That Would Never Be Me… Until It Was: The Mürren Via Ferrata in Switzerland
Afraid of heights? Same. Here’s how I ended up climbing the Mürren Via Ferrata in Lauterbrunnen Valley: gear tips, route details, and what to expect.
date: september 14, 2025
location: mürren → gimmelwald, bernese oberland, switzerland
conditions: cloudy, wet but the sun did peek out for a bit
introduction
I didn’t plan to dangle off a cliff in Switzerland’s Lauterbrunnen Valley. When I first saw a viral TikTok of Lauren Wolfe tiptoeing across the Mürren Via Ferrata last summer, I literally said, “that would never be me.”
A month later, it was.
I was in Zurich for a work trip and decided to spend a few days of PTO in the Bernese Oberland, the mountain region near Interlaken and Lauterbrunnen Valley. I’d actually been here once back in college during a study abroad summer and always told myself I’d come back “as an adult, once I had adult money.” As we all know, Switzerland is famously expensive, and honestly, it still feels expensive now as an adult.
Still, I was determined to make the most of it. If the weather cooperated, I’d head into the mountains. If not, I’d pivot to a city. Apple Weather showed rain every day. The MeteoSwiss app told a different story with hourly breakdowns: rain overnight, sun during the day. If you’re planning to hike in Switzerland or take gondolas up mountain peaks, MeteoSwiss is your best friend.
Doing the via ferrata wasn’t on my list. I didn’t even know about it. I learned about it from someone at my hostel who had just done it. It was her first time. That planted a seed. I texted friends, and one sent me a TikTok that turned out to be the exact route. The same one I had watched weeks earlier and dismissed as not for me. The universe has jokes.
what is a via ferrata
“Via ferrata” means iron path in Italian. It’s a type of protected climbing route found throughout Switzerland and the Alps. You move along a fixed steel cable bolted into the mountainside, using metal rungs and ladders for footing. With a harness, helmet, and carabiners, you clip in the entire time for safety.You don’t need to be a rock climber, but you do need to follow the safety basics and be comfortable with heights (or at least willing to have your fear tested, like I was). It’s more of a mental challenge than a physical one, as long as you take your time and trust the gear.The Mürren Via Ferrata is unique because it descends from Mürren toward Gimmelwald, while most via ferratas typically go up. The route is suspended high above the Lauterbrunnen Valley, one of the most beautiful and photographed valleys in Switzerland. It’s rated K3 on the K1 to K6 scale, moderate on paper but with just enough thrill to keep you on edge and very glad you’re clipped into your harness.the morning of
My deal with myself was simple. Go to the rental shop. If I feel brave, do it. If not, I could always spend the day hiking and exploring town.
You don’t need to book anything in advance, just rent gear from Intersport Mürren the morning of and start whenever you’re ready. Gear rental is 30 CHF for a helmet, harness, and via ferrata set, or 50 CHF if you also need hiking shoes (which I did, since I only packed Chacos). You watch a short 7 minute safety video, get fitted, and they point you down the road to the entrance.
It had rained overnight, so the morning started foggy and slick. The metal felt extra slippery. I moved slowly and triple-checked my clips.
on the route
The Mürren Via Ferrata starts gently, giving you time to settle into the rhythm of clipping and moving. For much of the route, it feels like a short hike along the mountainside, except that you’re incredibly close to the cliff edge. In some sections, it’s only a few feet between you and open air.
After a few minutes of steady clipping, the path opens up to your first real test. The first major obstacle comes early, where you traverse a narrow section of cliff high above Lauterbrunnen Valley. Air under your feet, little metal rungs for your toes, and a view that makes you forget to breathe for a second. When I reached this point, the valley below was still covered in clouds. I was completely above them, surrounded by fog and open space. It felt like walking through the sky. It’s the photo you’ve probably seen on Instagram.
Right after this section, I stopped for a quick breather. You can see the relief on my face, my heart was POUNDING. The scariest part was officially behind me.
After that, the trail alternates between calm stretches through forest and a few iron features that make it feel more like a climb. Huge ladders in the middle of the route drop you down several stories in seconds, and smaller bridges cross streams and waterfalls. Near the end, you reach the famous Nepal Suspension Bridge, which connects two cliffs above the valley. It looks sturdy from afar, but once you’re on it, it sways just enough to make your knees feel light, especially if the maximum of ten people are on it at once. And then you’re done.
