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INTRODUCTION

The view from Schynige Platte is one of the finest in all the Alps, with the ice-crested wall of the Bernese Alps spread out for inspection as your attention is inevitably drawn to the south.

From left to right this wall comprises the Wellhorn, Wetterhorn, Bärglistock, Schreckhorn, Lauteraarhorn, Finsteraarhorn, Fiescherhorn, Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau, Ebnefluh, Mittaghorn, Grosshorn, Breithorn, Tschingelhorn, Gspal tenhorn, Blüemlisalp and Doldenhorn; as grand a collection of mountains as you could wish to lay eyes upon. Glaciers and snowfields glisten among the peaks, while the deep U-shaped Lauterbrunnen Valley forms a trench between Jungfrau and Gspaltenhorn, and the middle ground is fussed with green hills, bare slabs and black shadowed pines.

Much of this backdrop forms part of the Jungfrau-Aletsch-Bietschhorn UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site, the first in the Alps to be granted this status, in recognition of the extraordinary beauty of its landscape.

The Tour of the Jungfrau Region (TJR) makes a journey of around 111km through this area, in a constant adoration of mountain and valley, of lake, river and feathery cascade. And by choosing the most scenic trails and some of the most atmospheric places for an overnight stay, it has all the ingredients to ensure a memorable nine or ten-day trek.

With such an array of iconic mountains as a background, it is no surprise that the Jungfrau Region counts among the most popular of any in the Alps. Since the birth of Alpine tourism in the 18th century, Grindelwald, Wengen, Lauterbrunnen and Mürren have been attracting visitors summer after summer to gaze on this backdrop, to climb its summits or to wander its trails. Over the decades hundreds of kilometres of new footpaths have been created, to join the timeless trails previously known only to local farmers, hunters, traders and crystal gatherers.

To service increasing numbers of visitors, hotels of all grades of luxury have added a kind of sophistication to the busiest of resorts, while more modest (but by no means less welcoming) inns, gasthofs and berghotels continue to provide accommodation and refreshment, often in remote and idyllic locations. Add to these the mountain huts and simple matratzenlagers (dormitories) created to meet the demands of the outdoor fraternity, and it will be clear that the region has a lot going for it!

The route

Beginning at Schynige Platte, the first stage of the TJR follows the classic Faulhornweg by way of the Sägistal, Faulhorn and glorious Bachsee as far as First, the upper station of Europe’s longest gondola lift which links Grindelwald with some of the region’s finest walking opportunities. Practically every step of this first stage enjoys a constantly evolving panorama of bewitching mountain splendour, an introduction upon which it would be impossible to improve.

The route then takes an undulating trail across pastureland to Grosse Scheidegg in the lap of the Wetterhorn, before cutting down the slope towards Grindelwald, but without actually going that far. It is here that the way divides, with one option taking a side trail climbing high above the Upper Grindelwald glacier’s gorge in order to visit the Gleckstein Hut at 2317m, while the original second stage ends at Hotel Wetterhorn midway between Grosse Scheidegg and Grindelwald.

The continuing route retains an ambition to stay high wherever possible, so it cuts across the mouth of the gorge and climbs to a balcony trail easing along the steep flank of the Mattenberg with a bird’s-eye view across to Grindelwald’s hotels. On reaching the end of this balcony, the way divides once more, with one branch striking through the gorge of the Lower Grindelwald glacier and climbing to Berghaus Bäregg, another exciting place in which to spend a night with magnificent views into a vast glacier basin backed by the Fiescherwand. Next day, you leave Bäregg’s lofty eyrie and return downvalley to rejoin the standard route, which crosses the mouth of the gorge, then rises steeply on the south side to gain another balcony path, this time on the lower slopes of the Eiger. Once again, views are impressive and far-reaching.

With Alpiglen within easy reach, the balcony path links up with the popular – and immensely scenic – Eiger Trail, which rises below the mountain’s notorious North Face and continues towards Eigergletscher, where the Jungfraujoch railway burrows into the mountainside. A path climbs onto the right bank lateral moraine of this glacier, and accompanies its drainage below the Jungfrau all the way down to the bed of the Lauterbrunnen Valley in an excessively long and steep – but inspiring – descent that emerges beside the well-known Trümmelbach Falls.

