BERNESE OBERLAND & VALAIS | Sunflower hiking guide

HIKING GUIDE

Strap on your boots and discover Bernese Oberland on foot with the Sunflower Bernese Oberland travel guide. And on the days when your feet may have had enough, enjoy some spectacular scenery on one of our legendary car tours.

The Sunflower Bernese Oberland guide is indispensable for hiking in Bernese Oberland or seeing Bernese Oberland by car. Although a car is the best way to explore much of the Oberland and Valais, Switzerland boasts the world’s best public transport system. You can see a vast majority of its mountain landscapes by public transport. There are many suggested train tours in the guide. But where trains don’t go, buses will – even to remote valleys and hamlets.

Switzerland is a hiker’s paradise (you would expect nothing less of a country which has an article in its constitution regulating the responsibilities of those who maintain the thousands of kilometres of hiking paths!).

Mountain huts and comfortable hotels sit atop summits reached by spectacular train or cable car rides, but there is still plenty of space where you will hardly meet a soul.

The author, who lives in the area and has written several guides for walkers, caters for all abilities – from gentle strolls through the wine villages of the Valais to more strenuous hikes beside the north face of the Eiger or alongside the largest glacier in the Alps.

Information ‘boxes’ add interest to the book – whether describing grape varieties and harvesting methods or the engineering feats of the country’s dams and irrigation channels.

There are three main car tours, with dozens of side excursions. A map accompanies each car tour, but there are also two pull-out touring maps covering the whole of western Switzerland.) Of course, there are many suggestions for train, funicular and cable car rides, as well as 75 long and short walks (some of which are specially tailored to motorists). All the main walks are illustrated with 1:50,000 topo maps and free GPS tracks are available from this website.

Whatever your age or ability we’ve got some glorious walks and car tours to ensure you have a memorable holiday in this beautiful corner of Switzerland.

Inside the Sunflower Bernese Oberland guide book you’ll find:

• 75 long and short walks for all ages and abilities – each walk is graded so you can easily match your ability to the level of walk
• Topographical walking maps – give you a clear sense of the surrounding terrain
• Free downloadable gps tracks – for the techies
• Satnav guidance to walk starts for motorists
• 6 car tours and fold-out touring map – for easy reference on your tour
• Strolls to idyllic picnic spots – enjoy our recommendations for where to picnic along the way
• Timetables for public transport – ideal if you want to link two walks or avoid hiring a car on your holiday
• Online update service for the latest information

Whether you tour the region by car or explore on foot, we look forward to showing you around.