Räterichsbodensee

I left Zermatt behind and took the train to Meiringen for a few days. It is most famous for the Reichenbach Falls, but a far more spectacular day trip is Gelmersbahn to ride the Gelmer funicular, the steepest in Europe. It literally goes backwards up the side of a mountain at a near vertical angle. It's a slow ride but would be very scary for anyone suffering from vertigo. I concentrated on admiring the view and tried not to think about the mechanics that were keeping us from plummeting back downwards. At the top was a walk to a spectacular glacial lake. Very peaceful as there are only the funicular passengers up there. The ride down has to be prebooked when you buy your ticket, as the funicular only does the journey a few times a day. Going down was interesting as on the first part of the journey the track literally disappears over the edge of the cliff in front of you. Back at ground level there is a short walk to a rope bridge over a gorge with a waterfall below, so lots of wow factor scenery today.Read more