Flanked by towering walls of rock, down which numerous waterfalls spill their rainbows of spray, the Lauterbrunnen Valley is the finest example of a U-shaped, glacier-carved valley in all the Alps, and it marks the midway point of the Tour of the Jungfrau Region.

Of the many visual highlights on the trek to First, the Bachsee is one of the most memorable (Stage 1)

The TJR now wanders past some of these waterfalls on its way to Stechelberg, before entering the secretive upper reaches of the valley. Yet again the trekker is faced with two choices: a long and fairly demanding hike up the east flank towards the unmanned Schmadri Hut, or a much shorter bad weather alternative on the west side of the valley. The two options rejoin at Obersteinberg, after which the TJR climbs over a ridge extending from the Gspaltenhorn which forms the south wall of the deep Sefinental. On one of the toughest stages of the route, the trail continues by ascending the north wall of this tributary valley to finish at the Rotstock Hut, a pleasant manned refuge set among pastures below the Schilthorn.

The west ridge of the Schilthorn (Stage 8)

Known to thousands of tourists who visit the summit each year by cable-car from Mürren, the Schilthorn is a marvellous vantage point from which to study the Jungfrau and its neighbours that flank the Lauterbrunnen Valley. The TJR also visits the summit, but by a ‘sporting route’ along the mountain’s airy west ridge, before descending its east ridge, then dropping to a beautiful jade-green tarn and continuing the descent into the gentle basin of the Blumental, a few minutes’ walk above Mürren. (Should the weather demand you keep off exposed ridges, a much shorter and less demanding alternative avoids the Schilthorn traverse by taking a direct cross-country route to the Blumental.)

The penultimate stage crosses out of the Blumental basin and follows a north-bound trail across rumpled pastures to the Soustal, then continues to the Sulsalp and the little Suls-Lobhorn Hut, with its uninterrupted view of Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau turning bronze with the evening alpenglow.

The final section of this scenic trek teeters along a narrow path above the deep Sylertal, crosses a grassy ridge near the Bällehöchst viewpoint, then makes a long winding descent of cattle-grazed pastures into the Saxettal, a lonely valley that drains out at Wilderswil below the Schynige Platte.

Accommodation

There’s no shortage of accommodation on this route, and practically every stage presents several options (see Appendix B). There are hotels, gasthofs, mountain huts and matratzenlagers, mehrbettzimmer(n) (communal dormitories). There are wonderfully romantic berghotels and atmospheric pensions with creaking floors, candlelit dining rooms, gingham curtains and pitchers of water and a basin in the bedrooms reminiscent of Victorian ‘en suite’ facilities! On practically every stage modestly priced dormitories are available and, as meals are provided everywhere, walkers can trek unencumbered by heavy rucksacks.

Accommodation details are given throughout the descriptive text that follows this Introduction, with standard bedrooms and dormitories noted, along with contact telephone numbers and email and website addresses where known. Advance booking is advised, particulary in the height of the summer and at weekends, when accommodation tends to be very busy.

Suggested itineraries

The following itineraries are offered as a planning aid, although a flexible approach is recommended on the actual trek to take account of current conditions. Note that times given do not include rests or photographic delays, for which you should add another 25–50 per cent.

HUT CONVENTIONS

 On arrival at a mountain hut, remove boots and leave them (with your trekking poles) in the porch or boot room, and select a pair of special hut shoes or clogs found there – alternatively wear your own trainers.

 Locate the hut warden and book bedspace for the night, plus meals.

 When convenient go to the dormitory and make your bed in the space allocated; leave a torch handy as the room may not be lit when you need to go there after dark.

 Snacks and drinks are available during the day, but meals are served at set times.

 It is customary to pay for all services (cash only) the night before you leave.

 Before departing, enter your name in the hut book, together with a note of your planned destination.