It took me about three hours, which matched what the shop predicted. Expect bottlenecks since everyone clips to the same safety cable. Passing is possible only when it’s safe, and I didn’t mind the pauses. The slower pace let me take in the views and chat with other climbers, which felt reassuring as a first time via ferrata-er. I only saw one group with a guide, most people were doing this on their own with rentals.
All of this unfolds against the backdrop of the Lauterbrunnen Valley, framed by sheer cliffs, glacial waterfalls, and paragliders floating overhead. While you’re clipped to the rock face, you can look up and see them drifting silently into the valley below. It’s surreal and peaceful at the same time. Paragliding is one of the most popular things to do near Interlaken and Lauterbrunnen. I even booked a flight for the next day, but my reservation was canceled because of strong winds. Oh well. Guess that just means I’ll have to come back.
If you want a better sense of the full route, I recommend watching this vlog by Jackson Groves from Journey Era for a stunning look at the full route from Mürren to Gimmelwald.
how to get there
The Mürren Via Ferrata starts in Mürren, a car-free alpine village above Lauterbrunnen. From Interlaken, take the train to Lauterbrunnen, then ride the Grütschalp cable car up the mountain. From Grütschalp, transfer to the scenic Mürren railway that winds along the cliffs. Once you arrive in Mürren, walk about ten minutes past Hotel Edelweiss to Intersport Mürren, right across from the sports courts. That’s where you can rent gear and find the trailhead.
facing the fear of heights
I’m afraid of heights. This still worked for me. The safety system forces you to go one step at a time: clip, test, move, repeat. When looking down made my stomach drop and my legs start to shake, I looked out instead: the dramatic sloping peaks of Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau in the distance. Only eight more steps until I reached solid ground. It helped.
If you’re on the fence about trying your first via ferrata in Switzerland, start here. You get the cliffside thrill without the extreme technical difficulty, plus some of the best views in the country. Most of the route actually feels like a normal hiking trail, and I’d describe the Mürren Via Ferrata as primarily a hike with about four large metal obstacles along the way. It’s very doable if you can push through the mental challenge of heights.
quick logistics
Route: Mürren → Gimmelwald, Bernese Oberland, Switzerland
Start: near the Sportchalet in Mürren, across from Intersport. Follow “Klettersteig” signs. The cable begins after a short tunnel.
Finish: by the Schilthornbahn station in Gimmelwald. Ride up or down and return gear.
Length: about 2.2 km (1.4 miles)
Time: 2–3 hours depending on crowds
Difficulty: K3 (moderate)
Season: June to October, weather dependent
Gear rental: Intersport Mürren, 30 CHF for harness, lanyard, and helmet; 50 CHF with shoes
Guide: optional. Guided groups include a zipline section
Weather tip: use MeteoSwiss for hourly forecasts. It’s far more accurate than Apple Weather
Crowds: communicate before passing and only pass where it’s safe. Try to go early in the morning to avoid crowds
tips I found helpful
Eat beforehand, bring water, and carry a small backpack.
Wear closed-toe shoes with good grip, hiking boots or sturdy trail runners are perfect
Light gloves help with grip but are optional.
If it rained overnight, expect slick metal early. It dries out once the sun hits.
Clip both carabiners every single time. It may be tempting not to during the walking sections, but use your own discretion.
Take breaks to look up. The views are the whole point :)
closing
At the end of the route, you arrive right in Gimmelwald, a tiny, postcard-perfect village tucked below Mürren. From here, you can hike back up if you still have energy or take the cable car. The cable car runs both directions: up to Mürren or down to Stechelberg, where you can connect back to Lauterbrunnen by bus.
But first, after three hours of steady adrenaline, I wanted time to decompress and soak it all in. I had a leisurely lunch in Gimmelwald—a pizza and a crisp apple cider—while the valley filled with sun and the sound of cowbells echoed from the hills. The village itself is worth lingering in. It’s smaller and quieter than Mürren, full of wooden chalets and flower boxes spilling color down the balconies. So peaceful.
After lunch, I took the cable car back up to Mürren and spent the rest of the afternoon on a beautiful scenic hike, the North Face Trail, one of my favorite routes in the area. It was the perfect way to come down from the high, both literally and mentally.
This wasn’t something I planned or thought I was capable of. That’s what made it so good. I met someone brave at a hostel. The forecast tilted in my favor. I moved through fear one clip at a time. By the time I unclipped at the end, I wasn’t thinking about fear anymore. I was thinking about how lucky I was to be there — above the valley, in the sun, doing the very thing I once said I never would.
The tiny village of Gimmelwald, tucked below Mürren, is proof that sometimes the best endings are the quiet ones.
What’s something you once said “never me” to… and then did anyway?
