Schilthorn -
Piz Gloria
It’s worth the journey for the views. From
Mürren, the valley floor is 800m straight down, and the panorama of snowy peaks filling the sky is dazzling: you gaze across at the blank wall of the
Schwarzmönch, with the great
Trümmelbach gorge slicing a wedge of light into the dark rock, while the awesome trio of the
Eiger,
Mönch and Jungfrau are ranged above and behind in picture-perfect formation. From
Mürren, the cable-car continues its breathtaking ride up to
Birg and on to the
Schilthorn summit (2970m), where you can enjoy exceptional panoramic views and sip cocktails in the revolving
Piz Gloria summit restaurant, featured in the James Bond film
On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. The trip’s less expensive than that to the
Jungfraujoch (which is very expensive unless you are
Japanese), and also less of a tourist merry-go-round, but just as memorable. The exposed terrace on the top is, if anything, even more dramatic than the
Jungfraujoch, with a wraparound vista of icy peaks all around, from the
Eiger to the Matterhorn to Mont
Blanc, also offering a clear sight down to
Thun and Bern, if you get a clear day of course, not like us as it was very patchy and we grabbed a quick glimpse through the mist. Fares on the
Schilthornbahn are steep, but not outrageous. From
Stechelberg to the top is currently Fr.85 round trip, from
Mürren Fr.57.
Eurailers pay 75 percent and Swiss Pass holders travel free to
Mürren and pay 75 percent from there upwards. Luckily for my parents they
purchased a Swiss rail card so they were
ok and I did have my 1/2 tax rail pass so not so bad.
Arriving at
Mürren which itself was “discovered” by the British in the 1840s is beautiful and has a long tradition both of winter sports and of hospitable gentility – some of the first competition
skiing in Switzerland was done on the slopes around
Mürren. An Englishman, Arnold
Lunn, claims to have invented the slalom here in 1922, while the famous “Inferno” amateur downhill race from the
Schilthorn peak to
Mürren (a descent of 2170m) was held for the first time in 1928, and is still an annual fixture in February.
The
Schilthorn cable-car station is at the southern end of the village; at the opposite, northern, end is
Mürrenbahn train station, starting point for the cliff-edge train
to Grütschalp. Once at the top, a little more chilly as the temperature can drop 10' but you can warm up and eat a delicious meal at the world's first revolving restaurant, with prices that are comparable with any restaurant so not going to blow your budget. You can even eat a James Bond
spaghetti, whilst watching the 360' view. Then get yourself out on the the big terrace and enjoy the
spectacular mountain ranges! A great day out so worth doing....
Schilthorn - Piz Gloria
It’s worth the journey for the views. From Mürren, the valley floor is 800m straight down, and the panorama of snowy peaks filling the sky is dazzling: you gaze across at the blank wall of the Schwarzmönch, with the great Trümmelbach gorge slicing a wedge of light into the dark rock, while the awesome trio of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau are ranged above and behind in picture-perfect formation. From Mürren, the cable-car continues its breathtaking ride up to Birg and on to the Schilthorn summit (2970m), where you can enjoy exceptional panoramic views and sip cocktails in the revolving Piz Gloria summit restaurant, featured in the James Bond film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. The trip’s less expensive than that to the Jungfraujoch (which is very expensive unless you are Japanese), and also less of a tourist merry-go-round, but just as memorable. The exposed terrace on the top is, if anything, even more dramatic than the Jungfraujoch, with a wraparound vista of icy peaks all around, from the Eiger to the Matterhorn to Mont Blanc, also offering a clear sight down to Thun and Bern, if you get a clear day of course, not like us as it was very patchy and we grabbed a quick glimpse through the mist. Fares on the Schilthornbahn are steep, but not outrageous. From Stechelberg to the top is currently Fr.85 round trip, from Mürren Fr.57. Eurailers pay 75 percent and Swiss Pass holders travel free to Mürren and pay 75 percent from there upwards. Luckily for my parents they purchased a Swiss rail card so they were ok and I did have my 1/2 tax rail pass so not so bad.
Arriving at Mürren which itself was “discovered” by the British in the 1840s is beautiful and has a long tradition both of winter sports and of hospitable gentility – some of the first competition skiing in Switzerland was done on the slopes around Mürren. An Englishman, Arnold Lunn, claims to have invented the slalom here in 1922, while the famous “Inferno” amateur downhill race from the Schilthorn peak to Mürren (a descent of 2170m) was held for the first time in 1928, and is still an annual fixture in February.
The Schilthorn cable-car station is at the southern end of the village; at the opposite, northern, end is Mürrenbahn train station, starting point for the cliff-edge train to Grütschalp. Once at the top, a little more chilly as the temperature can drop 10' but you can warm up and eat a delicious meal at the world's first revolving restaurant, with prices that are comparable with any restaurant so not going to blow your budget. You can even eat a James Bond spaghetti, whilst watching the 360' view. Then get yourself out on the the big terrace and enjoy the spectacular mountain ranges! A great day out so worth doing....
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