Traditional dormitory at the Rotstock Hut

Stage 1 Schynige Platte to First (assuming Schynige Platte is reached on the day of travel from home; otherwise see Alternative Stage 1) – 5½hr

Alternative Stage 1 If you miss the last train to Schynige Platte on the day of travel, stay overnight in Wilderswil, then trek Schynige Platte to Berghotel Faulhorn – 4hr

Stage 2 First (or Berghotel Faulhorn) to Hotel Wetterhorn via Grosse Scheidegg (this gives time to visit Grindelwald after booking a bed at the hotel) – 3hr (or 4–4½hr+)

Alternative Stage 2 A highly recommended diversion starts about 2hr from First and climbs to the Gleckstein Hut set high on the slopes of the Wetterhorn (strong walkers only) – 5hr

Alternative Stage 2a Gleckstein Hut to Hotel Wetterhorn (a short but steep descent which gives time to visit Grindelwald) – 2½hr+

Stage 3 Hotel Wetterhorn to Alpiglen – 5hr

Alternative Stage 3 Hotel Wetterhorn to Berghaus Bäregg – 2½–3hr (this option could be combined with Alt. Stage 2a to make a splendid 5–5½hr trek)

Alternative Stage 3a Berghaus Bäregg to Alpiglen – 4–4½hr

Stage 4 Alpiglen to Kleine Scheidegg (Grindelwaldblick) via the Eiger Trail (after checking in at the Grindelwaldblick there should be sufficient time to visit the Männlichen summit viewpoint, or take the train to the Jungfraujoch) – 3½–4hr+

A FASTER ITINERARY?

Fit and experienced walkers with limited time at their disposal could double-up some of these stages to make a shorter trek, although this is a route that deserves to be taken at a leisurely pace with time allowed to savour the whole experience and absorb the views.

Stage 1 Schynige Platte to Grosse Scheidegg – 6hr 15mins

Stage 2 Grosse Scheidegg to Kleine Scheidegg/Grindelwaldblick – 9hr

Stage 3 Kleine Scheidegg to Obersteinberg – 7–7½hr

Stage 4 Obersteinberg to Rotstock Hut – 4hr

Stage 5 Rotstock Hut to the Blumental – 4½–5hr

Stage 6 Blumental to Wilderswil – 7½–8hr

Stage 5 Kleine Scheidegg (Grindel-waldblick) to Stechelberg by way of Mettlenalp and the Trümmelbach Falls – 4½–5hr

Stage 6 Stechelberg to Obersteinberg via the Schmadri Falls and upper Lauterbrunnen Valley – 5–5½hr

Alternative Stage 6 Stechelberg to Obersteinberg direct route (with time to visit the Oberhornsee tarn at the head of the Lauterbrunnen Valley) – 2½hr+

Stage 7 Obersteinberg to the Rotstock Hut, via the Busengrat (with a diversion to the Tanzbödeli viewpoint) and the deep Sefinental – 4½–5hr+

Stage 8 Rotstock Hut to the Blumental via a traverse of the Schilthorn (strong walkers with a good head for heights only) – 4½–5hr

Alternative Stage 8 Rotstock Hut to the Blumental by way of the Wasenegg Ridge and Schiltalp – 2hr

Stage 9 Blumental to the Suls-Lobhorn Hut via the Soustal – 3½hr+

Stage 10 Suls-Lobhorn Hut to Wilderswil via Saxeten – 4hr 15mins

On most stages it’s possible to take an alternative route should the weather or conditions on the mountains suggest it would be unwise to follow the standard itinerary. These alternative options are described where they occur within the main route text.

The Wetterhorn, seen from the trail that leads to Alpiglen (Stage 3)

How to get there

By air

Air travel information is notoriously vulnerable to change. Apart from complex fare structures, schedules are often rearranged at short notice, new routes introduced and as quickly abandoned, and airlines go out of business with little advance warning. Readers are therefore advised to check the current situation either through a local travel agent, or by browsing the internet.

The major relevant airports in Switzerland are Geneva, Zürich and Basle, all of which have regular scheduled flights from UK airports, with British Airways and Swiss International Airlines (the country’s renamed national airline) dominating the market, along with low-cost EasyJet. Aer Lingus also has scheduled flights to Geneva and Zürich from Dublin in co-operation with Swiss International Airlines.

