Thursday 6 October: Grindelwald & Fïrst

This morning we caught the bus back to Grindelwald, where we took some pictures of the little farmhouses in the green valley. We then took a gondola (cable car) to Fïrst. This was a long ride - 25 minutes or so, and the climb is over 1000 metres.

At Fïrst, the view was stunning. There is a terrace which overlooks a whole range of major peaks and valleys. We had some coffee to warm us (it was quite cold) and took some pictures.

All the brochures for this area feature a magnificent-looking lake called the Bachalpsee. This is only accessible on foot, and the signposts indicated it was a 50 minute walk (each way). We were initially reluctant until we saw a man on crutches coming back down the path. "I made it, so you should be able to". Off we went - the path was pretty steep in places, but it was not too difficult. It took just on an hour, with one or two slippery areas where snow had drifted over the path. Once we got there, it was worth the effort. The mountain reflections in the water weren't perfect, and there was a big bank of clouds shrouding some of the peaks, but it was still a magnificent scene.

We walked back to Fïrst, and re-traced our path back to Interlaken. Another beautiful day in Switzerland!