Active Pursuits

In Town

There are miles of downhill runs in the area. Mürren, one of the finest ski resorts of Switzerland, provides access to the Schilthorn at 2,923m (9,587 ft.), the start of a 15km (9-mile) run that drops all the way to Lauterbrunnen. It also has one funicular railway, seven lifts, and two cable cars. A 1-day ski pass that includes the area around Schilthorn costs 59F, while a 6-day pass goes for 256F. For cross-country skiers, there's a 12km (7 1/2-mile) track in the Lauterbrunnen Valley, 10 minutes by railway from Mürren.

The alpine Sportzentrum (Sports Center), in the middle of Mürren (tel. 033/856-86-86), is one of the finest in the Bernese Oberland. The modern building has an indoor pool, a lounge, a snack bar, an outdoor skating rink, a tourist information office, and a children's playroom and library. There are facilities for squash, tennis, and curling. Hotel owners subsidize the operation, tacking the charges onto your hotel bill. Supplemental charges include 33F to 39F per hour for tennis, 25F per 45-minute session for squash, 19F per 2 hours use of the sauna. The facility is usually open Monday to Friday from 9am to noon and 1 to 6:45pm, and from Christmas to April and July to mid-September also on Saturday from 1 to 6:30pm and Sunday from 1 to 5:30pm; but check locally as these times can vary.

Nearby

The famous Mürren-Allmendhubel Cableway leaves from the northwestern edge of Mürren. From the destination, there's a panoramic view of the Lauterbrunnen Valley as far as Wengen and Kleine Scheidegg. Between mid-June and late August, the alpine meadows are covered with wildflowers. A walk in this hilly region could easily be a highlight of your trip to Switzerland. The cable car operates daily throughout the year from 9am to 5pm. However, there are annual closings for maintenance in May and November. It costs 12F per person round-trip. For information, call tel. 033/855-20-42.

The most popular excursion from Mürren is a cable-car ride to the Schilthorn [SSS], famous for its 360-degree view. The panorama extends from the Jura to the Black Forest, including the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau. The Schilthorn is also called "Piz Gloria" after the James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service (the most dramatic scenes in the movie were filmed here). Today Piz Gloria is the name of the revolving restaurant on-site. The summit is the start of the world's longest downhill ski race. The cable car to Schilthorn leaves every 30 minutes, and the round-trip costs 92F. The journey to the top takes 20 minutes. For details, call tel. 033/856-21-41.