This stage combines an enjoyable walk with a ridge hike. Leaving the peaceful Engstlensee lake via a mountain path, we first arrive in the busier tourist destination of Tannalp. The idyllic Tannensee lake, formed in the 1950s by an embankment dam, is popular among anglers because it is stocked with six different species of trout and char.

With the Tannensee and Melchsee lakes in sight, we make our ascent to the Balmeregghorn. Here, accompanied by the spectacular, clear view across the Trift glacier to the Jungfrau region, is where the varied and wonderful Horizon Trail (Horizontweg) begins: an enjoyable hike to the Planplatten cable car, lasting about one-and-a-half hours. Fascinatingly, iron ore was already being extracted and mined up here in around 1400 by the citizens of Obwalden and Bern on both sides of the cantonal border. Hikers will constantly come across fields with names like «Erzgrueben» and «Ärxegg» that bear witness to this bygone age.

From Planplatten, the long hike downhill passes Hasliberg Reuti and continues towards Meiringen. A detour to the Schrändli sculpture garden will add variety to the descent: situated on a small plateau, the natural garden is open all year round and exhibits works by contemporary artists. The Alpbach Gorge is another must-see, though it can only be walked uphill. Sure-footedness is essential here. It’s also worth checking the water level beforehand, because the waterfall sometimes runs dry. A baked classic awaits us at our destination: legend has it that an Italian confectioner named Gasparini first created a dessert made of sugar and beaten egg whites in Meiringen around 1600 and named it after the village. The French word «meringue» is said to be derived from «Meiringen».