Here's a really nice story from the New York Times about hiking through the Berner Oberland region of central Switzerland. Even if you're not a James Bond fan, (would you admit it?), you'll enjoy reading about the snow-capped summits, cascading waterfalls and flower-filled meadows that grace so many photographs from Switzerland's most famous region.
If you are a James Bond fan, then you'll enjoy reading about the Schilthorn, the setting for the 1969 Bond flick On Her Majesty's Secret Service and the centerpiece of this article. In fact, you may want to book a plane ticket after reading this piece. The Schilthorn Cableway will open Bond World 007 during the summer of 2013, in addition to a new viewing platform at the Piz Gloria. The new viewing platform is the first step in a series of renovations leading up to the Cableway's 50th anniversary in 2017.
Enjoy this story, and don't forget about our own collection of hiking tours that explore the Berner Oberland region. From loop hikes to point-to-point expeditions, (custom or standard), we can send you anywhere you'd like to go in the Bernese Oberland. Let us plan the perfect Switzerland hiking tour!
In the Alps of Goethe and James Bond
By Joshua Hammer
Published May 1, 2013
Courtesy of the New York Times
We were hiking in fog and drizzle up the barren slopes of Mount Schilthorn, a 9,748-foot-high peak overlooking the Lauterbrunnen Valley in Switzerland. As I inched along a narrow trail, the mist cleared to reveal a long drop on either side into a boulder-strewn abyss. My legs wobbled; my feet slithered over the soggy ground. I reached out to grasp what seemed like a taut rope line, only to feel it sag beneath my trembling fist. Then the trail widened, I steadied myself, and continued my arduous climb toward the summit. Read more...
Photo: Courtesy of Joshua Hammer and the New York Times
