Eiger Trail

The Swiss Alps could be considered the home of trail running. Mountain runners have been weaving their way along alp paths for decades, and are exalted here. Be prepared to be greeted with an “Allez-Allez!” or an “Hop Hop!” when you run by local farmers. With a fantastic network of trails and huts and a long history and appreciation of mountain running, the region is a trail runner’s dream.

The Eiger Ultra race series is just six years old, but already it quickly fills to capacity. It’s understandable why – consisting of a 16-km, 35-km, 51-km, and an epic 101-km course, the series offers something for everyone, with unrivaled mountain scenery on highly runnable trails. Run the Alps reserves entries for our guests, available at an additional cost. There’s a distance for every level for those who want to try a European trail race.

Our week includes four nights, with two days of trail running in and around the car-free mountain village of Mürren, with alp pastures and huts easily within our reach. Then, it’s on to nearby Grindelwald, literally at the base of the famed North Face of the Eiger. We’ll run through some of the most scenic terrain Switzerland’s Bernese Oberland has to offer. Saturday is race day, as trail runners from around Europe converge on Grindelwald. You can participate in a race, or simply hike and run to cheer our crew on!

Our typical day starts with a continental buffet breakfast at our inn – delicious fresh baked bread, local cheeses, cereal, fruit, coffee and juice – which gives us the energy needed for a full day of inn-to-inn trail running. Soon we’ll be out on the trail, perhaps 6 miles for those who want a more casual day, or an all-day outing of 10-12 miles with a few challenging climbs for the more ambitious among us. Each morning, we’ll bring out a variety of trail snacks from which you can choose, and many of our runs will include stops at mountain huts or alp farms where we’ll stop to enjoy soup, sandwiches, or fruit torte.

Each day, we make sure there’s plenty of time during our runs to take photos, and rest and soak in the scenery. We’ll finish each day with plenty of time to relax. You will have your own bedroom every night. In the evening we’ll enjoy dinner together at our hotel. These are multi-course feasts, often featuring local Swiss specialties, and will definitely be hearty, filling, well-earned and very delicious. We will leave one dinner in Grindelwald free, where you will have a chance to explore on your own.

Guiding this trip will be lead guide Becki Penrose. Read more about her guiding experience here.