Lake Brienz - North shore driving tour

The Brienzer Rothorn (2,350 m/7,710ft), with a magnificent prospect of the Appenzell, Uri, Engelberg, Berne and Valais Alps extending from Säntis to the Diablerets. There is a cableway from Sörenberg and a splendid four-hour mountain walk (stout footwear required) from the Brienzer Rothorn to the Brünig Pass, or to the mountain station of Schönbüel (1.5 hours).

In 1988, the Brünig railroad celebrated the centenary of the section between Alpmachstad and Brienz. Extensions to Lucerne and Interlaken were not built until 1916. This, the smallest rack-and-pinion railroad of the Swiss federal network (length 74km/46mi; electrified 1941/42), crosses 124 bridges and climbs gradients up to 1 in 8 on its scenically attractive trip over the 1,002 m/3,289ft-high Brünig Pass.

Goldswil (612 m/2,008ft) is a prettily situated little village with a ruined castle surrounded by a beautiful cemetery. Beyond this, on the right, is the Burgseeli swimming beach.

From Ringgenberg an excursion (12km/7.5mi) to the "Planet Path" is recommended. The walk, of about five hours, takes the visitor through the whole of the solar system at a scale of one to one billion. Walking at a normal pace corresponds to the five-fold speed of light. Then on, through a short rocky defile, to Niederried (580 m/1,903ft), situated amid orchards at the foot of the Augstmatthorn (2,140 m/7,012ft) and Oberried (592 m/1,942ft), before passing through the little village of Eblingen to Brienz.

From Goldswil the road keeps rather close to the water and comes to the village of Ringgenberg (599 m/1,965ft) in a sheltered situation on a terrace above the lake. Here are weathered brown timber houses and a church (1671-1674), with an Early Baroque interior, which stands above the village in the ruins of a castle.