Route: Leiterhorn from Wengen
Area: Lauterbrunnental, Switzerland
Date of walk: 17th June 2024
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 4.2 miles
Ascent: 1,000 feet
Weather: Sunny and warm
We’d enjoyed a wonderful walk to Gimmelwald earlier in the day and decided to take advantage of the continuing good weather by planning an afternoon walk. From our base at the excellent Alpenrose Hotel in Wengen we walked past the railway station and along the main street. On reaching the outskirts of the village we continued along the quiet lane (Wengen is traffic free), passing through a few small settlements. Near Am Hubel there were wonderful views along the Lauterbrunnen Valley. This is one of best places to admire the view to the head of the valley
We made a short diversion to a viewpoint at Hunneflue which has an extensive view along the valley, but looking towards Interlaken instead of the peaks at the valley head. This is the end of the ridge and beyond the fence at the viewpoint lies a fearsome cliff which plunges to the valley floor
Instead of retracing our steps we decided to make a circuit by visiting the peak of Leiterhorn (1,525m). This involved a short there and back detour and, from a viewing station at the top, there was another wonderful vista, this time looking towards Interlaken. After retracing our steps we followed an easy track downhill which is well signed for Wengen. The path took us through woodland, with plenty of gaps in the trees giving good views over the valley. On arriving just above Wengen we left the main track to follow a narrow path through meadows down into the village (the path is easily missed as the sign to Wengen is partially obscured). It just remained to wander through the streets of Wengen back to the start
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View over Wengen as we set off from our hotel, looking along the Lauterbrunnen Valley towards Breithorn with its head in the clouds
We walk along the main street of Wengen, which is a car-free village
Leaving Wengen
Looking back to the Grütschalp cable car station where we started this morning's walk
This is one of the best places to view the Lauterbrunnen Valley in all its splendour
The Staubbach Falls
The Jungfrau top left
We follow the lane past a few scattered settlements beyond Wengen
Looking back to the foot of the Jungfrau
Chalet with a view
We make a short there and back diversion to a viewpoint at Hunneflue
We arrive at the viewpoint, perched on the edge of a cliff
Looking towards Winderswil and Interlaken...
...and now looking back to Grütschalp
We retrace our steps and resume the climb up to Leiterhorn, enjoying more views of the Lauterbrunnen Valley along the way...
Cutting the meadows above Wengen
We make another short there and back diversion to Leiterhorn
The viewpoint at Leiterhorn
Looking towards Interlaken...
...and across to the other side of the Lauterbrunnen Valley
We retrace our steps and set out on the return to Wengen
The paths are well waymarked and we turn right here to follow the sign for Wengen
We follow an easy track through the woods
The Jungfrau in the background
The Lauterbrunnen Valley below...
Wengen below...
We leave the track to follow this easily missed path down into Wengen and the end of another wonderul walk
