Our final full day on the Bettmeralp is here and even though the five-day lift pass has expired we still wanted to walk some more.

The weather was stunning once again and our hike today was to the Gletscherstube and Märjelensee where you can get very close to the Aletsch Glacier.

The other cool part about this route is that you get to walk through the one-kilometre-long Tälligrat tunnel also known as Märjelensee tunnel.

Day 1251 – August 4th, 2017

Day 8 Bettmeralp

Here is a photo of the four of us on the chair lift.

The four of us on tour

The last view from Schönbiel peak before heading towards Fiescheralp as we did on our visit to Eggishorn mountain the other day.

The last walk of the week on the Bettmeralp

The Swiss Alps are home to the Murmeltiere which are not easy to see. We managed once to spot one from a fair distance but nothing as close as I came to the one below.

Murmeltiere & water fountain

According to the wander signs we have 1h 30 to the Gletscherstube from here.

Todays walking route

Today was very hot with only a little cloud cover at times. We certainly think it was the hottest day and walk of the week. These snow cannons would have been welcome today.

Snow canons ready for the season

But we settled for water instead. What a view…

Thirsty work walking in the blazing sun

The walk took us up the side of the mountain and around the corner in an s bend.

Along and up, not steep but long

Opposite the corner we can see the entrance to the Tälligrat tunnel.

First glimpse of the Tälligrat tunnel

The Fiescher-Glacier in the distance between the peaks.

The Fiescher-glacier in the distance

The Tälligrat tunnel

The entrance to the Märjelensee tunnel

Inside the Märjelensee tunnel

At the end of the tunnel we are greeted with this panorama. The Märjelensee is beyond the water you see and the dark building is the Gletscherstube.

Panorama after exiting the Tälligrat tunnel

View towards the glacier below

The Gletscherstube at Märjelensee

We stopped here for lunch where I had the classic Swiss mountain dish ‘alpermacaroni’ with apple puree, followed by a very good coffee, yummy.

Gletscherstube lunch

The Vordersee dam at the Gletschstube

A variety of walks can be taken from the Gletscherstube starting point.

Walking trails listed from the Gletschstube

The Gletschaerstube on the Alp

A mass of grass reeds with fluffy white tips

The walk down to the Glacier is around 20 minutes. We didn’t go all the way as after about 15 minutes we could see it was going to be longer for us down and back.

The walk down towards the Aletsch Glacier

In front of the edge of the Glacier should be the Märjelensee. In fact the pictures online are quite impressive, though I’m not sure how it is today. Next time…

Aletsch Glacier from close

Today the wooshalies came with me for a view of the Aletsch Glacier.

Sali-du, Happy Olten & Galway at the Glacier

This area was once all glacier

Back up to the tunnel, we passed back through and retraced our path to Schönbiel chair lift.

Back through the tunnel

Stunning scenery on the alp

High road or low road

Past the mountain lake

Schönbiel chairlift back down to Bettmeralp village

Chateaubriand for dinner

Once back at the chalet we rested and then got ready for a final evening dinner. This has been the tradition of the family of Brassli & Moni ever since coming to the Bettmeralp, where on the last night they go out and enjoy a Chateaubriand in one of the restaurants in the village.

Chateaubriand for dinner

This evenings chateaubriand with vegetables and choice of sides was delicious. Too many sides and probably not enough vegetables would be my opinion. Very very tender and perfectly cooked to our liking. 55 SF per person.

That was a fitting end to a wonderful week on the Bettmeralp. Tomorrow we check out and have breakfast in the Waldhaus hotel opposite before heading down to Betten and back home.