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PREFACE TO THE FOURTH EDITION

Approaching the Eldorado slabs on the way to the Lauteraar Hut (Route 6)

The Eiger floats on a sea of mist as dusk settles over the Grindelwald basin – the view from First (Route 14)

Although the previous three editions of this guide were published as The Bernese Alps, I have been persuaded to change the title to ‘The Bernese Oberland’, since this is how the mountains of Switzerland’s canton Bern are better known by the general public. The outline borders of the region whose valleys and routes are described within these pages, have not changed. Nor has the dramatic beauty of its mountains. But some of their individual features have. Thanks to climate change, since this book first appeared, many of the glaciers and snowfields have been substantially reduced or even vanished completely, moraines have collapsed after being undercut, and massive chunks of rock have broken away from the main block of mountain of which they were previously a part. Anyone who makes frequent visits to the European Alps will be aware of such dramatic changes; yet the appeal of the Bernese Oberland as one of the Continent’s most exciting destinations for the discerning mountain walker, remains as powerful as ever.

Gathering material for new editions of this guide is always rewarding, for it draws me back to a region I first knew in the 1960s and whose magic never fades. It also deepens friendships among many who live there, and provides opportunities to revisit the huts, pensions and remote mountain inns that add to its appeal. But as the previous paragraph makes clear, nothing remains static – not the mountains, not the trails, nor the facilities on offer at the places where we spend a night. In preparing this edition I have done my best to provide updated information, although it’s been impossible to re-walk every route or stay in every hut and hotel listed. As a result I’ve had to delete one valley completely and five routes that appeared in previous editions, but there are still nine other valleys and no less than 110 walks described, which should be enough to satisfy the ambitions of most active walkers. However, should you discover a path that has been re-routed, or the features of a valley or mountain have been altered to such an extent that some of the descriptions are no longer valid, I’d appreciate a note giving details in order that I can check them out and make amendments to the next edition or updated reprint. Information can be sent by email to info@cicerone.co.uk and any future updates will appear on the Bernese Oberland updates section of the Cicerone website at www.cicerone.co.uk/796/updates.

On my latest visit to the region I benefitted from the company of my wife (the best of all companions), and our good friends Alan and Morna Whitlock, as well as from the recommendations of Marc Jones and Diane Sifis at the ever-welcoming Alpenhof in Stechelberg, Troy Haines of Alpinehikers, and Silvia Linder in Mürren – each of whom has a way of expressing their enthusiasm for the Lauterbrunnen Valley in particular that is truly contagious. Hut wardens and the proprietors of countless berghausen across the region often unwittingly provided invaluable information, while the staff at Switzerland Tourism in London were extremely generous in providing assistance with travel.

Jonathan Williams and his team at Cicerone in Milnthorpe, once again gave me the benefit of their skills and talents (and their much-valued friendship) by creating the book you hold in your hands; their support and encouragement is a real bonus to our long-standing partnership. To them and all the above, my gratitude is more than I can adequately express.

Kev Reynolds