Your holiday starts at your hotel, centrally located in the idyllic resort town of Meiringen. No doubt your excitement levels will be high on your arrival, having had your appetite whetted by your scenic journey through the spectacular landscapes of awe inspiring mountains, glistening lakes and lush green pastures on your way to the starting point for your Via Alpina hike. Depending on your time of arrival to Meiringen, you may have the opportunity to discover some of the spectacular natural glacial formations to be found in this valley. The thundering Reichenbach Falls can be reached by a ride on the nostalgic funicular; it is here where Sherlock Holmes and his arch enemy Moriarty did battle and supposedly plunged to their deaths in Arthur Conan Doyle's short story "The Final Problem". Your excursion can be combined with a walk through the Aare Gorge, hewn by the force of glacial meltwater that carved through the limestone, forming a deep and narrow gorge with some sections up to 200m deep. Take your pick of restaurants tonight in which to enjoy your evening meal; as meringues are said to hail from Meiringen perhaps you might like to enjoy this sweet treat in its birthplace!

After fuelling up on breakfast this morning, take a bus to reach Rosenlaui (1,340m). Here you might like to pay a visit to the Rosenlaui Glacier Gorge, where a gently ascending trail leads you past waterfalls and fascinating geological formations shaped by thousands of years of water flow. From Rosenlaui you will pick up the waymarked Via Alpina 1 trail and walk beneath jagged peaks, climbing steadily through verdant meadows and up to the high pass at Grosse Scheidegg (1,962m). From here you can gain your first tantalising views of the distinctive peaks of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. You will keep these iconic peaks of the Bernese Oberland in your sight as your path descends toward Grindelwald (1036m), your home for the evening.

Awaking this morning beneath commanding mountain faces including those of the Eiger (3967m) and the Wetterhorn (3,690m), it's easy to see why Grindelwald has been such a popular holiday destination over the centuries, attracting leisure tourists and mountaineers alike with its magnificent vistas and wealth of hiking trails, ski pistes and challenging climbs. Today you will hike beneath the infamous north wall of the Eiger, considered to be one of the most difficult Alpine climbing faces with a dizzying 1,800m of vertical height. The first ascent of this face was only achieved in 1938; over the years it has claimed many lives, earning it the nickname "Mordwand", a macabre play on the German name of Nordwand (north wall) meaning "death wall". As you pass beneath this imposing wall, you can't help but to crane your neck towards its summit and imagine the adrenaline coursing through the veins of mountaineers as they tackle the vertiginous climb. Your route by sharp contrast is somewhat less nerve-racking, ascending through undulating meadows surrounded by sumptuous views to reach the pass of Kleine Scheidegg (2,061m). The meeting point for two cog railway lines, this high point of the day would make for an excellent lunch stop with a view. Feeling sated, continue your walk which now descends into the next valley, bathed in the summer sun. The high path skirts the flanks of the Lauberhorn (2,472m) before reaching the pretty mountain resort of Wengen (1,262m) and your hotel for the evening. The village of Lauterbrunnen is nestled in the valley below, positioned within a stunning fjord-like landscape of vertical cliffs and cascading waterfalls and is well worth taking the time to explore. You might like to walk down on a path that takes you past the spectacular Trümmelbach Falls, or you could use the cog train between Wengen and Lauterbrunnen. The name Lauterbrunnen translates as 'many fountains' - an apt moniker for this magnificent valley. The charming village of timber houses and its awe inspiring backdrop of high cliffs and hanging falls feels like you have been transported to an enchanting dream land.

An early start this morning might give you the opportunity to catch the dawn alpenglow on the peaks surrounding Lauterbrunnen. You have a tough but spectacular day of walking in store today. We suggest making use of the cable car and rail link to reach Mürren (1,638m) at the foot of the Schilthorn (2,969m). From here you commence your walk, ascending through wooded trails, high alpine meadows and across well-walked scree slopes. Panoramic views of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau accompany you along your walk, offering silent encouragement and a visual motivation for your challenging hike today. The height gain is mostly steady, with a couple of steeper sections to navigate as you ascend part of the ridge beneath Bryndli (2,132m) and over the mountain pass at Sefinenfurgge (2,612m). From the Sefinenfurgge pass, the high point of this day, you'll be rewarded for your efforts with jaw dropping panoramas of the Schilthorn, Eiger and Jungfrau now behind you, and ahead of you the Kiental valley and rugged peaks including Blüemlisalp (3,660m) and Aermighorn (2,742m). Descending steeply from the high pass with steps and ropes to aid you on your way, the gravel and scree soon makes way for lush green pastures, accompanied by the gentle ringing of cowbells. Your path along the upper Dürreberg follows a babbling creek and past pretty waterfalls, inviting you to dip your feet into the waters to cool off, before completing your gentle descent to Griesalp (1,415m) where you can rest up for the night and treat yourself to a well-deserved double helping of dessert.

