Page 535 - Lonely Planet Europe’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

bulk of Mt Titlis (www.titlis. fins ahead, before you Brunni cable car (www.
ch) – central Switzerland’s step out onto Titlis sta- brunni.ch; cable car one-way/
tallest mountain – and tion’s terrace (3020m), return Sfr18/30, incl chairlift
frosted peaks, which with a panorama that one-way/return Sfr26/42) goes
feature in many a Bol- stretches to Eiger, Mönch up to Ristis at 1600m,
lywood production, is and Jungfrau in the where a chairlift takes
divine. After visiting the Bernese Oberland. For you to the Swiss Alpine
12th-century Benedictine even more thrilling views, Club’s refurbished Brunni
Engelberg Monastery step onto the adjacent Hütte. From here you can
(Kloster Engelberg; %041 639 Cliff Walk (www.titlis.ch/en/ watch a magnificent sun-
61 19; www.kloster-engelberg. glacier/cliff-walk; h9.15am- set before spending the
ch; church admission free, tours 4.45pm) – opened in 2012, night, should you wish.
adult/child Sfr8/free; h1hr this 100m-long, 1m-wide,
tour 10am & 4pm Wed-Sat), get cable-supported swinging 4 p539
closer to the heavens via walkway is Europe’s high- The Drive » As Engelberg
the world’s first revolv- est suspension bridge. is a ‘dead end’ retrace your SWITZERLAND 37 THE SwISS ALPS
ing cable car (www.titlis. There are some 360km route back to the A2, heading
ch/en/tickets/cable-car-ride; of marked hiking trails west, before turning onto the
adult/child return Sfr89/44.50; in and around Engelberg. A8 (direction Interlaken), and
continuing alongside bright-blue
h8.30am-5pm). The cable For gentle ambles and Brienzersee to Giessbachfälle
car pirouettes over the gorgeous scenery, head (one hour and 10 minutes, 71km).
dazzling Titlis Glacier, for Brunni on the oppo-
peaks rising like shark site side of the valley. The

AROUND GRINDELWALD: FIRST
From Grindelwald, a cable car zooms up to First, the trailhead for 100km of paths,
half of which stay open in winter. From here, you can trudge up to Faulhorn (2681m;
2½ hours), even in winter, via the cobalt Bachalpsee (Lake Bachalp). As you march
along the ridge, the unfolding views of the Jungfrau massif are entrancing. Stop for
lunch and 360-degree views at Faulhorn. From here, you might like to continue on to
Schynige Platte (another three hours) and return by train.
Other great walks head to Schwarzhorn (three hours), Grosse Scheidegg (1½
hours), Unterer Gletscher (1½ hours) and Grindelwald itself (2½ hours).
First has 60km of well-groomed pistes, which are mostly wide, meandering
reds suited to intermediates. The south-facing slopes make for interesting skiing
through meadows and forests. Freestylers should check out the kickers and rails at
Bärgelegg or have a go on the superpipe at Schreckfeld station.
Faulhorn happens to be the starting point for Europe’s longest toboggan run,
accessible only on foot. Bring a sled to bump and glide 15km over icy pastures and
through glittering woodlands all the way back down to Grindelwald via Bussalp.
Nicknamed ‘Big Pintenfritz’, the track lasts around 1½ hours, depending on how fast
you slide.
Year-round, you can get your pulse racing on the First Flyer, a staggeringly fast
zip-line from First to Schreckfeld. The mountains are but a blur as, secure in your
harness, you pick up speeds of around 84km/h.
Opened in 2015, the First Cliff Walk is a summit trail with a 40m-long suspen-
sion bridge, climbing stairs and an observation deck, with suitably impressive views
of the local landscape and the jaw-dropping mountains.

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