Wengen
Wonderful hiking in Switzerland’s incomparable Bernese Oberland!
YOUR RESORT
Wengen is a delightful, traffic free village in the fabulous Bernese Oberland, situated at around 4,000 and is perched on a terrace overlooking the Lauterbrunnen Valley. Wengen has old wooden, flower bedecked houses and enough shops, bars, cafes etc. to meet all your needs. It has an unrivalled position with magnificent views of the 13,642 ft. Jungfrau, whilst the equally impressive Monsch and Eiger are around the corner ! It is the ideal base from which to explore these and many other peaks in the region. It also offers many easier hikes along the many alpine plateaux and along the Lauterbrunnen valley. It is very well served by cable cars and chairlifts and is reached from Zurich by Swiss Railways to Interlaken, then by the smaller Bernese Oberland railway to Lauterbrunnen, then by the even smaller, wonderful Wengen Mountain Railway, which snakes its way up from Lauterbrunnen. This continues to Kleine Scheidegg, the connecting station for the trains through the Eiger Tunnels to the Jungfraujoch, Europe’s highest railway station at over 11,000 feet. There is another connection from Kleine Scheidegg down to Grindelwald. Another great mountain railway reached on this system is the cog railway up to Schynigge Platte whilst from Lauterbrunnen you can take the funicular railway to Grutschalp and from there the electric trolley car to Murren.
YOUR HOTEL
Your hotel is the delightful, privately owned Hotel Brunner. It is located in the upper part of the village in a secluded position, with direct access to many of the paths which radiate in all directions. The view from the hotel towards the Jungfrau is breathtaking and what better way to start the day than to gaze at its snow capped beauty from the hotel. The Brunner has a very happy relaxed atmosphere and you are assured of a warm welcome from the owners, the Brunner family. Bedrooms are large and comfortable, with each having an en-suite bathroom and toilet. There is a very comfortable lounge, a bar and a very pleasant dining room, serving great meals. A lovely garden, with outdoor furniture surrounds the hotel.
THE HIKING PROGRAMME
You will hike in fabulous scenic surroundings! Cable cars, chair lifts, post-bus services and mountain railways open up a great variety of terrain and enable you if you wish to reach higher altitudes without the strain and pain of climbing up unaided! The rolling alpine pastures give way to towering peaks with dramatic views and walks at all grades. From Wengen you can hike in all directions, using the network of mountain railways and cable cars.
THE HIKING GRADES.
Footloose offers hiking programmes designed with 5 grades of difficulty. This program is designed for Grades 2 & 3 with some Grade 1 options. The distances and ascents / descents may be modified to individual abilities but are generally as follows :-
Grade 1 : Between 3,000 and 5,000 feet of ascent / descent on terrain which may be steeply inclined and rough underfoot, with loose rock at times. Fixed iron work may be available and snow may be encountered at higher levels. Distances between 15 and 20 miles.
Grade 2 : Up to 3,000 feet of ascent / descent, on way-marked paths. Terrain may be steeply inclined and rough underfoot, with loose rock at times. Snow may be present at higher levels. Distances 10-15 miles.
Grade 3 : Up to 1,500 feet of ascent / descent, on way-marked paths. Terrain may be steeply inclined at times and rough underfoot, with possibly some loose rock. Distances 5 - 8 miles.
NON-HIKING EXCURSIONS.
During the holiday you like to have some free, non hiking days and we will be happy to suggest excursion possibilities. These include the cities of Zurich and Berne, Zermatt and the Matterhorn and Interlaken for shopping or a trip on a lake steamer to Brienz. From here you can take the Brienzer Rothorn mountain railway to the Rothorn summit for fabulous views across Lake Brienz and the Jungfrau massif.
TRAVEL.
Travel within Switzerland by train in the case of small groups or by private deluxe coach for larger groups. Hikes can be assisted by train, mountain railway, post-bus, cable car or chair lift, as appropriate.
FLIGHTS.
Footloose Europe does not arrange flights from the U.S.A. to Switzerland. We can assist you by putting you in touch with licensed travel agents who will be delighted to arrange flights & insurance etc.
DURATION : 14 nights. FLIGHTS are not included
MEALS : Dinner, and Buffet Breakfast each day.
LEADERS : One or two Footloose Leader(s)
PRICES
14 Nights, 5th July : £1195
14 Nights, 19th July : £1195
14 Nights, 30th August : £1195
THE GROUP PRICE INCLUDES
* 14 nights accommodation in twin or double rooms, all with private bathroom & toilet, in a good quality 3 star hotel.
* Dinner and Full Swiss Breakfast each day.
* Transport by train, post bus, mountain railway, cable car and lake steamer, as appropriate, throughout the holiday.
* All the costs of the hiking programme.
* Services of one or more Footloose Leaders as appropriate.
* Swiss V.A.T. and all local service charges and taxes.
THE PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE
Lunches ; insurance ; admissions to castles, museums etc. ; items of a personal nature, e.g. drinks, telephone calls etc.