Onward from airport to start of trek Geneva and Zürich airports are merely an escalator ride away from the main Swiss rail network, while Basle airport (actually sited in France) is a short transfer journey to the town’s railway station.

Catch a train to Bern, and change there for Interlaken Ost. Now take a local train (destination either Grindelwald or Lauterbrunnen) for the short journey to Wilderswil. Depending on your time of arrival, it may be necessary to spend the first night here. At Wilderswil station buy a ticket for the spectacular 45–50mins cog railway ride to Schynige Platte where the TJR begins, some 1403m above Wilderswil. The trek actually starts from the station platform, but if you manage to arrive here on the day of travel from home, it’s advisable to spend the first night at Berghotel Schynige Platte, and begin the walk next morning.

USEFUL WEBSITES

British Airways – www.britishairways.com – currently flies to Switzerland from London (Heathrow & Gatwick), Birmingham and Manchester

EasyJet – www.easyjet.com – flies from Gatwick, Luton, East Midlands and Liverpool

Swiss International Airlines – www.swiss.com – has flights from London (Heathrow and City), Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh

Aer Lingus – www.aerlingus.ie – has daily non-stop flights from Dublin to Zürich, and a less-frequent service to Geneva

The following online booking agents have easy-to-use sites:

Cheapflights.com – www.cheapflights.com – feed your details into the search engine and wait for the response

Expedia – www.expedia.co.uk – for discount fares and daily deals

Flightbookers – www.ebookers.com – low fares on scheduled flights

Trailfinders – www.trailfinders.com – specialists for independent travellers

By train

With a combination of Eurostar from London’s St Pancras to Paris via the Channel Tunnel, followed by TGV to Lausanne, high-speed rail travel provides a viable (but possibly more expensive) alternative for those who prefer not to fly. Currently Eurostar operates at least 14 trains per day for the 3hr+ journey between St Pancras and the Gare du Nord in Paris, where you transfer to the Gare du Lyon for TGV departure to Lausanne – a journey of around 4½hr. Change at Lausanne for Bern, and again at Bern for Interlaken Ost. Then on to Wilderswil for the Schynige Platte cog railway, as outlined above.

On a day of storm, the Wetterhorn pierces the clouds as two walkers approach First (Stage 1)

For up-to-date rail information, contact Rail Europe www.raileurope.com. Note that the Switzerland Travel Centre can take reservations for Eurostar, TGV and Swiss rail travel (tel freephone 00800 100 200 30).

Under 26?

Consider purchasing a Billet International de Jeunesse (BIJ) for discounts of up to 50 per cent on international rail journeys. Contact Rail Europe, 179 Piccadilly, London W1 (for website details see above).

Internet train times

To work out your Swiss rail journey in advance, log on to www.sbb.ch, and feed in details of the journey’s start, destination and date of travel. You will receive all the information you require, including station platform numbers where a change of train is needed.

When to go

The season for high-level walking in the Alps is dictated by the amount and timing of the previous winter’s snowfall, restrictions imposed by the onset of cold, inclement weather in the autumn and, where a multi-day journey is involved, the availability of accommodation.

Working within these limitations, in a ‘normal’ summer the best time to tackle the Tour of the Jungfrau Region will be from late June to the end of September, but bear in mind that frequent thunderstorms are common until about mid-August. As the Bernese Oberland is the first of the major Alpine districts to collect weather patterns flowing across northwest Europe, it attracts more rain and low cloud than most of its neighbouring high mountain regions.

Handrails and metal rungs aid a steep section of the Schilthorn’s West Ridge (Stage 8)

The summer high season – when all facilities are open, trails at their busiest and prices at their highest – runs throughout July and August. Given the freedom to choose September, which often enjoys settled conditions, could be seen then as the optimum month to tackle the TJR. Try to avoid walking Stage 5 on the first Saturday in September when this section of the tour as far as Trummelbach becomes part of the Jungfrau Marathon course. Accommodation in or near Kleine Scheidegg could also be at a premium that weekend.

