Another of our favourite places to stay is deep in the Swiss Alps at an idyllic location nestling at 1200mt. amongst the high mountains. Here at the head of the Kander valley lies the splendid village of Kandersteg. To explore further by van, in the past, we have had to load our camper-van onto the wagons of the Lotschberg Tunnel train for the fifteen minute blacked out ride through the mountains to Goppenstein.
Kandersteg has all you need for either a short or an extended stay. Being a pleasant ten minute walk through an alpine field and past the small picturesque local church from the camp-site. There are numerous restaurants and small but well stocked provision stores and outdoor clothing outlets,(the best on the edge near the railway/bus stations). The Information Office is quite central and is most helpful and has all the maps of the area. .
The camp-site, Camping Rendez-vous, with its excellent showers, washing and toilet facilities is very conveniently situated next to the restaurant of the same name and the cable-car station. Pitches are on terraces, all with great views of the surrounding snow topped mountains.
Where the cable-car lift was once an open chair lift type it is now a modern enclosed gondola carriage. Using the cable-car you can quickly ascend to the wonder of the high mountain lake Oeschinensee. Once up there you can ride in a horse drawn cart to the lake.
On our last visit(September 2009) we hiked up from the camp-site following the rivers path and up through the trees. Once on the plateau near the lake there are numerous paths and trails, allthough a bit of care needs to be taking on some of the narrower ones. In the winter when the lake freezes it becomes part of the 75km of local cross-country ski trails. Even then there are about 55km of hiking paths open.
In amongst the trees around the lake there are numerous tree-carvings.
The clear waters of the glazier fed lake are home to Trout, there for the taking, which our neighbouring campers did and shared with us, delicious.
It really is a paradise up there, with a mountain restaurant and watering hole overlooking the bowl shaped waters its an effort to return to lower ground.
For more information click on……. www.kandersteg.ch