Under the spell of the Blüemlisalp (Oeschinen circular route)

11.22 km long
Round trip
Difficulty: medium
Condition: easy
Great panorama
Hiking Trail
  • 4:10 h
  • 11.22 km
  • 400 m
  • 930 m
  • 1,171 m
  • 1,988 m
  • 817 m
  • Start: Kandersteg
  • Destination: Kandersteg

Firn, glaciers, rock and lake – is there anything more beautiful? Added to this are lushly blooming mountain meadows, resin-scented forests, and a mountain hiking trail that leads right to the foot of the Blüemlisalp. This mountain hike offers a magnificent insight into the glacier world south of Lake Oeschinen, along with unique views down onto it. Using the Kandersteg–Oeschinen gondola and back shortens the hiking time by 2 hours. In fog and fresh snow, the hike is to be avoided. Hard surfaces are hardly encountered outside the village.

From Kandersteg station into the village center. At the church, a few steps downhill, then it turns again towards the all-dominant Blüemlisalp. After crossing the Öschibach, near the valley station of the gondola, the steep ascent begins through the sunny slope to the Alp Oeschinen (20 min to Lake Oeschinen). Here, the path leading from the mountain station also joins. At point 1685, above the houses in the Läger (10 min to Lake Oeschinen), begins probably the most beautiful section of the circular hike. Even locals praise the magnificent high trail, which first passes through mountain forest and then runs directly above the cliffs that fall steeply to Lake Oeschinen. At Heuberg, you have the deep blue mountain lake almost vertically at your feet. On an almost level path, you now reach Oberbärgli between the rock bands. The view of the Blüemlisalp group and towards Oeschinen, Fründen, and Doldenhorn and their glaciers is unique. Also of wild beauty is the steep descent over alpine meadows and through rock bands to Underbärgli and to the shores of the world-famous Lake Oeschinen. From the glaciers, the water falls foaming and roaring into the 60 m deep mountain lake. It was formed by a rockfall from the Doldenhorn. The debris masses dammed up its waters. Its outflow is underground. The water emerges again 500 m further downstream as the Öschibach. Following the Öschibach, you continue the descent and soon reach the starting point in Kandersteg again.

Berner Wanderwege
Berner Wanderwege

Good to know

Pavements

Asphalt
Trail
Path
Street

Best to visit

suitable
Depends on weather

Directions

Kandersteg - Heuberg - Oberbärgli - Lake Oeschinen - Kandersteg

Equipment

We recommend the following equipment: sturdy hiking boots, medium-sized backpack with hip belt, sun protection, rainwear, hiking poles, pocket first aid kit, packed lunch, sufficient fluids, mobile phone.

Additional information

Bernese Hiking Trails Association, Bern, Tel.: 031 340 01 01, Email: info@beww.ch, Homepage: www.bernerwanderwege.ch

Literature

Hiking suggestion from the hiking book Bernerland, hiking book series of the Bernese Hiking Trails

License (master data)

Safety guidelines

This route runs entirely or partly on mountain hiking trails.

Map

Swisstopo hiking map 1:50,000 264T Jungfrau

Nearby

Address

Under the spell of the Blüemlisalp (Oeschinen circular route)
Kandersteg