Route: Uschene Valley
Area: Bernese Oberland, Switzerland
Date of walk: 15th June 2019
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 7.8 miles
Ascent: 400 feet
Weather: Cloudy with some sunny spells
On the first day our walking holiday in the Bernese Oberland we decided to follow a route recommended by our travel company, Inntravel
We were staying in the small village of Kandersteg, based in the excellent Belle Epoque Hotel Victoria. We left the hotel and walked to the base of the nearby Allmenalp cable car. The small car whisked us up past the imposing rock face and after a short but exciting ride we disembarked at the upper station to start our walk, at a height of around 5,600 feet above sea level. We’d made an early start, and were pleased to have the place to ourselves, and during the course of the whole walk we only saw a small handful of other walkers
A wide path contoured around the mountainside with some spectacular views at first, but sadly the clouds came down and obliterated the views of the Kander Valley, which was a great disappointment. A family of marmots provided some entertainment along the way as they scuttled across the path and dived into their burrows
Eventually we arrived at Usser Uschene, the top of the Uschene Valley, and at this far point of the walk point we descended below the cloud level, and good visibility was at last restored
We descended along a narrow path which followed the course of the River Alpbach, passing by some cascading waterfalls, before arriving back at valley level. The highlight of this last leg was the wildflower meadows. We’d timed our holiday to coincide with flowering season, and to our delight we were in luck – the meadows were a spectacular sight
After following a riverside path we passed by the base station of the cable car, and from here we retraced our steps back into Kandersteg to end a wonderful walk
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The start of the walk as we pass through the village of Kandersteg to the base station of the Allmenalp cable car
Looking up, the conditions aren't promising
There's no sign of the cable car route from here, but the base is to the left of the waterfall, and we'll be deposited above the cliffs mid picture
Huts and chalets on the edge of the unspoilt village of Kandersteg
We arrive at the Allmenalp cable car station, set in an idyllic location near the Allmenbachfalle waterfall
We jump into the small cabin, and off we go - it's an exceptionally steep gradient
From the window of the cabin, and as we pass within inches of the rock face, a view down into the valley which will be our return route
After an exciting ride up the mountainside, we disembark to start our walk
Looking back down into the Kander Valley
Off we go, heading gently uphill at first
We'll fork off left at the sign ahead - it's possible to continue straight on and take a higher level route, but it was closed due to snow - and in any event there would have been no views because of the low cloud
Our path will take us around the mountainside to the right of the picture...
...zooming in
We cross a stream, and just beyond it turn sharp left
A family of marmots scuttle across the path and dive into their burrows
The sentry
We follow a wide track which contours around the mountainside...
Wild flowers seen in various places along the way...
The views from here are wonderful (by all accounts). We walked in thick mist for some time...
...eventually we descended below cloud level
We arrive in the Usser Uschene Valley
The daunting Grosser Lohner cliffs loom over the valley
We follow the road downhill for a short distance, gazing up at the imposing cliffs
We leave the road at the yellow sign below
The start of our descent back into the valley
We cross a small stream
The vertical cliffs on our right make this a dramatic section of the walk...
This is not the place to stray from the path
We continue down the valley...
We cross the footbridge over the Alpbach river
Looking back up the valley
It's a steep descent, but without difficulties
A ringlet butterfly
Almost back down to valley level...
We follow the road, but only for a few yards, before turning off to the left
We then turn right at this chalet
Looking back as we start a wonderful section of the walk through the wild flower meadows...
We follow a path beside the River Kander
Walking back into Kandersteg
House martins nesting in one of the barns near the village
Siesta time for one of the locals
We arrive back in Kandersteg
