Mürren: Designed by nature
Scenic Swiss mountain village for soul searchers, adventure seekers
Switzerland in the summer is a completely different world from its cliché image of snow-blanketed landscapes, busy ski resorts, snowboarders cutting through the pristine ice, and postcard-perfect cottages with smoke billowing from chimneys.
I instantly fell in love with the Swiss mountain village of Mürren. Made famous in all its snowy glory as the site of the 1969 James Bond film, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, Mürren is also known as the take-off point for a cable car ride up to Schilthorn where there’s a revolving restaurant with a view of the Mont Blanc.
Off-winter season, I saw the quiet and unhurried version of Mürren—the one with verdant rolling hills dotted with dainty flowers, the one with softly murmuring alpine springs hid- den along hiking trails. It was magical. With more hotels and lodges than actual residents, it’s easy to dismiss Mürren as just another touristy attraction. It is not.
Mürren, located more than 5,300 feet above sea level, is carfree and unreachable by public road. The village retains its charming and relaxing atmosphere as it plays host to a few day hikers or adventurers on their way to their first paragliding experience in the Swiss Alps.
The place remains largely undisturbed in sunny and mild-- weathered June, all the more conducive for soul-searching hikes and pensive mountain-watching sessions.
It’s easy to forget time in Mürren. It seduces one to take things slow. I picked out a spot while hiking and actually spent some time just zoning out, sitting on grass still moist with the morning dew, basking in the sunshine as I slowly breathed in the high-altitude air and took in the view of still snow-capped mountains in the distance.
The trails, while quite easy for first-time hikers, boast of an amazing 360-degree mountain views that are truly rewarding for casual hikers.
More thrill-seeking travelers can meanwhile opt to go paragliding from Mürren.
Airtime offers a paragliding experience at a cost of 170 CHF.
The take off spot was on a hill, just a short 10-minute walk from Mürren’s cable car station. Paragliding from Mürren down to Stechelberg, the landing spot, took 20 minutes.
So regardless of how one gets a dose of peace and quiet, whether it’s hiking or doing Zen meditation on a grassy hill, or paragliding over a valley, there’s definitely something for everybody in beautiful Mürren.