SERVICE RESTAURANTS

WHERE TO EAT

RESTAURANT AEBI | ADELBODEN In this restaurant dating back to 1786, chef Philippe Oester-Fretz spoils his guests all day long with warm delicacies. Enjoy eating al fresco on the sun terrace in good weather. From 6 p.m. onwards, flame-grilled specialities are served. TIP We can be reached by car at any time via Gilbach. Pick-up service from Adelboden Tourist Centre / Village at 6.30 p.m. by prior arrangement. restaurant-aebi.ch

RESTAURANT ALPENBLICK | ADELBODEN Gastronomic innovation in the elegant “Stuba” lounge or the relaxed Bistro. The Inniger family looks forward to making your visit perfect in every way. You can be confident of high quality at affordable prices. And yes – our very own beefsteak tartar is still the ultimate classic. TIP Thursday nights are written large on the calendar – in July and August, we have grill specialities from the “Big Green Egg”. alpenblick-adelboden.ch

GASTHOF ALTELS | KANDERGRUND This restaurant has a long tradition in the Kandertal – local customs are lived and cultivated here. This family-friendly establishment serves hearty, uncomplicated, regional cuisine. Good value for money is written large here. TIP Enjoy various specialities from Blausee Lake trout and traditional rösti to our famous kirsch cake. gasthof-altels.ch

BELLEVUE | ADELBODEN Here you can dine or just “peck”, enjoy a five-course meal or a simple, hearty dish. The “Belle Vue" is perfect for all those breaks from everyday life – peaceful, bright and with breathtaking views of the mountains. TIP The Bellevue team also serves dinner outside on the large terrace when the weather is fine – a delightful experience. bellevue-parkhotel.ch

WHERE TO EAT

BERGGASTHAUS HÖCHST | FRUTIGEN Located right next to the ski lift and ski slope in winter, the Berggasthaus Höchst is a jewel in the middle of the ski area. In summer, it is also an ideal starting point for hikes. And for those who would like to stay a little longer, there are comfortable hotel rooms available. TIP The mountain views from the terrace are breathtaking. What is more, there is live music and all kind of gastronomic specialities. gasthaus-hoechst.ch

RESTAURANT NATIONAL | FRUTIGEN From Tatar to Thai – with sensitivity and creativity, Philipp Blaser and his team combine the traditional with the contemporary. This is how the Hotel National kitchen creates the finest delicacies with the best ingredients from the region. TIP Cream slices, exquisite pralines and Frutigen-made chocolate in all variations – all this and more in our confectionery shop. national-frutigen.ch

LANDGASTHOF RUEDIHUS | KANDERSTEG The country inn belonging to Relais & Châteaux Waldhotel Doldenhorn is one of the most beautiful hotels in the region. Here authentic Swiss cuisine is both cherished and cultivated with dishes such as rösti, raclette, fondue, tripe, Swiss braised beef and Zurich-style veal in mushrooms and cream. TIP Twelve cosy hotel rooms promise a romantic stay in Kandersteg following a sumptuous dinner. doldenhorn-ruedihus.ch

LENKERHOF SPETTACOLO – OH DE VIE | LENK IM SIMMENTAL Chef Stefan Lünse conjures up sixteen dishes a day in the “Spettacolo” (sixteen Gault Millau points). In the “Oh de vie” (thirteen Gault Millau points), the chef reinterprets dishes from Liguria and southern France. Only the best regional products are used. TIP Both restaurants stand for excellent cuisine – short-notice à la carte wishes can often be accommodated. lenkerhof.ch

RESTAURANT TROPENGARTEN | FRUTIGEN Dining beneath banana bushes and papaya trees. The fourteen-Gault-Millaupoint restaurant impresses with its unique ambience. It offers a cuisine which transports you to the tropics by the shortest route – with refinements using local produce and regional specialities. TIP The jungle tête-à-tête for two – a four-course dinner by candlelight, surrounded by tropical plants. tropenhaus-frutigen.ch

“I WON’T SACRIFICE EVERY SINGLE THING TO WIN”

Interview: Reto Koller | Photo: Anja Zurbrügg /Reto Koller

Twenty-seven-year-old Jonathan Schmid belongs to the elite of Swiss mountain runners. He holds several course records, manages with a minimum of training and works full-time for a drinks company. The qualified baker-confectioner grew up with five siblings on a small farm in Adelboden.

Jonathan Schmid, you hold the course record for the “vertical up”. This run takes you uphill from the finish to the start of the Lauberhorn downhill run. Who puts themselves through this type of punishment? Mainly runners who are looking for something out of the ordinary. The race takes place at the end of March; it’s steep and the course is still mostly icy. It requires an exceptional lung capacity and good knowledge of the terrain.

