Day fourteen: Reichenbach Falls and Aareschlucht Gorge Part II
After finding a new direction, with renewed energy I continued up the mountainside on a trail over rocks and roots. I had a beautiful view of the nearby snowy topped mountains and the roofs of the buildings in Meiringen. 


The trail was soon filled with piles of red dead leaves, left over from an earlier season. I passed by another small stream that ran quietly through the rocks surrounded by the red leaves and moss-covered trees were nearby. The trail then got much steeper and I braced myself for the climb. A sweaty few minutes later, I reached a sign that said "Luegen- Falcheren" but I was not sure what that meant. The path continued to get steeper and there was a mossy stone wall on either side. This reminded me of the remains of stone walls that I come across occasionally in Massachusetts; abandoned sites where the farmland has grown back into a forest except for the wall. There was one more steep part left until I reached the top...but I didn't hear the falls anymore. After I reached the top, the path went through a large field that rolled up to my left and I had a beautiful view of the Meiringen. 


I didn't hear or see that falls. I guessed that I had climbed higher than the falls! I walked forward into a clump of trees but I determined that the path went back down the other side of the mountain which was not what I wanted. I returned to the field and I decided to go in the direction of the falls. I ran through the field stopping only a little bit. The grass started up to my ankles and as I passed a chalet the grass went up to my calves. I ran fast because there were a lot of flowers in the grass and consequently many bees. I could hear cow bells tinkling in the distance and deducted that I was in cow fields....again. And lost. 


I ran through the grass with it up to my thighs (good thing I was wearing full-length leggings haha). I got to an electric fence and I could either cross it or turn back. I decided to turn around and I saw a small hill that I went down. I ended up finding a trail that led back into the trees. The path descended down the mountain but by this point I was glad to be out of the grass and I was frustrated and exhausted. I went down the trail and it branched off into a smaller path. I followed the small path to a river. I climbed over a fallen birch tree and crossed the river. I climbed up a steep slope and walked along the trail until it ended and I ended up turning around and going back to the trail that I had left originally. I kept going down the mountain and I kept hoping to find Reichenbache falls but instead I found a rock cliff that curved into a half-circle. Underneath, there was a bench where I took a break.


Then, I continued down the mountainside and the trail zig-zagged through some green plants until I reached the gravel road. I passed by the small waterfalls again and retraced my steps exactly back to where the trolley station is. 


Well, I didn't travel all the way to Meiringen to not see the Reichenbach falls up close! I decided to take the trolley up (which was now open). I waited in line and after about 20 minutes, I got into the trolley. I was on the end of the bench right next to the side of the trolley. I am not  a fan of roller coasters but this was a slow and leisurely ride up to the falls. I saw some of the trails that I followed on my hike up the mountain. 


I gingerly got off of the platform and I was prepared in my rain jacket for the misty rain from Reichenbach falls. The falls are amazing! The water cascades down the sheer rock face and down into a rapid down the mountain. I also saw the white star on the other side of the falls that marks the famous ledge where Sherlock Holmes defeated his nemesis Professor Moriarty.


I started on another hike: up to the top of the falls and over to the famous ledge! Despite my exhaustion, I was energized for another hike!