M E D I A I N F O R M A T I O N - DESTINATION LENK-SIMMENTAL

Winter fun galore For the most beautiful days in the year

Nature, people and sustainable tourism: these are the aspects that one readily associates with the extensive Simmental valley. Naturalness and time can be experienced here close at hand. Each of the six locations that together make up the destination Lenk-Simmental has its own individual charm and makes its specific contribution to the broad range of winter leisure and recreational activities on offer in the valley.

Lenk: a winter fairytale for connoisseurs and dreamers The village of Lenk is situated at the highest point in the Simmental valley, at the foot of the mountain which forms a natural boundary for the valley. The holiday resort offers its guests a wide range of sporting and cultural events, activities and opportunities for relaxation. Modern, efficient cable cars in the well-known ski area -Lenk…dänk! to which the Betelberg skiing area also belongs take winter sports enthusiasts to the location of their insider tip, families in child-friendly, manageable arenas. Snowshoe tours and sledging are possible as are spinning pirouettes on the artificial skating rink or curling. Another attraction for climbers is the ice climbing tower near the Simmerfälle waterfalls. Anyone looking for peace and quiet need look no further than the valley floor with one of the extensive walks on the loipes or skiing trails along the or on the high-altitude trail at 1’800 meters above sea level. A varied programme of entertainment with cultural and sporting events caters for all tastes: winter sports competitions, concerts, folk theatres or exhibitions. However, this doesn’t mean that night owls have to miss out on cinemas, bars and discos. Anybody wishing to sample culinary delights can try the typical Lenk specialities – Hobelkäse (plane cheese), bergbleu cheese or Lenk dried meat – or a Lenk fondue in a cosy restaurant with traditional folk entertainment.

Top4: a sports pass for the four largest Bernese skiing areas Winter sports lovers can take advantage of the attractive Top4 ski pass at the preferential price of 666 Swiss francs for 666 piste-kilometres in the four skiing areas Adelboden-Lenk, Gstaad, Jungfrau Ski Region and Meiringen-Hasliberg. It can be purchased in advance until 16th December 2018. → www.top4.ski

New: longest fun slope on the Bühlberg The new fun slope Lenk is ideal for anyone looking for an alternative to the pistes. Skiers and snowboarders will be rewarded with rapid banked curves, snow waves and an enormous snow snail. Visitors will also meet Slopy, the cheeky inhabitant of the fun slope during a descent on the longest fun slope in Switzerland. The whole family is guaranteed winter fun!

St. Stephan: centrally located – or how to be spoilt for choice St. Stephan, the second highest municipality in the winter destination Lenk-Simmental, is handily located near the winter sports facilities in Lenk. The pretty and hospitable village of St. Stephan features traditional Simmental houses and an important church dating from the 12th century with an organ built in 1778. The chairlift at Ried valley station and the Lengebrand 4-person chairlift take winter sports enthusiasts to the neighbouring Saanenland. St. Stephan has magnificent cross-country skiing trails and winter hiking trails leading for example into the valley of Fermel or along the Simme. In spring the location is the starting point for popular skiing tours on neighbouring peaks, such as the Albristhorn or the Wistätthorn.

Boltigen: an insider tip for families in gentle pass landscape Boltigen with its flat valley bottom surrounded by craggy and charming slopes is the ideal winter sports landscape for locals and guests alike. On the right side of the valley a toboggan run winds its way through traffic-free alpine trails into the village. Most of the winter sports activities take place in the gentle landscape, on the Jaunpass. This ideal location for family sports in winter, featuring a ski and snowboard school, offers many opportunities for whiling away the hours on the snow. Small children can also pursue their favourite leisure activities in the well-laid-out sporting facilities. The wide range of activities on offer on the Jaunpass includes a fatbike piste. Visitors can hire the sturdy bikes or sign up for trial courses. Or how about a pistenbock (steerable sledge)? These sledges fitted with precise steering mechanisms are lifted up the hill by the Zügwegen skilift and then the rapid descent commences. For group events «Rent the lift» also offers a very special piste experience – completely private and secluded. Cross-country skiers will not be disappointed on the Jaunpass with its 16 km of cross-country skiing trails set against the backdrop of the Gastlosen.

Oberwil: stress-free holidays – balm for those with their nerves on edge The village of Oberwil is situated above the Simmental road, on a slight elevation. It is just the right place for anyone looking for rest and recreation. Amateur skiers and cross-country skiing enthusiasts will find an ideal place to indulge in their activities in the family-friendly ski area of Rossberg situated nearby. Tour riders will have no problems in negotiating the ridges to climb the Niderhorn peak in the Simmental while taking in the splendid panoramic view.

Weissenburg-Därstetten: holidays where Europe’s nobility once chilled out Shaped by its medieval history, Weissenburg-Därstetten is the place for discoveries in the Simmental. Although only ruins remain of Weissenburg and the former spa building, its interesting history lives on in the village. Local guides with a rich collection of written records and documents from the time when Weissenburg-Därstetten was familiar to European noble families will gladly provide guided tours. Its elevation and favourable climate continue to make it an ideal location for holiday stays. The village is the starting point for tour riders and alpine skiers.

Here’s to the next 50 years on the Stockhorn In 2018 the Stockhorn cable car celebrates its 50th anniversary and has boasted a new cable car since April. Anybody wishing to step out of the clouds for a moment will be rewarded with a view on the panorama platform of which most people can only dream. On a clear day the view stretches from southern Black Forest over the Mittelland to the peaks of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfau. Visitors can pause in the igloo village by the valley station at Chrindi, right around the Hinterstocken Lake, also ideal for special occasions.

Press service / Lenk-Simmental Tourismus

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Further basic media materials are available at: www.lenk-simmental.ch/de/Service/Medien/Medienmitteilungen/Basistexte

Lenk-Simmental Tourismus AG Albert Kruker, Director, Tourist Center, CH-3775 Tel. +41 33 736 35 35 [email protected] www.lenk-simmental.ch