recommended route
Alternative Bad Weather Walk: Kandersteg to Blausee
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A farm en route to the Blausee from KanderstegPhoto: Catherine Allan, Macs Adventure
Begin this alternative route from the train station in Kandersteg and follow riverside paths and forest tracks as you descend the valley to reach Blausee. The lake is situated in a small nature park (entry fee payable) with a restaurant where you can have a relaxed lunch overlooking this uniquely coloured lake. From Blausee you can choose to walk back up the valley the way you came, or catch the bus back instead.
Author’s recommendation
Track types
Safety information
The route is shared with bikes and some farm vehicles between Kandersteg and Blausee so take care and give way.Tips and hints
Points of Interest
Blausee Park
A small nature park packed with activities. The Hotel Blausee overlooks the lake where you can have lunch or coffee. There are some trails surrounding the lake, which is an organic mountain trout farm. The glass bottom boat trip is also popular with visitors. Through the clear blue-green waters you can see ancient trees laying on the lake floor, along with underwater plants and fish.
You can find more information and the current entry fee (<10 CHF per person) here: https://www.blausee.ch/en/nature-park/nature-park/
You can check the bus timetable for Blausee to Kandersteg here (approx. hourly Mon-Sun): https://www.sbb.ch/de
Food & Drink
As this a short walk you might just bring some snacks and water with you and wait until reaching the restaurant at Blausee, or until you return to Kandersteg, before having lunch. There are a couple of small convenience shops – the Volg and Co-Op – in Kandersteg, and there are also plenty of restaurant options in Kandersteg.
Start
Destination
Turn-by-turn directions
0.00 km – Facing the entrance of the Kandersteg train station building TURN RIGHT and walk out of the car park to join a gravel path with the railway on your left-hand side.
0.40 km – The path comes to a road (with an underpass on your left), continue STRAIGHT ON to cross the road following the path next to the railway. Soon you’ll be walking with the river Kander flowing down the valley on your right-hand side.
0.90 km – At a path junction with a footbridge on your right continue STRAIGHT ON to follow the path and the signpost for Blausee at the Buelbad (1165m) signpost.
1.20 km – Follow the path through an underpass then emerge in a paved area with a water processing plant on your right, BEAR RIGHT to reach a road ahead then TURN LEFT following the Wanderweg signposts onto the road and ascend briefly to another junction.
1.40 km – At the next junction TURN RIGHT onto the track to follow the signpost for Blausee then in 100 m where the track splits BEAR RIGHT following the signpost for Blausee. Continue to follow the track and the signs for Blausee for 1 km.
2.40 km – BEAR RIGHT to descend and follow the Wanderweg signposts on the track.
2.90 km – After passing a farm house and other farm buildings on your left at the crossroads continue STRAIGHT ON following the Underem Buel (1043m) signpost for Blausee. Continue following the track and the signposts for ~1.5 km.
4.50 km – At a track junction with a signpost (930m) on your left continue STRAIGHT ON to follow the arrow for Blausee.
5.10 km – With a narrow metal footbridge on your right crossing the river TURN RIGHT here to enter the Blausee Nature Park. Admission fees are displayed on the opposite side of the bridge. There are WCs, a restaurant, small museum and organic trout farm within the park grounds. From the main park entrance you can catch the bus back up the valley to Kandersteg.
Alternatively, if you don’t wish to take the bus retrace your steps to Kandersteg (this will make your daily walking total approx. 10.20 km plus any additional walking you do in addition to the GPS track.
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