When reading other trip accounts before we left, people mentioned they had planned rest days, and I always thought haughtily that I wouldn’t need them. However, after Switzerland, I am a firm believer in the rest day! A rest day every 3 or 4 days would have been terrific (and rest day would mean no hiking, or just an easy hike under 60 minutes or so). However, today was at least easier than the day before—mainly downhill, and the resort town of Murren which was just lovely to wander around and explore or buy good yogurt!

We were sad to leave Obersteinberg and its peacefulness and its unexplored trails. And, though the bread was terrific at breakfast, I really wanted some oatmeal or eggs or pancakes! But I had slept the night before, and was ready for the next stage of our hike. The descent was hard in its own way—repetitive, and hard on our knees—though the scenery couldn’t be more brilliant, vibrant, and alive—though we still didn’t se the wildlife that should have been in such a protected area (other than ants). There was a glorious number of unidentified wildflowers that we witnessed, especially around the creek, and great views of the waterfalls across the valley, and incredible mushrooms, one right out of a fairy tale! I guess mushrooms may be the wildlife of Switzerland.

The cool thing about this area is there seems to be loops of trails as well—you can climb up Obersteinberg one way, and climb down another way (and there was a third way as well that we decided not to take). And another special treat: as we raced down to catch our bus back to Lauterbrunnen (and going downhill as fast as we can was actually a fun challenge!), we ran into our German friends from the Falhorn Inn. They were just doing a day hike here, and then were hanging up the hiking books and were going to go stay with a friend in Bern. We said hello and goodbye, and I was sad we wouldn’t be running into them again.

From Stechelberg, where we emerged from the valley, you could actually take transportation all the way to Murren, but we had ready good things about the hike from Grutchsalp to Murren, so we decided to take the bus back to Latuerbrunnen, a funicular to Grutschalp, and then hike. I’m so glad we did: it was that rare thing, a flat mountain trail (yay!), with incredible views. You could take the higher or lower route, but I had enough climbing for a little while, and the low route was perfectly stunning: views of the Jungfrau, Eiger and Moench, three glaciated mountains that we had been gaping at for the past few days. The trail was a little busy with all sorts of people, but after having my need for quiet satisfied at Obersteinberg, I didn’t mind the people so much.

Murren was charming and lovely, especially compared to the touristy energy and construction noise and traffic of Lauterbrunnen. It’s a car-free resort town (though they still let rather a lot of carts roll around, it seemed) that had everything we needed: a grocery store, internet access at the info center, free toilets, cute well kept houses to dream of owning. Harold even found a photo card so we could take more digital pictures. It reminded me a little bit of Banff in the Rockies.

We rested in Murren for several hours, basking in the sun, enjoying yogurt, watching a kid roll around in his petal-car—until it was time to move on. Accommodation is supposed to be more expensive here, so we did a brief hike up to Pensions Sonnenberg, a more modern Berghaus with a 1970’s feel. We were the only people staying there that night (!), which was kind of cool and spooky at the same time. I might recommend trying Berghaus Suppenalp instead, which is a little further up the way and looked like it had more character. That said, the owner of Pensions Sonnenberg was incredible nice and accommodating—she helped us figure out if the cheese we bought the day before from a little stand was rotten (not rotten, she said, just smelly—rotten cheese turns gray). At dinner, we had the best plum torte and incredible Gemischtersalat, which almost made up for the fact that the vegetarian dinner was buttered rice and carrots. The host also made a terrific and large breakfast for us early, so we could get a headstart on the trail. I think their busy season is in the winter with skiing.

So not a bad day of hiking! Our room had a little balcony with a table and some chairs, so Harold and I enjoying sitting out and writing postcards and looking at the view. The weather, which had been cooperating thus far, was supposed to take a turn for the worse tonight and tomorrow (on our hardest hike days!)—the fern, that sweet warm wind which keeps away bad weather, was due to vanish, and in its place the rain that the Bernese Oberland is known for. If the weather was especially bad tomorrow, we probably would have to reroute our hike and take transportation to Griesalp—the Sefinenfurke (2612 m) is a mountain pass that’s exposed and avoided in bad weather.

After dinner, we lay in bed and fell asleep quickly—and that’s when the thunder began. Maybe I have a slightly ominous feeling about Pensions Sonnenberg because I was up some of the night listening to thunder bounce off the mountains with both a little fear and awe. Also, no one in Switzerland is really into night lights, so the hallway was pitch black until you stumbled upon a light switch (again, Harold’s head light came in handy, though that sort of spot light also conjured up every bad horror movie I’d ever seen!). I would have been more at ease had we not have to hike in the weather tomorrow!