On our final day in Grindelwald, we chose a milder hike. It began with a bus ride up the steep and winding road to a mountain pass, Gross Scheidegg – the taller (eastern) counterpart to Kleine Scheidegg on the western side of Grindelwald. Here we stumbled into a local community festival, which appeared to be an amateur wrestling contest! We stopped to watch for a while, then ambled up the road and along the trail to take us down the other side of the pass. Our goal was the tiny village of Schwarzwaldalp, which we understood to be the site of a historic, water-powered sawmill. Read on!
(Photo by Ken Kaliski.)
Along the way we passed through many pastures, some with a couple dozen cows going about their daily business. In more than one place, we had to gently nudge our way through, as they reluctantly stepped aside to allow us to pass along the trail. They were quite friendly, however, and some offered to sniff and lick our hands as we passed. Soon we passed a farmhouse – the only structure in this high mountain valley –and purchased several blocks of cheese from the self-service mini-fridge beside the barn. These soon became a snack at our next stop!
Despite the snack, as we neared the village we came across a lovely berghaus, and stopped in for lunch in the shade of its tree-covered porch. The jagged peaks across the valley made for inspiring scenery as we enjoyed another meal of local meats, cheeses, eggs, and rösti.
Just around the corner was Schwarzwaldalp, our destination. From here we could catch a bus back to Grindelwald, but first, we stepped into the waterwheel-powered sawmill – still operating, lovingly tended by local volunteers. See the videos (this, and that).
More photos and videos in the gallery!
Hike stats:
Distance: 9.43km (5.9 miles)
Time: 5h10m
Gain: 69m (mostly downhill!)
David Kotz 
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