Snowshoeing in Grindelwald in the Swiss Alps

The Schwarzhorn peak above Grindelwald in the Jungfrau region of the Swiss Alps is a great place for snowshoeing. Grindelwald itself is a short train ride from Interlaken which is major destination for visiting travellers. In summer and winter, the villages of the Jungfrau region draw people in to see the iconic peaks of the Jungfrau, Mönch and Eiger. There are four charming villages, Grindelwald, Wengen, Mürren and Lauterbrunnen.

Grindelwald is a 30 minutes train ride from Interlaken and only an hour and half from Bern so it’s a great access point to enjoy the Schwarzhorn and other famous peaks.

For me, one of the best places to enjoy these peaks and get the best view of them is from Grindelwald First. That’s the name given to the ski area above Grindelwald and it’s often overlooked by skiers who head for the slopes above Wengen. For snowshoers, Grindelwald First has a lot to offer with a high-speed lift taking them high up on the mountain with trails that meander down the mountain back to the village again.

The cable car on Grindelwald First is known as the Firstbahn and starts from the centre of town just a few minutes walk from the rail station. That takes us all the way up to the restaurant at First itself which is great chance to catch our breath and enjoy a coffee with their excellent pastries while taking in the breathtaking views over Grindelwald to the Jungfrau, Mönch and Eiger

There’s a few marked trails on Grindewald First. However, like me and my group of English Outdoor Education students, you can break trail over pristine higher slopes and down through the forest. Obviously, this option isn’t on marked or secured trails and my group are all equipped with avalanche safety equipment which we’ve to practiced with.

Generally my plan is to make our “off trail” routes to cross the marked trails just around where there are mountain huts serving hot drinks and food! There’s quite a few of these dotted around the mountain and one of favourites is the Berggasthaus Waldspitz with amazing views, great food and excellent service, they serve snacks, full meals, local specialties and it’s a great spot to just enjoy a well-earned drink.

This is one of many fine snowshoe routes near Grindelwald and one of many possibilities in the Jungfrau region. The great Swiss transport system runs between the villages of Grindelwald, Wengen, Mürren and Lauterbrunnen which makes them all pretty to reach from each other and it’s a short trip to Interlaken or even Bern.

Grindelwald itself is a nice place to stay, the pretty village has a great selection of bars,restaurants for the evening, some really great cake, and coffee shops for a well deserved snack at the end of the day.