |
| Distance | 21km |
| Height gain | 1367m |
| Height loss | 928m |
| Grade | 2–3 |
| Time | 7½hrs |
| Location | Southwest of Meiringen |
This is the classic walker’s route to Grindelwald; a trek that’s well worth tackling, either in its entirety or, if you consider the distance too far for one day, by breaking the journey with an overnight spent at some midway point (several