DAY 61 - SACHSELN to MEIRINGEN (Friday 16 June)

With a long day in front of us, we set off at a brisk rate through Sachseln and alongside the Sarnersee. The lake and mountain views continue to be pretty good. 

Morning at the Sarnersee

After diverging for several days, the Jakobsweg caught up with us in Sachseln, and we followed it for much of today's walk. The couple in front of us here were Jakobsweg pilgrims. 

The Sarnersee in the morning

The path went between the lake and the railway line

We were getting quite close to the walkers in front of us - close enough to see the scallop shells on their backpacks

But we didn't catch them just yet. We paused several times to take artistic photos. 

And to take advantage of the lakeside infrastructure

An Australian long-distance walker lagging behind after taking some artistic photos

From the Sarnersee we continued on through Giswil, where we topped up our supplies for the day (yes, chocolate was involved). There was then a bit of climbing before we reached Lake Lungern, a few hundred metres higher. 

We bade farewell to the Sarnersee 

And followed the signs to Giswil

We followed the path through Giswil

There was some climbing ahead of us

So we started climbing

We seemed to go faster as the other walkers came into sight

We overtook the pilgrims, and kept climbing up to the hamlet of Kaiserstuhl

We walked alongside Lake Lungern for a bit, pausing for morning tea in a familiar spot from years gone by. 

Three Australian long-distance walkers happy to be at Lake Lungern

Lake Lungern - yet another beautiful Swiss lake

Lake Lungern

We headed for a picnic spot that we remembered from a previous visit to Switzerland 

Lake Lungern,  July 2006

Lake Lungern,  June 2023

We followed the path around the western shore of the lake, then through part of the town of Lungern, before tackling the Brünigpass.

Around the lake to Lungern 

And then a bit of a climb

We were soon able to look back on this view of Lungern and Lake Lungern

There was still more uphill before we reached the Brünigpass. When we got there, we had a lunch break before continuing on. 

A pleasant climb up to the Brünigpass 

The Jakobsweg heads right from the Brünigpass towards Interlaken. We left it to turn left along a scenic path that was to take us all the way in to Meiringen. The path led uphill at first, before it was downhill all the way. 

The path down from the Brünigpass 

Some pleasant forest walking

As usual in Switzerland, the path signage is very clear

Those high mountains are getting closer 

Downhill among the trees and the rocks

We bought some Alpine cheese from a local fridge stall on the way down

Then it was just a matter of following the path down . . . 

 . . . and down some more . . . 

All the way down to Meiringen

After we checked in to our hotel, we went out to find some dinner, and to indulge in some more then and now recreations. 

Sherlock Holmes statue,  Meiringen, July 2003

Sherlock Holmes statue,  Meiringen, June 2023

Sherlock Holmes statue,  Meiringen, July 2006

Sherlock Holmes statue,  Meiringen, June 2023

Day 61 - Birds (yes, the bird in the bottom photo is indeed a great crested grebe)

Day 61 - Elevation Profile 

Day 61 - Route 

Day: 61

Distance: 30.98 km

Walking time: 6 hrs 32 mins

Elevation gain: 972 metres

Cumulative distance:  1,334.29

Switzerland distance: 255.49

Switzerland chocolate consumption: 19 blocks

Poem of the Day:

30 KILOMETRE DAY

What do you feel like most after a 30

kilometre day?

Writing a poem of course, about the

highlights on the way!

Or maybe spying a mattress, or even

a pile of hay

And snuggling in for long enough for

all my hairs to gray.