Roundtour from Lungern to the Brünig Pass and Back

It is hard to believe that there is such an interesting hiking option so close to a popular and well-traveled pass road! And yet you are immersed in the peaceful countryside for most of the journey.

This round tour near the base of Mount Wilerhorn has so much variety that it’s a real pleasure to do: Alpine meadows, forest trails, old mule tracks, an idyllic little high moor alley overgrown with ferns and lined with moss-covered walls, views of the Bernese Alps and Lake Lungern, and several picnic spots along the way. The entire area has important botanical value as well (lots of medicinal herbs grow here).

The final approach to the Brünig Pass road is a short section of steep gravel road which can prove to be slippery. Also, at some places the trail is not well marked (it helps to use a GPS locator with the map) but other than this the tour is not difficult.

On the way back from the Brünig Pass the trail follows the busy road for a small stretch before heading back through the forests and meadows along the railway track. Before heading down the paved road back to the train station in Lungern, you pass the little mountain chapel (built in 1760) on the hill where there is also a playground and a little restaurant. At this location you get a very nice view of Lake Lungern and the Lungern Valley.

Interesting note: The original church in Lungern was swept away by a flood in 1887 and only the original 14th century tower still stands at the North end of the village. The new and prominent neo-gothic church built in 1891-1893 stands on a hill in order to prevent a similar disaster. This church has similarities to the Mother-of-God church in Lourdes.