Destination: Schwarzwald
It was a chilly night. I didn’t get a great sleep and woke up with a thumping head and aching all over. This was the first time I’d really not felt good since I’d been on my trip and I think in some part it was due to the amount of driving I’d been doing. During the earlier parts of my trip I’d been trying not to drive more than 2 hours at a time, but I’d been breaking this rule lately. This was definitely the case during the previous days Alpine adventure!
Stop 1: Brienzersee (Lake Brienz)
Saying cheerio to wonderful Interlaken, I made for my first stop which was the picturesque little hamlet of Brienz on the shores of the Brienzersee (Lake Brienz). It’s a really pretty little town and a magnet for tourists as the area is very popular with hikers in the summer and skiers in the winter months.
Still feeling a little unwell, I wasn’t up for crowds, so I opted to just spend some time chilling by the beautiful turquoise lake. I got my beach chair out of the car and found a lovely spot to sit back to do nothing for a while.
Thankfully the combination of warm sun and fresh air was a real tonic. I sat and watched as the occasional paddle boat made its way up and down the lake. After around an hour my head started to clear. So I decided to check Google maps for a couple of stops along my route, to make sure I got plenty of rest. That’s when I realised I’d be passing Alpnachstad, the town I’d missed the previous day.
I quickly checked the ticket for the activity I’d been planning to do, which I’d purchased directly from the provider. I was in luck, it was an open ticket!
On this occasion I was very very glad I’d not bought a timed ticket via a tour operator.
Stop 2: Pilatus Kulm
It wasn’t too far to Alpnachstad from Brienz, but as I drove through the valley the day became considerably more cloudy. By the time I reached my destination and parked up in the station carpark, there was a lot of cloud cover.
I was a bit disappointed as the weather had been so much brighter earlier on, and I’d hoped it would stay good for my trip. But I figured I was lucky to still be doing the trip at all, and I was happy with that.
For my trip today, I would be ascending the mountain peak of Pilatus Kulm on the steepest cogwheel railway in the world. With an angle of ascent of 48 degrees it’s quite something and I was very excited to still be able to do the trip, cloudy or not.
I wandered over to the railway station and spoke to the guards, the next train was full but I could get the one after. So I went to a local cafe for a coffee and some delicious lemon cake while I waited.
The train ride was awesome. Stunned by the incredible views, I quickly got over my nervousness at how steep the incline was. And then when we passed through the clouds, and into the bright sunlight above, I was absolutely blown away.
Half way up there is a little stop, where hikers can get on/off the train. The hiking trails up the mountainside are very well maintained and there are a lot of activities to do if you are there for any amount of time.
Quite a few people on the train appeared to be visitors to the hotels at the top of the mountain. That is definitely on my bucket list now, I could easily spend a weekend on this mountain. But for today, I was happy taking in the heavenly sights and glorious sunshine.
When you reach the top, there’s a terrace and a cafe, so you can sit and soak in the views, or just have a well earned rest if you’ve hiked up the mountain. On the day I went, there were paragliders very closely circling the mountaintop, which I thought incredibly brave.
As I walked around the terrace, I noticed some steps perched precariously on the side of what appeared to be the topmost summit. There was a gate leading to the steps with warning sign on the front that read “Danger of alpine areas” … sounded like somewhere I absolutely needed to go!
Seriously, if you visit Pilatus, you must go up these steps. Yes, they’re rocky, icy and slippery and yes, the handrail is only made of wood and wobbles when you touch it … but the view from the top is indescribable.
There is a live webcam (stunning at night) and I’m going to leave a little video here to give a flavour of how special it is. But it’s something you absolutely need to see for yourself, nothing else could do it justice.
I was so happy I’d made it to Pilatus in the end, I honestly think the view from the top is the most beautiful landscape I have ever seen. The Universe was really on my side there.
All too soon it was time to catch the little cogwheel train back down the mountain and head for my overnight stop in the German Schwarzwald. It was an easy enough drive, I stopped in Lucerne at a local Spar for some provisions and it felt quite like home. Then it was on the road again and into Germany.
Overnight: Birkendorf
I really loved the German countryside, quite flat and very green. But before long I lost the light and things definitely got a little more hairy as I made my way into the Schwarzwald, some great driving roads there.
I had booked the camping at Waldcamping Birkendorf in the Schwarzwald (Black Forest) area of Germany via Pitchup. I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but I was delighted to find it was properly rural and actually in the forest. As I made my way down the forest track to the site, huge pine trees either side, I really felt like I was back in the Forest of Dean.
I arrived at the Lodge, to find instructions of where to pitch up pinned to the front door. So I made my way round to the camping area to find the pitch. When I got there I was greeted by one of the other campers, a very friendly German lady who helped me park up. She was staying in one of the mobile homes on site and was quite bemused by the TentBox.
It was a perfectly still starlit night so I unzipped my roof window for a while and snuggled up under my duvet stargazing. There was absolute silence apart from the occasional bird call and the cool air carried the scent of pine. I could definitely get used to this, and I can see why so many people visit the Schwarzwald.
Eventually though, it was time to sleep, it had been another fantastic but tiring day and I had another long drive tomorrow.
