Part II - The Via Alpina Heart: From Altdorf to Kandersteg

The route leads over the Surenen Pass from the canton of Uri to Obwalden and Engelberg. Anyone who thinks that the Via Alpina is a new invention will now be proven wrong. The Surenen Pass was already a busy route in the Bronze Age and Roman times, as well as in the Middle Ages. Various artefacts bear witness to this. And in 1799, it was even a French division that surprised and attacked the Austrians in the Reuss Valley over the pass. From today's perspective, this is all astonishing, as the strenuous stage from Altdorf to Engelberg is the longest of the entire Via Alpina - but for us it is also one of the most beautiful! A small detail on the side: here too, the people of Uri managed to move the border from the pass far in the direction of Engelberg!

Engelberg is the first grand tourist destination on the road with guests from all over the world. And despite this, the monastery village is overshadowed by a sense of tranquillity. Perhaps it is the spell of the mighty Titlis or the prayers of the Benedictine monks that calm the hustle and bustle. Thanks to the mountain railroads, the steep ascent to the Joch Pass can be shortened considerably. On the other side, and already on Bernese soil, lies the idyllic Engstlenalp and Engstlensee on a gentle plain in the Gental valley. From above, you might think that throwing a pebble into the water would cause the lake to overflow. Past the cheese dairy and the time-honored hotel, the trail continues through magnificent flower meadows to Tannalp and along a beautiful panoramic path to Planplatten high above Meiringen.

A short detour to the Reichenbach Falls is not only worthwhile because of the nostalgic cog railroad that leads up to the thundering waterfall. This is where the private detective Sherlock Holmes fought his last fight and tragically fell to his death over the cliffs.

Grosse Scheidegg is, in a way, the gateway to the Jungfrau region, offering a fantastic view of the razor-sharp Mittellegi ridge. This leads up to the summit of the Eiger and is one of the most difficult routes on the mountain alongside the north face of the Eiger, which drops vertically over 2000 m towards Grindelwald. The Mönch and Jungfrau are enthroned next to it and it immediately becomes clear why the region is one of the most spectacular mountain regions in the world and therefore a popular travel destination.

The Via Alpina continues via Kleine Scheidegg to Wengen, down into the Lauterbrunnen Valley with its 72 waterfalls and up to the sun terrace in Mürren. Incidentally, the section between Meiringen and Lenk is also known as the Bear Trek. But you won't see any bears these days. Marmots and, with a bit of luck, chamois and ibex and perhaps even a proudly circling eagle can be spotted.

From Mürren, the view sweeps back to the royal Jungfrau one last time. Then the hiking boots need to be laced up tighter. Like a stairway to heaven, the hiking trail zigzags up to the two passages Sefinafurgga and Hohtürli. At 2778 m, the Hohtürli rocky saddle is the highest point on the Via Alpina and a few extra meters up to the Blüemlisalphütte are doubly worthwhile. Not only because of the delicious cake, but also because the Blüemlisalp with its glacier and summit are within reach.

The deep blue Oeschninensee, probably one of the most beautiful mountain lakes in the Alps, shimmers far below before the Belle Epoque village of Kandersteg is reached with tired legs. At the end of the 19th century, during the early days of tourism, this was one of the destinations that could not be missed on a trip to Switzerland. The tourists of the time, mainly travelers from England, contributed significantly to the development of Switzerland. Today, the venerable Belle Epoque Hotel Victoria still bears witness to this time.