Engstligenalp

Engstligen Waterfall

Whilst in Adelboden we caught the bus to Unter dem Birg to see a spectacular waterfall, the Engstligen Wasserfalle. It was rather a wet day, but we had our waterproofs and umbrellas and had a short walk through the wood to a bridge over the river at the bottom of the waterfall. All the ground around was especially lush and verdant and I was interested to see that apart from the mosses and ferns growing there were large patches of hardy geraniums and astrantia which obviously liked the damp conditions.

Having completed the walk to and from the waterfall, we bravely decided to go up the cable car to Engstligenalp. It takes about 10 or 15 minutes to get up there by cable car, a couple of hours by foot. Not all of us were very keen on cable cars but the climb on foot seemed very steep. Up at the top you are rewarded with a view of an alpine pasture as well as views down the valley to Adelboden.

Engstligenalp

View down the valley to Adelboden

At nearly 2000 metres it was considerably cooler up the mountain and we were glad of our waterproof trousers providing an extra layer. We then did a circular route  around the flat pastures. The cattle are moved up the mountain from the valley at the end of June. It is a major exercise and quite a local spectacle zig zagging the cattle up the paths. The young calves are taken up in a special transporter by cable car and apparently having been up the mountain once are keen to go again the following year as the grass is so good. I do not know when they go back down the mountain but guess it must be in the early autumn. The snow on the mountains up there seemed remarkably close and there was more snowfall on the peaks during the time we were there.
There is a film that shows the cattle  - http://bauernfilme.ch/en/2011/06/06/alpaufzug-auf-die-engstligenalp/   

Whilst on our walk we spotted numerous wild plants and flowers which I was unable to identify but they looked very beautiful in amongst the grasses. The one above seemed particularly attractive to bees.
We also managed to attract a goat mid-way around our walk who followed us most of the way back to the cable car - I think she could smell the food in one of the bags.