In a country packed with magnificent walks, the Jungfrau region can claim to be home to some of the best. There are more than 500km of well-signed and maintained paths, which take you away from the railway or cable car into another world where time stands still. The same incredible sights of the mountains, meadows colourful with wild flowers and the occasional chalet-style barn have given pleasure to walkers for centuries.
The mountain railways and cable cars make it easy to plan and reach circular or point-to-point walks, with a mountain hut such as the Rotstockhütte (00 41 33 855 2464) above Mürren to stop at for lunch. There are easy walks denoted by yellow signs, but most are mountain paths denoted by a red horizontal flash on the yellow signs. Good walking shoes or boots should be worn, and walkers should be prepared for a sudden change in the weather, as well as taking sunscreen.
Anyone in search of the unusual might think of joining a night-time walk timed to coincide with the full moon. The six-hour walk begins at Schynige Platte, walks along the ridge above Lake Brienz, passes the Faulhorn and gradually drops down towards First, the upper station of the cable car from Grindelwald. There are plenty of mountain hotels and hostels for those wanting the experience of staying somewhere really remote, such as the Hotel Obersteinberg (00 41 33 855 2033), where lighting is by candle and oil lamp.
If you want a real adrenaline-pumping experience, try the new via ferrata (00 41 33 821 61 00, klettersteig-muerren.ch), which takes you from Mürren to Gimmelwald. Anchors, metal rungs and even ladders are part of the iron walkway that allows you to be attached to the rock face by a rope at all times. Covering 2.2km and descending about 400 metres, it usually takes three hours.
Grindelwald-First is also the starting point of another thrill: the First Flyer down to Schreckfeld. Sitting in a harness similar to the type used by paragliders, you hurtle down the 800 metre-wire at speeds up to 85km/h, at heights of up to 45 metres. Sheer exhilaration!
