Seehorn, Spillgerte, Rauflihorn and Männlifluh form the impressive end of the valley at Grimmialp. The village lies in Diemtigtal Nature Park at an altitude of around 1,235 metres above sea level. If you are planning a stay, there are various ways to experience the mountain scenery here, from an illuminated winter hiking trail and winter sports to a seasonal mountain experience trail.
Mountain scenery at the end of the Diemtigtal
Grimmialp is located in the Diemtigtal, a side valley of the Simmental that is around 16 kilometres long. Since 2011, the Diemtigtal, together with parts of the municipality of Zweisimmen, has held the Regional Nature Park designation. The peaks at the end of the valley give the place a distinctive landscape setting; local activities offer different ways to enjoy exercise, observe nature and take part in winter activities.
When planning, it is worth considering the season and the type of outing. The Büchsewäg Grimmialp is a short winter hiking trail; the GrimmiJutz experience trail is a longer route that is open seasonally. Activities in the ski area are also limited to winter. These differences can help you choose activities that suit your travel dates, without having to combine them into a set itinerary.
Winter trail and winter sports
The Büchsewäg Grimmialp is 700 metres long and illuminated. It runs from the car park by the Schwenden Chapel to Egg, which is 50 metres higher. The trail is a recurring seasonal offering: the stated operating period runs from the first Sunday of Advent until mid-March. Check the latest seasonal information before your visit.
The Grimmialp ski area has a three-seat chairlift with a conveyor belt at the boarding point, a ski lift and a children’s rope lift. Grimmialp is a small area for hiking and winter sports, with around ten kilometres of ski slopes. Lift facilities and winter operations may change; include the latest operating information in your plans. This makes it easy to distinguish the short, illuminated trail from the other winter sports options.
Experience trails and local culture
The GrimmiJutz experience trail is six kilometres long. It starts at the mountain station of the Grimmialp mountain railways and is open on weekends from mid-May to October. The seasonal operating periods of the mountain railway and trail may vary, so check the dates for your visit in advance. Compared with the 700-metre Büchsewäg, this is the longer trail option, with a different seasonal schedule.
The Grimmimutz trail also combines exercise with a story. Its concept includes play stations, nature observation and activities that encourage a mindful approach to nature. On the GrimmiJutz experience trail, puzzles, interactive tasks, singing and yodelling are spread across nine stations. The final station leads to the GrimmiJutz-StĂĽbli, which is equipped with traditional musical instruments. The two experience trails therefore have different focuses: play and nature observation on one, and puzzles and music as well on the other.
The history of Grimmialp includes the Grand-Hotel Grimmialp, which opened as one of five prestigious grand hotels in the Bernese Oberland.
Circular route and take-off point
GrimmialpBike is an easy 18.48-kilometre mountain biking loop that starts and finishes at Tiermatti in Schwenden. At the end of the valley in Diemtigtal Nature Park, the route passes steep rock faces, mountain forests and alpine pastures. Its length and circular-route format distinguish it from the experience trails described above, which are explored on foot.
For paragliding, the area at the mountain station of the Grimmialp chairlift is suitable for take-off; there is a signposted landing site in the valley. Confirm the take-off and landing arrangements locally before flying. This keeps these practical conditions part of your planning, rather than assumptions based on the site descriptions.
Plan your journey
PostBus route 250 connects Oey-Diemtigen with Grimmialp. Check the latest timetable before travelling. When setting your travel dates, you can coordinate your journey with the seasonal opening times of the GrimmiJutz experience trail or the winter period for the Büchsewäg. The activity you choose to focus on therefore also depends on the time of year you visit Grimmialp.
For the wider travel overview: Diemtigen.
