Day 2 A Hike to Ascher Cliffside Restaurant

It's a cloudless and sunny day, perfect for our hike to Ascher Cliff Restaurant. I remember seeing a picture of this lovely wooden restaurant that is nestled between steep-sided valleys and spetacular mountain peaks in Switzerland and instantly decided to fly to Switzerland for my summer vacation.

Getting there
Ascher cliff restaurant can easily be reached by taking a cable car from Ebenalp station. To get to Ebenalp station, we took the train ride from Zurich HB to Wasserauen. The entire journey took us 2 hr 15 mins. The scenery along the way was fabulous and packed with so much greenery and cute cottages.

@Ebenalp Station

So many Swiss cows

There are many cute Swiss cows that gazes on the green meadows.They are everywhere, near the cable station, and up high on the mountains. The Swiss cows wear a bell on their necks and as they gaze on the grasses, the bell jingle and echo all over the valley. A very nice melody that makes hiking even more pleasant.

We decided to take the cable car up the mountain and hike down after having lunch at the restaurant. I've done some research and is amazed that this restaurant has been established for 170 years. Within minutes, we reached the top and I'm blown away by the beautiful landscape that stood before me. The sight was way too stunning and surreal.

As I've mentioned, the day was cloudless and super sunny. Hence, we were quite toasted by the time we finished the entire trip. It will be much pleasant if the temperature is a little cooler. The walk to the restaurant is around 20 mins from the station and to get there, we have to walk through a little cave. The walk is definitely memorable for nowhere else in Switzerland have I seen such a change from the hilly landscape to the craggy alpine scenery so abrupt or impressive. The mighty rock formations up to more than 2500m high tower up as if from nowhere and the deep, steep-sided valleys that cut through this region adds depth to the entire valley. I'm mesmerized with the beautiful sight with every step I took as I inched nearer to the restaurant.

Walking towards the cave

Saw the cable line that took us up to the top

Hermit house by the cave

A church in the cave

The sight is even more fabulous as we emerged from the cave. The photograph can never do justice to the real scenery that lies before our eyes. When we reached our destination, we were famished and thankful to have our first meal at 3pm. The food served in the restaurant is really worth the walk.

The decoration in this restaurant is simple yet cosy. Anyway, it doesn't need fanciful decorations because the stunning landscape view is enough to attract visitors from all over the world to the restaurant. Anyway, dinning at this restaurant is definitely a must. The cheese rosti and the grilled pork (tender on the inside) smeared with herbal butter was superb. I cannot forget the taste till this day. The size of the restaurant is rather small and the customers can choose to dine outside while admiring the stunning landscape. However, the out-door seats are quite limited and the sun was super hot that day such that we really dreaded to dine outside. The staff are very friendly and served our dishes within 20 mins. Overall, the food and the ambiance meet my expectation.

After lunch, we decided to hike down. The steps are rather steep but the view is awesome. I gasped at every step I took because the scenery just got better and better. The tall pine trees made the forest enchanting. My legs were sore by the time I climbed halfway through. I was perspiring so much that my shirt was totally wet. As we endured and preserved the descend, we finally reached the beautiful lake (i.e. Seealp Lake), an indication that we were near to the finishing point.

The sight that capture my heart

We took a short rest by the river. I could feel the tranquility that surrounded the area. That moment, I swear I want to stay here for good. I could spent my time idling by the river side, reading a book or simply doing nothing but listen to the chirping of the birds and the whispering of the trees.

Wooden Church in the Forest

Just right in-front of Seealp lake is this very brand new cottage cum restaurant. I would love to stay here if I've not pre-book my accomodation in Zurich. It would be lovely to wake up in this enchanting place with stunning morning view of the lake. Perhaps, I will return next time and choose my stay here.