Holdrifälle
(Holdrifäll)
Holdrifälle (or also named Holdrifäll) is a nice powerful waterfall at the end of the Lauterbrunnen tal, near Stechelberg, in the region Berner Oberland, Switzerland.
Driving from Interlaken to the Lauterbrunnen tal (valley) you can’t miss the Staubbachfall at the right side of the valley. To see the Holdrifälle you have to drive to the end of the Lauterbrunnental, to Stechelberg. There is a small parking in Stechelberg, but this is a perfect begin for a great hike along several of the most beautiful waterfalls in Switzerland.
From the parking it is a 90 min walk directly to the Holdrifälle. A roundtrip along the Holdrifälle, Schmadribachfall (great waterfall), Talbachfall and Sefinenfall takes appr. 2,5 hour (8 km) with a heigh difference of 800 meter.
Although the Holdrifälle is only 40 meter high it is a nice powerful waterfall and consists out of two stages, a great waterfall to see.
The Holdrifälle is being fed with melted snow and ice from the glaciers Wettergluckengletscher (3.000 m) and Breithorngletscher (2.400 m) at the north side of the mountain Breithorn (3.780 m). Early summer there is still a lot of snow on the mountains and with warm weather this is the perfect period to visit the Lauterbrunnen valley.
Undoubtedly the Lauterbrunnen valley is the number 1 valley for waterfalls in Switzerland. Lauterbrunnen means “only sources” which refers to the meany streams coming down the mountains. There are 72 waterfalls in the Lauterbrunnen valley from which Staubbachfall and Trummelbachfall (in a cave) are the most famous ones.
Also the highest waterfall in Switzerland are located in the Lauterbrunnen valley: Spissbachfall, Staldenbachfall, Mürrenbachfall and Staubbachfall.
In the Lauterbrunnen valley there are many other waterfalls (72) but my favorite are: Sefinefall, Talbachfall, Holdrifalle, Schmadribachfall (tip), Trummelbachfalle (tip), Spissbachfall, Mürrenbachfall.
Besides chasing waterfalls the Lauterbrunnen valley is a perfect base for hikes, paragliding or skydiving. The year 2005 was the last time I was in the Lauterbrunnen valley and the pictures I took where still analog. Visiting Switzerland again stands high on my wishlist but Switzerland is also the most expensive country in Europe. Nevertheless it is also one of the most beautiful countries in Europe.