Obviously, you have this lung capacity. Is this something you are born with or acquired? I guess it must be in the genes. My readings were the highest ever measured at the Swiss Federal Institute of Sport in Magglingen.

Jonathan Schmid loves the steep ascents, which he masters with inimitable ease and elegance.

Physical condition is one thing; the ability to keep going is another… I think that’s one of my strengths. Not all runners can get everything out of themselves. Even when we feel exhausted, we are still not at our physical limits. If you can motivate yourself to suffer at the right moment, you can win.

How can suffering be an enjoyable experience? It’s the joy of reaching and exhausting your limits. The victory over comfort is more important than the winner’s podium.

Is running an addiction? Addiction is a strong word. I’m in a good mood when I have a run in the morning before work. Others prefer TV afternoons with beer and crisps. I admit that I get grumpy if I can’t train for several days in a row.

When did you discover your talent for running? That was in 2011 when I was eighteen. My friend and I signed up for the Niesen-Treppen Run. We both did well and signed up for the 100 km Biel Run right away – without any specialised training – and it was sheer hell. I reached my limit and had to withdraw after sixty kilometres.

Do you stick to training schedules? At first, I ran without any particular system, but later I decided to get a coach and a formal training plan. But despite increased performance, I felt that this was not my world, so I returned to intuitive running. Today, experience is my personal coach.

You train “only” eight to ten hours per week. Compared with top athletes, that is very little. How come this is enough for you? I try to exercise efficiently and make the best use of my time. A willingness to suffer and push myself to the limits in training certainly helps.

People who know you claim you’re good under pressure. Where does this characteristic come from? I think that’s congenital too. I like to be thought of as a winner. At the beginning of my career, I lacked self-confidence and I started holding back in races. Today I know what my strengths are.

Clearly, you meet all the requirements to be top of your game, so why didn’t you make running your profession? I’ve been thinking the same thing. I just don’t like running enough to do that exclusively. If you become professional, you have to give up a lot and are exposed to huge pressures. I love my day job and enjoy spending time with the family, which are more important to me than an international sports career. I don’t want racing to be my whole life’s work. However, I would like to reduce my working hours so I can train during the day.

When do you train? I am usually on the road from half past four in the morning for about two hours.

But in autumn and winter, it is still pitch dark, cold and unwelcoming. There’s no denying that and sometimes it’s an effort to leave my warm bed and head out into the darkness and cold. I have to say “no” when that inner voice tries to discourage me!

I guess it’s easier in summer. Sure. Watching the sunrise on my favourite route to the Bunderspitz is a wonderful and motivating experience.

Do you stop running when you come across a chamois or a marmot? No. The reason I get out of bed is to train, not to observe the local wildlife (he grins). But of course, I really enjoy these brief encounters.

Those who reach the top must be strong-willed. How ambitious are you? When I’m at the starting line, I give it my all and aim to win. However, my well-being does not depend on the winners’ podium. I just want to do my best and make the most of my opportunities – that’s enough for me.

Tell us about your biggest mistake when taking part in a race. It happened at the 2018 Swiss Championship. Being in second position in the

The Adelboden-raised athlete is as charming as he is ambitious and determined.

From time to time, this exceptional runner allows himself a short break from training to take in the breathtaking scenery.

race, I wanted to close in on the leader on the steep final section. But one kilometre before the finishing line, I missed a turn on the track. I ended up jogging comfortably to the finishing line and came in as number thirty-five!

Is this bizarre story typical of you? In a sense. The winner had walked the course metre by metre beforehand. That sort of preparation is too extreme for me. I won’t sacrifice every single thing to be the best mountain runner.

How did you cope with this monumental error? After I had finished, my relatives needed to be comforted more than I did. I must admit that if there had been a five-figure cash prize for the winner, I might have been a bit less relaxed about it. One thing’s for sure – I won’t forget that day in a hurry.

MOUNTAIN RACES IN ADELBODEN-LENK-KANDERSTEG

31 May 2020: Blüemlisalp Run Kiental-Reichenbach www.bluemlisalp-lauf.ch

19 July 2020: Vogellisi Mountain Run Adelboden www.vogellisi-berglauf.ch

18–20 September 2020: Swiss-Trail Tour Lenk www.swisstrailtour.ch

Herzenswünsche gehen nur dann in Erfüllung, wenn man versucht, sie zu realisieren. Wir sind die Bank, die Sie dabei gerne unterstützt.

