Switzerland
Hi
thinking of visiting Switzerland next August; looking at club sites near Interlaken - has anyone visited in last 2 years and, if so, any feedback?
Thank you
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Depends how close to Interlaken you had in mind. About 4 years ago, (June) we stopped for an odd night at each of Sempach and Solothurn, both about an hour’s drive from Interlaken.
We preferred Sempach, on lake side, with plenty of space. Village within walking distance. Facilities fine.
Solothurn is in good location in terms of walk to interesting town, but it was very wet when we were there, and the site did not drain well, being on river bank. Loads of pitches out of use. And those that were in use were very quagmire-like. Who knows, in better weather, we may have seen it differently.
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Snooky, if you are a keen and active walker and want to be up in the mountains then go up beyond Interlaken and visit Camping Eigernordwand at Grindelwald - they still insist that if you arrive without a reservation by 3 pm. In the summer there will be room.
The views are stunning and spectacular with the Eiger right there, with cable cars close by to reach mountain lakes and walks.....But... it is a steep road to tow up there, a very informal campsite without defined gravel squares or hedged pitches, and you may be closer than six metres from your neighbours. Those who want formality will not like it, nor those who want cheapness.
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We have visited Switzerland a number of times over recent years, although the last time we were in the Interlaken area was 3 years ago.
We tend to like Lazy Rancho, though it will be busy in early August. There's a bus into town, which is also within about half an hour's walk. Camping Hobby next door also looks nice though we haven't used it. It is owned by another member of the same family. Many years ago, we used Camping Jungfrau at Lauterbrunnen. Beautifully situated, but with a lot of statics (Lazy Rancho isn't free of them either but has less), but with the downside that it's in a deep, steep sided north-south valley which means that the sun goes off the site early and arrives late. We had a tent in those days and, even if it was just dew, we always had a wet take-down!
Warning: Switzerland can be eye-wateringly expensive, but there are ways of mitigating that to some extent. Do some research first, one of the joys of the area is the ability to get up the mountains on railways, cable cars etc. Individually, the fares are hjigh, but you can get various passes which cover most of them. This year the 10 day Berner Oberland pass was CHF330, but it did cost extra to go to the top of the Jungfrau or to Schilthorn. It also covers the railways and lake steamers. THere is also a slightly cheaper Jungfraubahn pass which covers the railways and cable cars in the Grindlewald and Lauterbrunnen valleys. Again, supplements are payable for the highest peaks. If you have children, there is a card available for a fairly modest sum which enables them to accompany you free of charge (up to 16 years if I remember rightly).
Many will complain at the cost of buying 2 motorway vignettes (CHF 40 each for the car and caravan) but, to put it in context, that is less than a one way Class 2 French toll from Calais to Strasbourg. Also, it covers all motorway tunnels - and there are quite a few. The only tunnels you pay for are those which end in another country or those which your car is carried through on a train.
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