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PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION

Shortly after the first edition of this guide was published in 2006, I received an email from a highly experienced trek leader, who said: ‘I’m sure the TJR is destined to become one of the great walks of the world!’ That view has since been endorsed by countless other hill walkers who have followed in her footsteps.

Located in one of Europe’s finest mountain regions, the whole tour is a feast of scenic delights, while accommodation and refreshment stops along the way add much to the trekker’s experience.

I knew this long before the route was properly worked out, for since my first visit to the Jungfrau Region in the mid-1960s I’ve spent a great many weeks either selecting routes for guidebooks or leading walking holidays there, and loving every minute. Who wouldn’t? The mountains are second to none in visual drama, the meadows extravagant with alpine flowers, the wildlife plentiful. But every visit would reveal changes, either to the tourist infrastructure, or to the landscape itself. So chairlifts became gondolas, places to stay overnight increased in number, paths were rerouted as a result of a rockfall or spring flood, snowfields and glaciers shrank in size, and huge chunks or mountain and moraine collapsed – thanks to the effects of global warming. Previous editions of this guidebook reflected the landscape as it was during research, but I’m prepared to bet that before the fourth edition goes to print, there will be more changes to report.

None of these things detract from the delights of the Tour of the Jungfrau Region, and my wish is that when you’ve completed your tour, you will come to echo the words slightly misquoted from the top of the page, that the TJR is one of the great walks of the world!

May you enjoy every step, and greet each day as the gift it is.

Kev Reynolds, 2018