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Staying in Wilderswil, on the main train line from Interlaken into
the mountains, we were well placed to visit many spectacular places on
the northern side of the Bernese Oberland. Our first trip was via a cog
railway to the Alpine Gardens on Schynigeplatte, where names can be put
to many of the local alpine flowers. Added interest here came from the
jet-black Salamanders (top left), tempted out by a shower of rain.
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A slightly longer trip was to Grindelwald, where a chair-lift whisked
us up to First. Here the scenery was superb, with flowers such as Pulsatilla
verna (left) blooming close to the receding snows. This was also a
good area for "non-blue" Gentians such as Gentiana acaulis, (bottom
right).
Another favourite train trip was up the Lauterbrunnen Valley
to Wengen, where spectacular views into the heart of the mountains appeared
around every bend (top right). Frequently we passed elegant stands of Lilium
martagon (right), thriving on the edges of flower-filled alpine meadows.
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Continuing beyond Wengen, the trains crept upwards to Kleine
Scheideg, with ever improving views southwards to the Jungfrau, Monch and
Eiger (bottom left). From Kleine Scheideg, the final train went even higher
to Jungfraujoch, high on the skyline, to a wonderful land of snow, glaciers
and very thin air!
 
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