For a four-day weather forecast before you go, check the website of MeteoSwiss: www.meteo.ch.

Language

German (or, to be more precise, Schwyzerdütsch) is the regional language of Canton Bern, although English is widely understood throughout the area trekked by the TJR. A basic German/English primer will be found in Appendix C.

Notes for walkers

Although the route described in this guide makes a journey through one of Europe’s most challenging mountain districts, no technical skills are demanded of the trekker tackling the TJR. However, there are several short exposed sections (mostly safeguarded with fixed cable handrail), and a few places where metal rungs or ladders aid the ascent or descent of a rock slab or, as on the ascent of the Schilthorn, a steep section of ridge. Apart from these, trails are mostly straightforward and well maintained, but if wet from rain or snowmelt, or skimmed with a glaze of ice, there could be some potentially dangerous sections demanding extra care.

As mentioned earlier, the frequency of accommodation and places of refreshment enable the walker to tackle the route without the need to carry a bulging rucksack, but to gain the maximum enjoyment from the trek you will need to be fit. There are a number of steep inclines and a few long stages that will be easier to face if you’ve made an effort to get yourself in shape before leaving home. The best way of doing this is by taking regular exercise. You won’t regret it.

Once you’ve begun the trek, settle to a comfortable pace and don’t lose sight of your companions.

Please be considerate when making a toilet stop during the day. Keep well away from water sources, burn used toilet paper, and bury faeces as effectively as possible. Remember that derelict buildings should not be used as public conveniences; they could serve as a shelter from storm for yourself and other walkers. And please leave no litter, but take used packaging home for proper disposal.

WHAT TO TAKE

 The choice of footwear is of prime importance. Boots should fit well, be comfortable, and broken in before leaving home. They need to provide sound ankle support and have thick cleated soles (Vibram or similar) with plenty of grip.

 Good waterproofs are essential, not only for protection against rain, but to double as windproofs. Jacket and overtrousers made from a ‘breathable’ fabric are recommended, as is a lightweight collapsible umbrella – indispensible for those who wear glasses.

 Even in mid-summer conditions can seem wintry above 2000m on sunless or windy days, so a fleece or pile jacket should also be taken, plus a warm hat and gloves. Note that one of the simplest and most effective ways of regulating body temperature is to either wear or remove your hat and gloves.

 As well as protection against wet and cold, you should be prepared for extremes of sunshine and heat – the intensity of UV rays increases by 10 per cent with every 1000m of altitude gained. A brimmed hat, ultra-high factor suncream, lipsalve and sunglasses should therefore be taken. Wear lightweight layers that can be easily removed in hot weather.

 Carry a first aid kit, water bottle (1 litre minimum capacity), guidebook, map, compass, headtorch with spare bulb and batteries, and a whistle. Also a penknife and emergency food.

 Take a lightweight towel and personal toiletries (plus toilet paper and lighter), and a sheet sleeping bag for use in huts and dormitories.

 Telescopic trekking poles have numerous uses, and will ease the strain on legs during steep descents.

 Your rucksack should fit comfortably, with the waistbelt adjusted to take the weight and eliminate unnecessary movement when walking. It ought to be possible to keep the weight of your equipment down to an absolute maximum of 10kg (20lbs). A waterproof cover is highly recommended, and a large thick polythene bag in which to pack your gear inside the rucksack will safeguard items from getting damp in the event of bad weather. A selection of plastic bags of assorted sizes will also be useful.

Equipment

As for clothing and equipment for the trek, what you select can be crucial to your comfort and enjoyment. See ‘What to Take’ above.

Recommended maps

Swiss maps are among the best in the world in terms of accuracy and artistic representation. The official Swiss mapping authority, the Bundesamt für Landestopographie, publishes three major series of sheets that cover the whole country at 1:100,000, 1:50,000 and 1:25,000, while the independent publisher, Kümmerly & Frey, has produced a series of walkers’ maps at 1:60,000.

While the greatest amount of detail will be found on the 1:25,000 sheets, the specific maps recommended for the Tour of the Jungfrau Region are either the K&F sheet entitled Jungfrau Region (number 18), or two sheets of the official Swiss survey at 1:50,000 – 254T Interlaken and 264T Jungfrau. These should be adequate for most walkers’ needs.

