The Männlichenbahn whisks you up to an altitude of 2230m and the views from the top are simply spectacular! From this peak, you have an array of easy to intermediate hiking trails.
The view from the top of the cable car:
The Royal Walk is a new addition to the menu this summer. It’s a lovely themed walk taking you up to the Männlichen peak. It’s an uphill climb – but boy is it worth it, and it only takes about 25 minutes to reach the viewing plateau! The plateau itself is obviously the crown! From here you get the best 360 degree panoramic views but along the trail you also learn interesting facts about the Alpine world. Here is a selection of my photos in an attempt to illustrate its spectacular beauty:
The next hike is often the first on everyone’s to-do list! Nicknamed ‘The Granny Walk’ it’s one of the easiest walks in the area. Its official name is the Panorama Walk and it’s a flat / gentle downhill walk from the Männlichen along the east flank of the Tschuggen. You reach Honegg and then Rotstockli from where it’s only a short distance to Kleine Scheidegg. This walk offers stunning views of the Monch, Eiger and Jungrau snow-capped mountains. The walk takes roughly 1 hour and 20 minutes, and you can enjoy a refreshing drink near the train station before taking the train back down to Interlaken. For more enthusiastic hikers, you can instead take the trail down to Alpigen afterwards.
Next on the hit list is the Lieselotteweg. Lieselotte is a famous picture book cow in Germany. The walk starts from the top of the Manlichen and takes you to Holenstein, taking approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes (add extra time if you have young children who will want to play!). The walk is downhill and more of an easy-intermediate walk due to its gradient in some places. This walk was designed with children in mind so there are lots of things for them to explore along the way down and most importantly keeping them engaged and occupied! Along this walk you will see a lot of real (and fake!) cows. Once you reach the mid-station at Holenstein there is also a play area for children. From here you can take the gondola down to Grindelwald Grund before hopping on the train back to Interlaken. Keen hikers can walk the second stage down to Grund if they’d rather. That part is more of a road path than a mountain trail.
You can even play the Alp Horn!
The final hike on my Männlichen must-do list is the Apple Fritter trail! Take the gondola to Holenstein, and admire the stunning view down to Grindelwald. This is an intermediate hike and takes about 1 hour 30 minutes. I really enjoyed this hike as it offered such a mixture of terrain and views. At the start you walk downhill across the meadow and open countryside and I was lucky enough to see an alpine deer on my journey! The path then leads you through a tranquil forest area – lovely and shaded on a hot summer day. Then you finish out in the open mountainside again where you will see a popular restaurant next to Brandegg train station. Apparently this place serves up the best apple fritters in Switzerland! Catch the train back down to Grindelwald before returning to Interlaken. Again, you have the option to walk the path and road down the mountain if you like!
The Berghaus serving the best apple fritters!
Blog by Lauren Crossley, Resort Representative in Kandersteg & Interlaken.