Walking in Kandersteg

The pretty village of Kandersteg sits in the heart of the Bernese Oberland, where the great arc of the Alps culminates in some of its highest and most spectacular peaks. Awe-inspiring and dramatic, the area epitomises the 'chocolate-box' Alps: lush green pastures and lowland slopes carpeted bright with wildflowers against a backdrop of rugged mountains - all topped off with sun-glistening glaciers.A stay here uncovers the very best of the region: the stunning Oeschinensee mountain lake enclosed by towering cliffs the hidden Gasterntal Valley with its glacial meltwaters thundering down a narrow gorge, and an Alpine pass that has been used since Celtic times.Did we mention the spectacular views? One moment you will be spellbound by the glacial legacy, whilst in another it will be the cobalt blue of the Oeschinensee that will take your breath away. Woodlands, pine forest and open meadows are decorated with lady slippers, fire lilies and more than 25 varieties of scented orchid, where you walk to the the tuneful ringing of cowbells. With the company of the occasional swooping eagle, it is easy to feel on top of the world. Amazingly, all this is accessible on well-defined paths directly from the hotel or after a short bus or cable car ride.