The hike from Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg beneath the great peaks of the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau is one of the most famous footpaths in the Alps (see the red outline on the right of the diagram). The views are awesome. It is an easy hike slightly downhill for 2 hours and is therefore referred to as "Grandmother's Walk" because it attracts a large number of older women.
The weather turned quite warm when we arrived in Switzerland. They had been enduring cold and rain for four weeks before our arrival. We decided to do this hike before it might start raining again (it never did).
Three train rides were needed to get us from Meiringen to Wengen. All the trains connected at precisely the same time. We then took the gondola from Wengen at 3,500 ft. up to Mannlichen at 7,700 ft. The views down on Wengen and the Lauterbrunnen Valley were terrific.
The trail descends gradually from 7,700 ft. down to 6,800 ft. at Kleine Scheidegg. There were a number of places where we walked through snow. The flowers were varied and wonderful.
We had coffee at a cafe looking up at the Eiger glacier and listening to the crashing of ice falling from the rocks. It is amazing that there is a tunnel bored through the mountain to carry the trains up to the Jungfraujoch.
We made an early start so there were not a lot of people on the trail until later. By the time we finished, big groups of Japanese tourists were following us. We ate our lunch near the train station at Kleine Scheidegg where we caught the Jungfraubahn train back to Wengen and on home.
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