You have another challenging but superlative day of hiking ahead of you, with varied and breathtaking scenery just waiting for you to discover. This day is the crowning highlight of the Swiss Via Alpina, reaching the high point of the trail through Switzerland at Hohtürli (2,778m). Fuelled up on a hearty breakfast, you will set off from your hotel picking up the Via Alpina 1 waymarks, walk through tranquil forests of spruce and begin your ascent along the Bundalp, dipping in and out of the shade of the forests. Climbing above the tree line into ubiquitous alpine pastures, your route takes you past a handful of welcoming huts offering refreshments, before venturing into rockier terrain and sharper gradients. The path crosses slopes of glacial moraine, with red and white flashes guiding you through this challenging terrain. Plugging on to the rocky escarpment at the Hohtürli pass, enjoy a breather and drink in the stunning panorama of rugged peaks and glacial valleys and lakes before you. If you are feeling sprightly, the Blüemlisalp Hut is situated a further climb up at an altitude of 2,840m, where you might like to take your lunch or enjoy a beverage on the terrace at this high point of your trek, with incomparable views to the Eiger, Mönch, Jungfrau, Schilthorn, Lake Thun, Niesen, Wildi Frau, Blüemlisalphorn and Blüemlisalp Glacier, all the way to the Wildstrubel. Feeling re-energised after a short rest, you will begin a steep descent through the scree fields and take a balcony path hugging the rocky mountain flanks. Reaching the Oberbärgli mountain hut, you will gain your first sight of the magnificent Oeschinen Lake with unbelievable shades of turquoise waters, surrounded by vertical cliffs, high hanging glaciers and ancient fir trees. You have the opportunity to have a refreshing dip in this glacial lake to soothe your muscles before continuing your descent along the Öschibach river to reach Kandersteg (1,174m) where you will rest up for the evening, tired but happy.

Feeling well-rested, you might like to enjoy a more leisurely start this morning as you have a shorter day of walking ahead. From the popular holiday resort of Kandersteg, take the cable car to reach Allmenalp (1,730m) from where you will climb up fields of scree beneath the peak of Chlyne Loner (2,586m) to reach the pass beneath the summit of the Bunderspitz (2,546m). As always you are accompanied by gorgeous vistas of the surrounding peaks and valleys of the Bernese Alps, which might feel like old friends by now. From the pass, the Via Alpina descends the steep glacial corrie and wends its way across meadows and wooded trails to reach the bottom of the valley, where a warm welcome awaits you at your hotel in Adelboden (1,347m).

You will embark on your final day of walking in the Bernese Oberland; your objective today to cross the Hahnenmoos pass (1,950m) into the Simmental valley where your trek concludes in Lenk. From the idyllic year-round holiday village of Adelboden, your route ascends gently in the direction of the head of the valley, walking alongside the Gilsbach stream and through forest casting dappled sun and shade. Reaching the gondola station at Geilsbüel, follow the paved trail as it meanders through picturesque moorland to reach today's high point at Hahnenmoos. From this vantage point, you have an awesome panorama across to Wildstrubel (3,244m), Wildhorn (3,250m) and perhaps as far as Sommet des Diablerets (3,216m). You can trace the wide path across the rolling pastures as it descends into the Simmental valley. In the winter this area is a hugely popular ski resort, with groomed pistes easily reached by gondola or chairlift; you will also pass a number of cosy chalets, restaurants and bars on your way to Lenk at the bottom of the valley at 1,068m, and your home for the evening. Settling in to your hotel, you can enjoy a celebratory meal at a restaurant of your choice this evening, and reflect on your achievements and highlights over the last week. Lenk has a vibrant culture, offering a diverse range of events and festivals through the year, celebrating music, culture and outdoor pursuits. Notably during the summer months you may be able to time your stay to coincide with the 10-day Jazz Festival in early July, or the Simmental Beer Festival in the first weekend of September. What a way to round off your trip!

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before checking out of your accommodation and making your onward journey.