On both the Kümmerly & Frey sheet and those of the Swiss survey major paths are highlighted, as are huts. However, as the TJR is not an officially recognised route as yet, you will need to refer to the maps in this book to identify the actual trails adopted for the trek.

Safety in the mountains

Although paths used on the TJR are mostly waymarked and clearly defined under normal conditions, there could be occasions when the way is less obvious and concentration called for; there are also several remote sections where an accident could have serious consequences. Mountains contain a variety of objective dangers for the unwary, and it behoves all who tackle a multi-day trek to be alert to any such possible danger and prepared to cope with any hazards that might arise. The following list of dos and don’ts contain common-sense suggestions based on years of experience, and are offered as a means of avoiding mishaps. With a little attention to detail, the chances are that you’ll experience nothing more distressing than a small blister.

SAFETY DOS AND DON’TS

 Plan each day’s stage with care. Study the route outline, taking account of the amount of height gain and loss, and the estimated time needed to reach your destination. Don’t overestimate your own physical ability or that of your companions, but make a generous allowance for delays and interruptions, for bad weather and imperfect trail conditions.

 Check the weather forecast with the hut keeper or hotel staff before setting out.

 Watch for signs of deteriorating weather. Never be too proud to turn back should it be safer to do so than continue in the face of an oncoming storm, or on a trail that has become unjustifiably dangerous.

 Don’t venture onto exposed ridges if a storm is imminent, but in the event of being caught out by one, avoid isolated trees, prominent rocks or metallic objects (temporarily discard trekking poles), and refrain from taking shelter in caves, beneath overhanging rocks or in gullies. Instead kneel or squat on your rucksack, with head down and hands on knees.

 Know how to read your map and compass; consult the map and guidebook frequently and anticipate any obstacles, change of direction or fork in the path. Do not stray from the path in foggy conditions.

 Carry a few emergency rations and a first aid kit.

 In the unhappy event of an accident, stay calm. Move yourself and, if feasible, the injured person (with care not to aggravate the injury) away from any imminent danger of stonefall or avalanche, and apply immediate first aid. Keep the victim warm, using any spare clothes available. Make a written note of exactly where the victim can be found, and either telephone for assistance using a mobile phone (if available, and you can get a signal), or send for help while someone remains with the injured member – assuming, that is, that you’re in a party of more than two people. Should a mountain hut or farm be nearby, seek assistance there. If valley habitation is nearer, find a telephone and dial:117 (emergency number – police)1414 (for helicopter rescue, but note that this should only be used if absolutely essential)

 Should it be impossible to go for help, the international distress signal (given at the front of this book) is: six blasts on a whistle (and flashes with a torch after dark) spaced evenly for one minute, followed by a minute’s pause. Repeat for as long as necessary. The response is three signals per minute followed by a minute’s pause.

Remember…

There is no free rescue service in Switzerland, and no free hospital treatment either. The cost of an emergency could therefore be extremely expensive. Be adequately insured, and be cautious. (It is advisable to leave a copy of your travel itinerary and insurance details with a responsible person at home, and to carry with you photocopies of important documents – information pages of passport, insurance certificate, travel tickets etc – as well as emergency home contact address and telephone number.)

Wildlife and alpine flowers

Walking the Tour of the Jungfrau Region promises to be a multi-dimensional experience that goes beyond simply wandering through an ever-changing mountain landscape. The Alps are populated with a varied wildlife and clothed with a richly diverse vegetation, observation of which can be a tremendous enrichment to your days in the mountains. What can be seen? Well, if you walk quietly and remain alert, there are plenty of possibilities…

Chamois are shy members of the antelope family, and characteristic of the Alpine regions. With their short sickle-shaped horns they are immediately distinguished from the female ibex, but are every bit as agile and fleet-footed. In summer their coat is a dark reddish-brown with a notable black stripe along the spine, and a distinctive white lower jaw. They have an incomparable sense of smell and acute hearing, which makes them difficult to approach closely, but it’s quite possible that sightings will be made during the trek by observant walkers. When surprised, the chamois makes a sharp wheezing snort of a warning.

