Bond World, one cable car ride from Gimmelwald
When I first saw Rick Steves’ television travel show in early 2003, I learned about the tiny village of Gimmelwald, Switzerland (not to be confused with touristy Grindelwald). The more Rick talked about this car free, picture postcard speck of a village kept safe from becoming a tourist trap because it is denoted as a permanent avalanche risk, I knew I just had to see it for myself.
Mobilizing our Swiss Pass after leaving Luzern in Sept 2018, Pete and I embarked on quite the journey to reach Gimmelwald, population 130, located in the Swiss Bernese Oberland region. After three trains, one bus, and a cable car, we arrived; travel time 3.5 hours. From the moment I stepped off the platform, I couldn't stop smiling.
Arriving at the Pension Gimmelwald
Today, you will find several choices of places to stay in Gimmelwald, including one hostel. I called overseas months in advance to confirm a room at the Pension Gimmelwald (highly recommended by Rick Steves) to snag a private bath. Despite the low ceilings in our room, our beds were comfy, the bath serviceable and clean, and the outside patio is THE place to hang out in the evening. Stop by for the pension’s daily homemade dinner special and mugs of award winning Schwarz Monch beer, brewed in Gimmelwald.
Consider walking up or taking the cable car to nearby Murren for shopping or dinner. We discovered Edelweiss restaurant our first night. It was here we marveled at the para gliders, harnessed to their wings, "flying" mere yards from our outdoor table.
“I'm going to do that someday”, I told my husband Pete. Paragliding looked simply amazing!
Edelweiss Restaurant - Highly Recommended
With only two full days in the area, it seemed important to pack in as much as possible - which almost ended in disaster.
In the Clouds at Bond World
After cable car riding to the top of nearby Schilthorn (Pia Gloria), we visited Bond World, braved a stroll on the Thrill Walk ----
You May Not Wish to Look Down
and enjoyed brats and a beer in Birg. Not wishing to call it a day just yet, Pete and I felt we had time to do “one more thing”.
Our View in Birg
Looking at a trail map, halfway back to our pension, we determined that the two hour Mountainview Trail at Allmendhubel appeared “easy”.
At first, the path meandered along the top of a gorgeous range, the rolling hills keeping us just enough cardio challenged. We delighted when passing the adorable Swiss cows, their bells clanging while they foraged among the grasses. Heaven, pure heaven.
Eventually, our path took a rather steep downward trend. And this is where I literally fell into trouble.
Finding this part of the trail littered with rocks and exposed roots, I lamented we had no walking sticks. As inexperienced mountain hikers, it hadn’t crossed our minds we would need them. “Walking sticks? We’re in too good of shape to need those”, we assumed.
Stupid supposition.
If I had been using sticks, I bet I wouldn’t have caught the front of my boot on a root, sending me crashing to the ground, face first.
Luckily, I used my right hand to push my body left, away from an exposed rock a"head" of me. Still, I hit the ground hard, my nose becoming buried in a bed of moss.
Pete, watching from behind, yelped “Oh no!” as he hurried down to where I more or less lie crumpled. My first thought, “I”m fine, all fine”, though I knew this to not be completely true.
Doing my own triage, I felt a slight bump on my forehead from the graze with a rock. Thankfully, the water bottle held in my right hand broke the full impact of my wrist hitting the ground, probably saving me from a fracture. Moving to my lower limbs, I assessed further damages.
My right knee must have hit something hard; it hurt, really hurt. Despite the discomfort, I hurriedly tried to get back up; stubbornly declaring, “I’m fine, I’m fine”.
When you are in Switzerland on the backside of a mountain with no cell service and you see no one other soul in sight, there is only one thing to do. Get up, dust yourself off, and start hobbling for home.
Suddenly the finish line of this hike seemed interminable .
Thankfully adrenaline kicked in, disguising the pain a bit. Pete and I continued downward, slow and steady. I needed ice, and soon! It wasn’t too much further when we soon saw my little “ambulance” chugging along a railway hidden among the trees.
Right out of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, a little trolley arrived at an adorable station we had no idea existed. The joy of seeing the one car train provided the bolster of energy needed to get home. With the pension in sight, I implored Pete, “Get me ice, three Advil, and a big glass of wine, please!”. By this time my knee had ballooned to twice its normal size; however, I knew that simple first aid would help tremendously (along with the wine).
That night, we sat under the eaves in a lovely outdoor sofa watching the rain fall upon the snow capped mountains in the distance. The swelling had improved but we knew there would be no hiking the next day. We needed a change of plans.
Our hosts suggested taking a 2 hour train ride to Bern. This turned out to be an ideal solution. It’s a charming old city, perfect for a day’s adventure.
Fortunately, by the time we left Gimmelwald two days later, the knee felt much better. I was lucky. Period. Pete and I vowed we’d give up trying to look like silly super hikers and use walking sticks from then on. Funny thing, we were so arrogant about our abilities, we hadn’t noticed the complimentary sticks available in the pension’s lobby we could have easily borrowed.
Traveler’s Tip: Walking sticks not only help with balance but you will find you move much faster with their use. Many hotels in Switzerland will loan you a pair. We now use our own Equipeak travel friendly walking sticks. No falls since.
Too soon, it was time to leave our paradise in Gimmelwald. As we descended in the cable car down to the waiting bus for the return to the train station, we vowed we’d be back! And I secretly promised myself that when I returned?
I’d paraglide!!!!
Next stop - The whole reason we were in Switzerland. To see hiking expert and good friend Geraldine’s most favorite hiking spot ever! The only place she ever returned to twice —----
Home to the Matterhorn. we’re talking about Zermatt!
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