Across the valley, views of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau are ever-changing as you progress along the route. As an early morning mist clears to reveal a previously hidden peak or as wisps of cloud dance across the summits.
On 31st July 2004, I packed a rucksack full of snacks, layers and a brand-new head torch, locked the door of my repping accommodation and set off to take a special late-night train to Schynige Platte. The vintage wooden carriages were packed full of locals and a buzz of anticipation as we chugged up through the sleeping forests. As midnight approached, the glinting lights of the valley lay far below. I was about to embark on one of the most memorable hikes of my life – Schynige Platte to First under the light of the full moon. Hiking through the mountains that night was mystical. As my eyes adjusted, the shadowy Alps and snowy ridges became softly radiant in the moonlight, revealing a hidden world of nature far removed from the human life below.
A route to run, hike and repeat again and again!
Since that night, I’ve followed the classic trail from Schynige Platte to First more times than I can count. It never fails to make me want to dance about like Julie Andrews. I’ve hiked it at sunrise and recently taken to running the route. As a relatively recently converted trail runner I’ve learnt the hard way that not all hikes are equally runnable. There are certain sections of this trail that are too technical for my running ability, forcing me to revert to a hike. Generally, though, this is a fabulous trail to run. It’s the new must-do run for our holiday. Last year, I didn’t want it to end so we tagged on an equally enjoyable extension to Grosse Scheidegg. Then, still refusing to call it a day, we continued down through the incredibly beautiful Rosenlaui Valley before resorting to the PostBus to Meiringen.
How to get started on this classic six-hour trail
Schynige Platte to First is a red-white hiking trail. Its 16 km length takes approximately six hours to hike and is suited to the more intrepid and experienced hiker. Read on for more details and suggestions on how to extend or hike a shorter segment.
Important: check the trail conditions before you set off! Schynige Platte is at an altitude of 1967 m. The trail goes up to 2680 m, so it is often closed until late June. Depending on the previous winter snow and intervening temperatures, there can still be snow in places. In this case, hiking poles can be helpful.
If you prefer an easier hike, there are plenty of shorter options. The Schynige Platte circular route via the Loucherhorn for example. You can read about that in my top 5 easy hiking routes in the Jungfrau region blog.
I’ve also included a reference to a few alternative shorter possibilities along the route below.
Getting to Schynige Platte
The Schynige Platte mountain train leaves from Wilderswil train station. Wilderswil is just 5 minutes by train from Interlaken Ost or 10 minutes by bus from Interlaken West. From the mountain resorts of Grindelwald, Wengen, Lauterbrunnen and Murren, Wilderswil is the penultimate stop before Interlaken Ost.
The journey from Wilderswil to Schynige Platte takes around an hour. The beautiful old carriages and views from the windows are all very much part of the experience. As the train winds its way through the forest, views open out over Interlaken and the lakes of Thun and Brienz.
The route: Schynige Platte to First via the Faulhorn
As you leave the train at the Schynige Platte summit, a welcoming mountain restaurant offers refreshments before you set off. Then, simply follow the yellow hiking signposts to the Faulhorn and First.
As is usually the case in Switzerland, the route is very well marked, particularly in this case since it’s such a classic and popular route. The trail starts by winding through a gently undulating rugged landscape of alpine flowers dotted with pine trees and photogenic cows. Early views of Lake Brienz emerge, as do the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau.
During the early part of the hike, you still have time to pick up a circular route back to the Schynige Platte summit, but most likely, you’ll have a spring in your step and no intention of cutting the hike short. The trail climbs gradually at first as it skims gravelly slopes high above Lake Brienz.
Around a couple of hours in, the terrain gets significantly steeper and much rougher underfoot, with large rocks to negotiate. This is the ascent up to the Berghaus Männdlenen, and it is this part of the trail where you may well find snow lingering.
I love to stop at Berghaus Männdlenen for a drink, maybe even a slice of cake or crumbly apple strudel. Memories flood back of my full moon hike; we stopped here for a cup of tea, huddled on the candlelit terrace under the vast sky bursting with a myriad of stars.
From the hut, the trail climbs steeply again, picking its way through increasingly barren and remote terrain. Across the valley, views of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau are ever-changing as you progress along the route. As an early morning mist clears to reveal a previously hidden peak or as wisps of cloud dance across the summits.
