Switzerland 5: I didn't even realize the Reichenbach Falls were a real thing!

The only plan for yesterday that came from research prior to the trip, was the Aare Gorge.  While looking up extra things to do, I discovered the Schynige Platte.  This is how we began our day.  We boarded the first cog train that would take us up the mountain near a town called Wilderswil.



A little less than an hour later, we arrived at the Schynige Platte.  It is an area at the top of a mountain that has nice views, hiking trails, and an Alpine garden.  We started with the garden, which was fairly large and varied.  Not all flowers were in bloom, but most were.



We continued with a relatively short hike.  Stephanie went to the top of one of the areas while I stayed at the bottom.  We took the shorter route back because the other route was extremely high and narrow, along the edge of a cliff.




We had planned to go back down the mountain and then take trains to see the Aare Gorge.  I was unsure if we would make it before closing, so I tried to look up the times online.  Unfortunately, the mobile website for the Gorge did not have information in English and it wouldn't translate.  While looking through other sites, I discovered that the Reichenbach Falls were just nearby.

I immediately recognized the Reichenbach Falls as the location that Sherlock Holmes had pushed his arch nemesis Moriarty to his death, and supposedly died as well.  I had to go!  Both places were accessible from the same train stop.  We needed to do the Falls first, as it closed an hour later.  We took a funicular train to the top.  We were able to see a star on the cliffside, which was the place that the fight would have taken place.

We only had time to hike up the mountain to the waterfall above the main Falls.  I would have liked to continue the path that would eventually wrap around to the star, but we did not have the time.



About one kilometer from the funicular train was the Aare Gorge.  The path was partially through a tunnel carved through the mountain, but mostly through elevated platforms that wrapped in and out of the Gorge.  It was a 1.5 kilometer walk through the Gorge.



A short walk from the exit on the other side was access to a train.  In order to take the train, we had to press what looked like an elevator button.  The sign explained that the door would only open when the train arrived.  I had assumed that it was an elevator that would take us up to the train.  Instead, when the train arrived, it opened up straight onto the train, which was inside the mountain.  I wish I would have known so I would have been able to take a picture of the train inside!  As it was, we had to rush through, so I missed my opportunity.



Today was a beautiful day but I was unfortunately out of commission due to a medical problem.  We are hoping to be able to go out again tomorrow.