Lake Lauenen: Moor, Lakes, and Waterfalls
Intro
The lake in the Louwene Valley that makes up the Lake Lauenen system are home to moorland meadows, reeds, clumps of heather and groups of dark fir trees.
A gently winding country road snakes through the high Alpine meadow of the Louwene Valley, at an altitude of 1,381 m.a.s.l. The shallow mountain lake adorned with moor meadows, reeds, clumps of heather and groups of dark fir trees is a paradise for water fowl. Moorhens and mallards often come here, and indeed, in the Alps, no higher breeding grounds for these birds are known.
The lake has been designated a natural reserve in the Seventies. This is also true of the entire valley and the its landmark the Geltenschuss and the Gelten Falls. The Gelten River crashes across several levels of cliffs, forming eddies that have in turn formed deep holes into the rock. When the snow melts or if there have been heavy rainfalls, one can also observe a second fall: it is called the Tungelschuss and is quite impressive to see.
How to get there:
Drive or take public transportation from Bern via Thun/Spiez and Gstaad to the Lauenen Valley.
