Kandersteg (Allmenalp) - Kandersteg (Eggeschwand)Walk 8014
Canton - Bern / Berne - Kandertal
Author - Lou Johnson
Length - 7.0 km / 4.4 miles
Ascent - 50 metres / 165 feet
Descent - 600 metres / 1980 feet
Time - 2.00 hours
Grade - easy/moderate
Click thumbnails for larger images.
The walk starts at the upper station of the Allmenalp cablecar. Small 8 person cabins whisk you above Kandertal onto the alp. There are refreshments adjacent to the upper cablecar station. You will also note signs to the paragliding launch slopes at Allmenalp and Ryharts. Across the valley you can see the Oeshinensee with the Blümlisalp massif rising above.
Click thumbnails for larger images.
Start - The upper station of the Allmenalp cablecar. The valley station is ten minutes walk from Kandersteg railway station. Regular trains from Spiez (with connections from Interlaken) and Brig. Also bus service from Frutigen. See Transport Map for the Kandertal Region.
End - The valley station of the Sunnbüel Gemmi Pass cablecar. From here buses operate to Kandersteg station or you can follow the footpath back to Kandersteg (30 min.).
Leave the cablecar station and head uphill with the Bunderspitz filling the view ahead. After a short way you arrive at a path junction where you go left to Usser Uschene (1hr. 10 min.). The path drops to a metal footbridge across a stream before climbing to pass a farm on your left. This also sells refreshments, cheese and milk. The path then contours the hillside before becoming a wider track. Ahead you have excellent and improving views of with the Uschenengrat ridge rising on the left hand wall of the valley.
Stay on this track through to the road junction in Usser Uschene ignoring all footpaths going left. At the road junction there is further opportunity for refreshments with the meringues recommended.
Turn left down the road towards Kandersteg and take the first footpath on the right. This path leads into the valley and follows a fast flowing torrent through forest with the lower crags of the Gallihorn soaring above to your right. The path provides convenient short cuts to the road, which takes a more circuitous route, and you descend quickly to reach a road junction where the road to Selden turns right. Continue ahead following the road to the cablecar station where refreshments are available.
Suggested Maps
Landeskarte der Schweiz - 1:50000 - Sheet SW 5004 - Berner Oberland
Landeskarte der Schweiz - 1:50000 - Sheet SW5009 - Gstaad - Adelboden
Kandersteg Wanderkarte - 1:25000
Recommended Books
Tour of the Matterhorn
A guide to the 145km Tour of the Matterhorn, described anti-clockwise from Zermatt and visits 6 valleys via Zinal, Arolla and Breuil, offering spectacular views of 25 peaks of over 4000m. The route also links up with the Chamonix to Zermatt walkers' Haute Route and the Tour of Monte Rosa. Includes two glacier crossings and takes 8 to 10 days.
The Swiss Alps
A comprehensive guidebook to every mountain area in the Swiss Alps. This handy resource includes information for walking, hiking, trekking, climbing and ski mountaineering. Access, accommodation and facilities in the valley bases and full information about Swiss mountain huts is included to help you make the most out of a trip there.