Spar- und Leihkasse Frutigen AG | Dorfstrasse 15 | 3714 Frutigen | 033 672 18 18 | www.slfrutigen.ch

Vogellisiweg_180x112.5_f.indd 1 03.09.2019 14:21:07

GRYDEN CIRCULAR MOUNTAIN TRAIL UNIQUE LANDSCAPE

Hike - marvel - enjoy

Circular mountain trail to the striking crater-like rock landscape Walking time 2hrs 30min Trail starting point: Mountain station Leiterli

www.lenk-bergbahnen.ch

GLOBI ON THE ALP

Everyone in Switzerland has heard of Globi. The jolly fellow with a bird’s beak is a cult figure from a Swiss collection of children’s stories and his next adventure takes him right here to Engstligenalp! The latest addition to the series will be published at the beginning of July. Here is a foretaste.

Globi is determined to reach the precious herb on all fours like a cat. And it looks like he is about to get it.

Oh no, the rock he is standing on gives way. “Over and out", cries Globi loudly as he falls and grabs the herb.

As gravity takes over, he begins to fall faster and faster down towards the valley below. Surely this must be the end …

But luck is on Globi’s side today, as he is the prey of the “eagle”¹ who grabs him by the ankle so hard that he feels his bones click.

Globi has already experienced and mastered many things in his life. He has been on an adventurous Swiss journey, visited Rome and Paris, tried his hand as a sports reporter, met William Tell as a time traveller and become a farmer. During his next adventure, he will be even more colourful as he visits Engstligenalp high above Adelboden and has to come to the rescue unexpectedly. A shepherd has hurt himself, so Globi risks a jump into cold water, learns how to make cheese, mend fences, milk cows, catch lost calves – in fact, all the things that take place on Engstligenalp from morning until night. Of course, Globi’s life on the mountain pasture is not without adventure, and he has to treat a sick cow. Who knows about the right medicinal herbs andwhere to find them? Vogellisi, ofcourse! On a daring climb to the golden Edelweiss, Globi falls and is rescued in flight byAdelboden’s master paraglider pilot, Chrigel Maurer. Then at a traditional Swiss Wrestling Event, he manages to put champion Christian Stucki on his back. All this and more can be found in the latest Globi book (German text).

“GLOBI ON THE ALP” PREVIEW

Sunday, 5 July 2020

Engstligenalp Adelboden

Special guests: Daniel Frick, Globi artist / 1 Chrigel Maurer,

master paraglider pilot / Christian Stucki, king of Swiss wrestling /Joana Hählen, World Cup skier

www.engstligenalp.ch/globi

ANDREAS “MARMOT” SCHMID – THE LATE-ENTRY, FULLBLOODED ENTREPRENEUR

Interview: Reto Koller | Photo: Anja Zurbrügg

Frutigen-resident Andreas Schmid has dedicated his life to the marmot – more precisely, a soothing ointment made from its fat. His one-man business has now grown into a successful company with fourteen full-time positions and twenty-six employees.

Andreas Schmid, how did you discover the healing power of marmot fat? Marmot fat has long been regarded in hunting circles as a household remedy for and against anything and everything. My father-in-law suffered from polyarthritis. Marmot oil, with its natural cortisone, eased his pain and made life with the disease more bearable. So I had the idea of creating an ointment and putting it on the market.

You worked for a precision mechanics company for twenty-four years. How come you took the plunge and became self-employed at the age of fifty? For a long time, I was very happy at Frutiger Hydrotechnik AG, but when the business was sold, I decided to turn the production and sale of “my” ointment from a free-time activity into a profession. I am still a market trader and salesman at heart and feel very much at home in this kind of environment – trade fairs etc.

Going to markets with marmot ointment is not exactly an entrepreneurial activity with much prestige. How was your project received in Frutigen? Initially, people were sceptical, and even my wife doubted the success of my project at first. After a short time, however, it became clear that you can live as a trader if you offer a good product at a fair price. Years ago, our son Silvan once wrote in a school essay that he would prefer his father to have been a bank director instead of a market trader – but today, he helps run the company…

What is your entrepreneurial creed? I have never been concerned solely with profit, although that is necessary to grow a business. I want to be a socially responsible employer and give people a secure income. We now have twenty-six people on fixed part-time or full-time contracts. It would be more profitable to employ our staff on zero-hours contracts, of course, but this would contradict our underlying principles …

How do you make your decisions? More from gut instinct or with the head? I’m a gut person and often rely on my instinct and intuition. I’m no stranger to numbers either, and I think I’m a good judge of character. My many years as a football coach for juniors helped me to achieve this. Sport is a good school for life.

In 2012 at the age of sixty-four, you handed over the management of Puralpina to your two sons, Silvan and Reto. Was it hard for you to let go? Some of my business acquaintances have experienced difficult generational handovers, and I wanted to get it right. I’m glad we managed to do it successfully. I’m still working part-time for the company and happy with this arrangement.

The Schmids also sell regional specialities in their factory shop.