A female ibex in silhouette outside the Gleckstein Hut

It’s always exciting to watch ibex on their home territory. With a much stockier body than the chamois, and (in the male) larger, knobbly, scimitar-like horns, the ibex has adapted perfectly to its chosen hostile environment and can scale the steepest of cliffs with apparent ease. A visit to the Gleckstein Hut (Alternative Stage 2) will almost guarantee a sighting of these majestic animals, while a small herd roams the wild upper reaches of the Lauterbrunnen Valley above Obersteinberg.

Of all Alpine mammals, the marmot is the most endearing and most often seen. These sociable furry rodents live in colonies among a range of habitats below the permanent snowline, sometimes even excavating their burrows alongside a busy path. Growing to the size of a large hare, and weighing as much as 10kg, the marmot spends 5 to 6 months each winter in hibernation, emerging in springtime looking rather lean and scruffy, but soon fattening up on the summer grasses. The famous shrill whistling sound – given as a warning of danger – is emitted from the back of the throat by an alert adult sitting up on its haunches. Seen in numerous places along the route, between First and Grosse Scheidegg the trek passes the entrance to what is locally known as ‘marmot valley’.

The marmot is the most endearing of alpine animals

During or just after rain, when water lies in puddles, you may notice a shiny black alpine salamander waddling slowly across the path. With bulging eyes, this 11 to 15cm-long amphibious creature has been found as high as 3000m; but I once saw more than a dozen on a very damp day along the path from Kleine Scheidegg to Männlichen.

The dainty roe deer inhabits forested areas of the Alps, but – with exceptional hearing and a nervous disposition – it’s not easy to catch unawares. Red squirrels, on the other hand, can often be seen scampering among the trees, their almost black coat and tufted ears being recognisable features. These conifer woods are also home to the nutcracker whose alarm cry of kre kre kre makes it a rival to the jay as the policeman of the woods. With large head, strong beak, tawny speckled breast and swooping flight, the nutcracker is noted for breaking pine cones open in order to free the fatty seeds which it hides to feed on in winter.

The alpine chough is one of the commonest birds likely to be met during a trek along the TJR. The unmistakable yellow beak and coral-red feet distinguish it from other members of the crow family, and you should be able to study them from close range as they hop around you and scavenge after picnic crumbs.

Look out for the dipper among mountain streams. This short-tailed, dark-plumed bird, with a white apron of a breast, flits from rock to rock before plunging into the water in search of larvae. Emerging upstream, it then hurries to another rock for a quick shake of feathers and twitch of the tail before flitting to the next rock and diving for food once more. We sat beside the stream in the Soustal and were entertained for several minutes by the antics of this feathered diver.

As for Alpine flora, the Bernese Oberland contains all the main zones and habitats of mountain flowers: lush valley meadowlands, marshy stream-side meadows, high acid bogs, alp pastures, deciduous woods and coniferous forests, low-level rocky outcrops, high rock faces (both wet and dry), soil-less screes, damp slopes below snowfields, moraine banks, and wind-scoured rock ridges. The TJR journeys among most of these habitats in a route whose altitude range varies from 600m to almost 3000m, so – depending on the timing of your trek – there’s a good chance of seeing a great variety of flowering plants along the way.

Clockwise from top left: Arnica montana thrives among the limestone; the great yellow gentian (Gentiana lutea); the pure white St Bruno’s lily (Pradisea lpiliastrom); the very showy Willow gentian (Gentiana asclepiadea); Alpine anemone, or pasque flower (Pulsatilla alpina); one of several species of bellflower seen on the TJR

To get an idea of what to expect, why not visit the famous Schynige Platte Alpine Garden before you set out on the first stage? Spread across the hillside just above the station at an altitude of around 2000m, the Alpengarten is said to have around 500 of Switzerland’s 620 flowering species represented there. Winding footpaths and flights of steps give access to all parts of the garden, and an hour or so spent there will indicate what is in flower and what may be found during your multi-day trek.