The north side of the Swiss Alps is quintessential Switzerland. Monster peaks, like the Eiger, rise above both glaciers and green, pastoral hillsides. Picturesque villages dot a landscape that is rarely seen without the ubiquitous cow and accompanying cowbell. It’s a landscape that seems too good to be true, even when you’re standing in it. It is spotless.

Nowhere is all of this more evident than in the Berner Oberland. There, connecting two of Switzerland’s most beautiful regions, Lauterbrunnen Valley and Kandersteg, is a trail that offers perfect running, tough climbs, big views, and a true point to point journey.

The route requires two significant climbs. For starters, you’ll enjoy the Sefinafurgga (~1700 meters) with views of the famous mountain trio: Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau, and which serves as a warm up before the shorter, though very steep, Hohtürli (900 meters).

Thankfully, two mountain huts come when you want them most. First, there is the Gspaltenhorn Hut, which requires a short, though very worthy, detour while descending to the Kiental. There you can fill your tank before starting up the second climb to the Blümlisalp Hut, which appears right on top of the Hohtürli.

All that remains from the Blümlisalp Hut is an 11km descent, all runnable, right into the village of Kandersteg. Along the way, and in case you haven’t gotten your fill, you’ll have more food options by the shores of the Oeschinensee, one of Switzerland’s most beautiful alpine lakes.

Once in Kandersteg, you can hop on a train to get you to where you need to return.

While you're in the region, be sure to also run: Lauterbrunen to Grindelwald Trail and Lauterbrunnen Obersteinberg.