Sarnen - Driving tour over Brünig Pass

The road from Brienzwiler runs along the Aare valley below the Ballenberg (727 m/2,385ft; Swiss Open-Air Museum, opening hours given) to the hamlet of Kienholz (570 m/1,870ft), where Lake Brienz comes into sight. Then beneath the Brienzer Rothorn to Brienz, on the lake of the same name.

Switzerland's only open-air museum is comprised of rural architecture from all regions of Switzerland plus historical gardens and 250 farmyard animals.

In celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Federal Department of Topography the geographical center of Switzerland was officially marked. It is situated in the Kleiner Melchtal on Alp Äggli (district of Sachsen), where a resting-place has been built, surrounded by a stone wall in the shape of Switzerland. A pyramid stands in the center as a symbol of land surveying.

From the Brünig pass the road to Brienz leads down through wooded country, with attractive glimpses to the left of the Hasli valley (the valley of the River Aare) and the Faulhorn chain. 1.5km/1mi below the pass is a road junction, where an excellent road goes off on the left and winds its way down the slopes of the Hasliberg to Meiringen (8km/5mi), in the valley of the canalized Aare. The Brienz road bears right and descends, with a very fine view of the Aare valley, to the village of Brienzwiler (709 m/2,326ft), on a terrace above the Aare.

From Lungern the road comes to the Brünig pass (1,008 m/3,304ft), on the wooded ridge between the Wilerhorn (2,006 m/6,582ft; 3-3.5 hours), to the west, and the Giebel (2,039 m/6,690ft). To the left is the Brünig-Hasliberg station (restaurant). The view embraces the Engelhörner (2,783 m/9,131ft) and the Faulhorn chain; below, to the left, is the Aare valley, extending west from Meiringen to Lake Brienz, with its beautiful waterfalls.

Giswil (488 m/1,601ft), in a green hollow in the valley surrounded by fine mountains, has a church (above the village) and ruins of an old castle. A winding mountain road runs west, affording fine views, over the Moerli-Alp (1,100 m/3,609ft; restaurant), a popular skiing area.

From the Brünig pass it is worth while taking a well-engineered panoramic road branching off on the left along the Hasliberg, a sunny mountain terrace high above the Aare valley which is a popular holiday area, with good skiing in winter.

This annual, traditional Swiss festival takes place in late July.

This annual day-long festival takes place in early or mid-September and is based on a local ancient custom.

From Hasliberg the road comes first to the health resort of Hohfluh (1,049 m/3,442ft), with far-ranging views, and then continues past the lower station (1,150 m/3,773ft) of a cableway to Käserstatt (1,826 m/5,991ft; restaurant; chairlift to Hochsträss, 2,120 m/6,956ft; ski-lift to Hochbühl, 2,037 m/6,683ft) to Goldern (1,053 m/3,455ft).

Kaiserstuhl (701 m/2,300ft): view on right of the picturesque Lungernsee (692 m/2,270ft). The road runs along the lake (viewpoints, on right), to which water is conveyed from the valleys of the Grosse and the Kleine Melch in a tunnel 10km/6mi long, producing some 50,000 kw of electricity (power station between Giswil and Kaiserstuhl). To the south can be seen the Schwarzhorn chain, to the left the three peaks of the Wetterhorn (3,701 m/12,143ft).

From Käserstatt the road passes through Alpine meadows and crosses the gorge of the Alpbach in a wide bend to reach the health resort of Reuti (1,045 m/3,429ft; extensive views). From here there are cableways via Bidmi to Käserstatt or Planplatten (2,245 m/7,366ft) and down to Meiringen.