Follow

Yesterday’s coloured sticks have now been supplemented by lots of bauprofils (build profiles). These wooden structures aim to provide us residents with an idea of the shape and scale of the proposed building work, including the space that the second railway track will occupy, and the pedestrian underpass.

What happens now is that the railway company will start a charm offensive. There will be presentations (with wine and snacks) as they try to convince us that the village will benefit from the additional railway track. Of course, when planning permission is applied for we will all object anyway, in the expectation that some ‘sweeteners’ might be offered. Ah well, at least nothing will happen until spring.

Tomorrow we’re leaving for the UK, so today has been taken up with last minute shopping and packing. It’s hard to imagine that when we return in a month’s time it will be winter.

Follow

It’s another day of t-shirt weather, so we had a walk along the valley before lunch.

We had lunch at cafe Waldschluecht, and made our way back down the hill towards home. On the path down to the railway track, a forest of colourful sticks has appeared.

These sticks are bad news, as they are placed there by engineering surveyors. We have known for years that the railway company would like to add another track past our house. The problem with this is that whereas now we just hop across the railway line to get to our garden path, a double track would mean that an underpass will have to be provided. This would involve a huge amount of excavation and general disruption. We can only hope it never happens.

Follow

We had a good time at the Caprice last night, with lots of pizza and drinks. It was really busy. Today started slowly, but we did get out for a walk this afternoon. It’s still bright and very mild.

Wengen is pretty quiet now. Many of the shops and most of the hotels are closed. A few cattle will remain on the pastures in the village until the weather turns.

Follow

Lovely dinner at the Caprice on Wednesday night. I had pork and Val had turbot.

Today we set off for Neuhaus on Lake Thun. It’s a 10 minute bus ride from Interlaken, and a very picturesque spot on a beautiful autumn afternoon.

The steamer calls in a few times a day.

There’s a nice walk back to Interlaken around a golf course and through a nature reserve. We ate our sandwiches and set off. The river Aare runs between Lake Brienz and Lake Thun, but it flows very quickly and it’s too shallow for steamers. A canal has therefore been built from Lake Thun to Interlaken.

A nice walk of about 10 kilometres back to Interlaken Ost station. There’s an ‘Ustrinkete’ at the Caprice tomorrow, so we’ll certainly be going along for the cheap beer and pizza. An Ustrinkete is an end of season booze-up to use up all the beer which would otherwise go out of date during the off-season.

Follow

It was raining when we got up this morning, but the forecast was ok so we set off for Stechelberg. Here is the valley station of the new cable car to Mürren.

The cliff rises vertically from the valley floor, and it’s 430 metres high. The new cabins ascend at an angle of 57.9 degrees, making this the steepest cableway in the world.

We walked back towards Lauterbrunnen. There are still lots of cattle in the meadows.

Lauterbrunnen in the sunshine.

A nice walk, on another warm day.

Ali got a shot of the helicopter swooping down to collect more scaffolding this afternoon. Chalet Iltis is beginning to look very smart!

Follow

The scaffolders were here early this morning, as they need to remove all the ironwork from the house. A helicopter is coming to take away all the scrap wood and the rest of the stuff that the carpenters and the roofers have left behind. Here it comes.

The aircraft lands in the meadow below the house, and the crew jump out.

Frantic activity in the garden while the (very expensive) helicopter lurks in the background.

At last we can begin.

And bit by bit, the helicopter removed everything and took it down to the valley. By the time all that was finished the scaffolders had removed the remaining scaffolding, and Chalet Iltis is beginning to look more like a house and less like a construction site. Happy days.

Follow

It’s another very warm day, so we’re starting our walk at Wengernalp, high above the village.

The views up here must be some of the best in the Alps.

The Silberhorn, and the Jungfrau glacier.

A pause at a bench.

This place is called Mettlenalp.

Views across the valley to Mürren, where we looked at the construction site yesterday.

And high above Mürren on the Schilthorn, we can see the cranes that are being used to build the upper cable car stations.

Wengen, in the warm afternoon sunshine.

At Allmend a row of snow cannons stands ready for winter. It certainly doesn’t feel very wintry today.

Eventually we arrive back at the village.

A good walk on a lovely day. Last night saw the Crystal bar close its doors for the end of the summer season, so Wengen now has no evening bars open at all.