Lake Brienz - south shore driving tour

To reach the Axalp (9km/6mi) you take a narrow road which branches off the Lucerne road on the right at the hamlet of Kienholz, 3km/1mi from Brienz. The road skirts the east end of the lake at the inflow of the Aare and climbs up the slopes on the south side of the lake, past a turning to the Giessbach. It then winds its way up to the Axalp (1,460-1,549 m/4,490-5,053ft; good walking and skiing, with ski-lifts) from which there are far-ranging views. From here there is a beautiful footpath into the Upper Giessbach valley, and also a 1.25 hours' walk to the Hinterburgsee, a beautiful mountain lake in the Hinterburg nature reserve.