Cycling in Switzerland

Aare Route
Stage 2, Meiringen–Spiez

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Aare Route
Stage 2, Meiringen–Spiez
The deep Brienzersee, clear, quiet and sombre. The Thunersee, shallower, open and lively. In the middle, Interlaken, a trendy tourist centre, dominated by those icy icons, the Eiger, Mönch & Jungfrau. Picture-postcard perfect, get ready to rub your eyes!
Meiringen’s tourist attractions include the Aare Gorge and the Reichenbach Falls. This is where Sherlock Holmes supposedly fell to his death, only to come back to life a few years later. Cyclists, too, come to life in the saddle, riding leisurely through Aarboden and towards Lake Brienz. When it’s not raining, the colour of the Aare River above Lake Brienz is turquoise. Otherwise, people talk about the “Green Aare”. The difference in colour is caused by the so-called glacial milk, that is, cloudy meltwaters from the glacier that can be grey or milky white in colour. The turbidity is results from the transport of rock flour, which ultimately leads to the spectacularly turquoise waters of Lake Brienz. The unclouded Giessbach Falls plummet towards Lake Brienz. By the end of the 18th century, landscape painters got inspired by these enchanting waterfalls. Iseltwald, the only community on the southern shore, is just as idyllic and far away from traffic.
From Interlaken, the views of the three famous peaks of Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau are stunning. If you see moving dots of colour while looking at the mountains, they’re probably hang-gliders who like to use Höhematte for landing. On sunny days, Lake Thun is teeming with sailboats. However, when thunder is heard around the often-windswept lake, it doesn’t take long for the boats to disappear. The route along the lake is very scenic, and you mostly ride on a generous, dedicated bicycle lane. This comes in handy because only a few meters away traffic is moving fast. Better look to your right to catch a glimpse of a great crested grebe, a proud family of swans or even the pollen that gives the normally deep-blue waters a yellowish tint.
The journey around the lake is a delight for many road users. The route is particularly popular among avid cyclists who surely let their gaze wander across the lake every so often. There’s indeed plenty to see: the Niederhorn, Beatenbucht (where legendary Saint Beatus is said to have fought the terrible dragon), the Sigriswil Ridge or the pretty hillside villages. We stay on the southern shore, ride through Faulensee with its mild climate and shortly thereafter arrive at Spiez, the town that boasts perhaps Europe’s most beautiful bay…
From Interlaken, the views of the three famous peaks of Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau are stunning. If you see moving dots of colour while looking at the mountains, they’re probably hang-gliders who like to use Höhematte for landing. On sunny days, Lake Thun is teeming with sailboats. However, when thunder is heard around the often-windswept lake, it doesn’t take long for the boats to disappear. The route along the lake is very scenic, and you mostly ride on a generous, dedicated bicycle lane. This comes in handy because only a few meters away traffic is moving fast. Better look to your right to catch a glimpse of a great crested grebe, a proud family of swans or even the pollen that gives the normally deep-blue waters a yellowish tint.
The journey around the lake is a delight for many road users. The route is particularly popular among avid cyclists who surely let their gaze wander across the lake every so often. There’s indeed plenty to see: the Niederhorn, Beatenbucht (where legendary Saint Beatus is said to have fought the terrible dragon), the Sigriswil Ridge or the pretty hillside villages. We stay on the southern shore, ride through Faulensee with its mild climate and shortly thereafter arrive at Spiez, the town that boasts perhaps Europe’s most beautiful bay…
The deep Brienzersee, clear, quiet and sombre. The Thunersee, shallower, open and lively. In the middle, Interlaken, a trendy tourist centre, dominated by those icy icons, the Eiger, Mönch & Jungfrau. Picture-postcard perfect, get ready to rub your eyes!
Meiringen’s tourist attractions include the Aare Gorge and the Reichenbach Falls. This is where Sherlock Holmes supposedly fell to his death, only to come back to life a few years later. Cyclists, too, come to life in the saddle, riding leisurely through Aarboden and towards Lake Brienz. When it’s not raining, the colour of the Aare River above Lake Brienz is turquoise. Otherwise, people talk about the “Green Aare”. The difference in colour is caused by the so-called glacial milk, that is, cloudy meltwaters from the glacier that can be grey or milky white in colour. The turbidity is results from the transport of rock flour, which ultimately leads to the spectacularly turquoise waters of Lake Brienz. The unclouded Giessbach Falls plummet towards Lake Brienz. By the end of the 18th century, landscape painters got inspired by these enchanting waterfalls. Iseltwald, the only community on the southern shore, is just as idyllic and far away from traffic.
