Morgenberghorn

Three landscapes in one day

This route has more faces than most. It starts at Ramslauenen, at the back of the Kiental at 960 metres, and the first part is simply lovely: a path winding up through flowery meadows and forest, with the snowy peaks at the head of the valley behind you every time you turn round. None of it is difficult, all of it is a reason to walk slower.

The trail crosses the Latrejegrat at just under 1980 metres — and then drops annoyingly far again, to around 1500 metres at Mittelberg. That is the price of this route: the 1750 metres of ascent don’t come in one piece but in two helpings. The second half is more open and drier, wide pasture, cows everywhere, a couple of farms with pigs in the mud. From the Rengglipass the path pulls straight and stubbornly up to the summit: 2249 metres, and the last stretch is honestly hard work.

The descent pays you back twice. First the Brunnihütte at 1660 metres — exactly where you want a cold drink. Then a thousand metres and more down to Leissigen, with the turquoise Lake Thun in front of you the whole way.

Tip: it works well as a trail run, but treat the descent with respect — 2150 metres downhill over 19 kilometres is more work for the legs than the distance suggests. And if you’re counting on the Brunnihütte, check the opening times first.

How it went for me

For the first two hours I mostly looked rather than walked — that’s how prettily the path winds through the meadows. I had read that the climbing comes in two parts; the re-ascent from Mittelberg still felt like a small piece of cheek. Higher up a herd stood in the sun and watched us go past, a pig rooted about in the mud looking thoroughly pleased with itself, and somewhere in between we sat on a weathered bench and ate pasta salad out of a tin box, pocket knife beside it.

The final climb to the summit was then exactly as hard as it looks from below. All the better that the Brunnihütte comes shortly after: cold drink, legs stretched out, Lake Thun far below. The rest was a long, sunny descent to Leissigen — and the next morning I knew precisely which muscles are in charge of going downhill.