The Faulhorn and Bachalpsee
Finally, the path diverges, one way climbing towards the Faulhorn, the high point of the hike at 2680 m. If it’s your first time following this trail and the weather is relatively clear, it’s definitely worth continuing up to the summit. After all, it’s part of the classic route, plus there’s a restaurant at the top and 360-degree views. But if you’re caught in dreary weather and visibility isn’t great, ascending the Faulhorn isn’t essential and will save you around 30 minutes there and back.
From the Faulhorn, it’s mostly downhill, leading to one of the must-see beauty spots in the region, the Bachalpsee. If you’re lucky, you’ll see the reflection of the striking snow-tipped Shreckhorn reflected in the pretty-as-a-picture glacial lake. The lake draws the crowds from the top of the First gondola on the much shorter and relatively easy hike to reach the lake. This hike is also covered in my blog on my top 5 easy hiking routes in the Jungfrau region.
The shores of the Bachalpsee are often packed with families picnicking and keen photographers snapping away. But there’s plenty of room for everyone. From here, the trail is fairly wide and easy underfoot as you head towards the top of the First gondola.
End point: First, The Top of Adventure and end of the classic route from Schynige Platte
And that’s it—you’ve completed one of the most popular hikes in the Bernese Oberland!
After grabbing a bit to eat at the choice of restaurants, there’s plenty more to delay you at First. First is now known as the Top of Adventure, so most activities are adrenaline-fuelled. You should definitely take a stroll on the spectacular Cliff Walk, which is free of charge (unless you suffer from vertigo, in which case you definitely shouldn’t). Other temptations include ziplines and Trottibike scooters. Read more here.
Reached the end of the Schynige Platte to First trail and want more?
If you don’t want your hike to end, or perhaps you’re a trail runner, and it’s only lunchtime by now. You can easily extend the trail.
Extension number 1 – First to Grosse Scheidegg
This is a delightful trail to run, incredibly easy under-foot compared to running Schynige Platte to First. I felt like I was a gambolling lamb. There are three slightly different routes from First to Grosse Scheidegg, which, you can view on the summer hiking map available courtesy of www.grindelwaldbus.ch. The map shows all three routes converging at Gratschärem. The Marmot trail is the main and most popular trail, marked number 2 on the map.
We took the trail, which cuts out the climb to 2421 m and then joins the Marmot trail as it heads towards Gratschärem (you can see this on the map). This route is just short of 6km and slightly downhill. It’s mostly a very runnable narrow pathway that winds its way around the valley past babbling brooks and picturesque waterfalls. The main hazard is the tripping potential of the fantastically distracting views. Looking back down to Grindelwald and across to the distinctive Wetterhorn, Schreckhorn and Eiger mountains it’s hard to run for more than a few minutes whilst resisting the temptation to stop and take more photographs.
The trail finishes at Grosse Scheidegg, a mountain pass with a restaurant offering yet another panoramic refreshment stop. From here, you can descend to Grindelwald on foot or by PostBus.
Extension number 2 – Grosse Scheidegg to Rosenlaui
From the Grosse Scheidegg mountain pass, you can descend into the beautiful Rosenlaui Valley towards Meiringen. You can enjoy the views through the window of the PostBus, or you can continue your adventure on foot if you still have the time and energy.
After a refreshing homemade iced tea on the Grosse Scheidegg restaurant terrace, we continued running down through the Rosenlaui Valley. It’s a very special place and only unveils its full glory as you descend down through the lush pine trees. The rocky valley sides rise dramatically around you as the roar of gushing streams and glacier-fed waterfalls gets louder.
Again, it’s pretty runnable, but after another 10 km, my knee decided it was time to complain. Finally, we were forced to call it a day. Luckily, the post bus stops at several points along the valley. It’s not very frequent, so you may need to linger at one of the occasional restaurants for a while. We enjoyed an ice cream at the Gasthaus Zwirgi before collapsing onto the bus at the Zwirgi bus stop.
The bus terminates in Meiringen, where you can take the train back to Interlaken and connect back to the mountains as needed.
Finding facts & further information
If you’re staying in the Jungfrau Region, you should also consider a day trip to the hiking paradise of Kandersteg. Read about my favourite Kandersteg hikes here.
Read my post about hiking the Niederhorn Ridge above Lake Thun here.
Read about my experience running the Trail Surprise at Eiger Ultra Trail by UTMB here and the E35 here.
Read more of my general tips on hiking in Switzerland here.
Read more about the Schynige Platte to First hike here: www.jungfrau.ch