From Interlaken, the views of the three famous peaks of Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau are stunning. If you see moving dots of colour while looking at the mountains, they’re probably hang-gliders who like to use Höhematte for landing. On sunny days, Lake Thun is teeming with sailboats. However, when thunder is heard around the often-windswept lake, it doesn’t take long for the boats to disappear. The route along the lake is very scenic, and you mostly ride on a generous, dedicated bicycle lane. This comes in handy because only a few meters away traffic is moving fast. Better look to your right to catch a glimpse of a great crested grebe, a proud family of swans or even the pollen that gives the normally deep-blue waters a yellowish tint.
The journey around the lake is a delight for many road users. The route is particularly popular among avid cyclists who surely let their gaze wander across the lake every so often. There’s indeed plenty to see: the Niederhorn, Beatenbucht (where legendary Saint Beatus is said to have fought the terrible dragon), the Sigriswil Ridge or the pretty hillside villages. We stay on the southern shore, ride through Faulensee with its mild climate and shortly thereafter arrive at Spiez, the town that boasts perhaps Europe’s most beautiful bay…
From Interlaken, the views of the three famous peaks of Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau are stunning. If you see moving dots of colour while looking at the mountains, they’re probably hang-gliders who like to use Höhematte for landing. On sunny days, Lake Thun is teeming with sailboats. However, when thunder is heard around the often-windswept lake, it doesn’t take long for the boats to disappear. The route along the lake is very scenic, and you mostly ride on a generous, dedicated bicycle lane. This comes in handy because only a few meters away traffic is moving fast. Better look to your right to catch a glimpse of a great crested grebe, a proud family of swans or even the pollen that gives the normally deep-blue waters a yellowish tint.
The journey around the lake is a delight for many road users. The route is particularly popular among avid cyclists who surely let their gaze wander across the lake every so often. There’s indeed plenty to see: the Niederhorn, Beatenbucht (where legendary Saint Beatus is said to have fought the terrible dragon), the Sigriswil Ridge or the pretty hillside villages. We stay on the southern shore, ride through Faulensee with its mild climate and shortly thereafter arrive at Spiez, the town that boasts perhaps Europe’s most beautiful bay…
Length
48 km
Roads and trails
Asphalted: 45 km
Natural surface: 3 km
Natural surface: 3 km
Ascent | Descent
640 m | 600 m
Fitness level
medium
Arrival | return travel
More …
70
Bypass Giessbachfälle
Rail, bus, boat recommendation
Brienz (See)–Iseltwald (See)
Brienz (See)–Iseltwald (See)
or
Iseltwald (See)–Brienz (See)
Iseltwald (See)–Brienz (See)
Reason: metres in height saved in both directions approx. 200m.
Cycle transport: limited space, special ticket required.
SBB Timetable
Cycle transport: limited space, special ticket required.
Push-only passage
Pushing section: approx. 300 m above Brienzersee (Giessbach Falls, rocky, narrow forest trail)
Traffic volume
Beware: busy main road Interlaken (Hochbrücke West)–Leissigen.
73
Bypass Interlaken–Leissigen
Rail, bus, boat recommendation
Interlaken West–Leissigen, Bahnhof
Interlaken West–Leissigen, Bahnhof
or
Leissigen, Bahnhof–Interlaken West
Leissigen, Bahnhof–Interlaken West
Reason: bypass dangerous stretch, main road Interlaken–Leissigen.
Timetable: Interlaken–Leissigen every hour, Interlaken–Spiez every 1/2 hour.
SBB Timetable
Timetable: Interlaken–Leissigen every hour, Interlaken–Spiez every 1/2 hour.
71
Excursion Thunersee
Rail, bus, boat recommendation
Interlaken West (See)–Spiez Schiffstation
Interlaken West (See)–Spiez Schiffstation
or
Spiez Schiffstation–Interlaken West (See)
Spiez Schiffstation–Interlaken West (See)
Reason: dangerous stretch, main road Interlaken–Leissigen.
Cycle transport: special ticket required, groups: reservation required tel. 058 327 48 11.
SBB Timetable
Cycle transport: special ticket required, groups: reservation required tel. 058 327 48 11.
40
Excursion Thunersee
Rail, bus, boat recommendation
Interlaken West (See)–Thun (See)
Interlaken West (See)–Thun (See)
or
Thun (See)–Interlaken West (See)
Thun (See)–Interlaken West (See)
Reason: dangerous stretch, main road Interlaken–Leissigen.
Cycle transport: limited space.
SBB Timetable
Cycle transport: limited space.