Day fourteen: Reichenbach Falls and Aareschlucht Gorge Part III:

I am sorry that I haven't updated in a few days but while I was staying in Camp house I did not get internet and at times my bed looked more inviting than the walk back to the T-bar in Main Chalet in the dark haha.
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Now, to continue on!
I am glad that I wore my raincoat because when I stepped off of the platform, the mist from the Reichenbach falls was raining down on me. The falls tumbled ferociously over the rocks in a thin stream that widened to drape over the water pooling at the bottom. The water at the bottom pooled into a rapid stream heading down the mountainside.

I followed a trail that headed away from the falls at first and along a rock cliff. The gravel trail went into a forest patch and I ascended to the top of the falls. I stopped along the way to eat a sandwich and to admire the falls as I got closer and closer to the top. The sound of the falls got even louder the closer that I got to the waterfalls. After about 30 minutes, I reached the bridge at that crossed over the top of the falls. The bridge crossed over right where the water drops off the rock cliff. On the right hand side, the rapids flowed over a few bumps until the water drops off of the rock cliff. On the left, I got an amazing view of how sharp the drop of the waterfall is and the rocks below. I didn't spend much time on the bridge but I spent some more time admiring the view of the water before the drop. It seemed to rush in smaller frothy waterfalls to get to the big drop.

I kept climbing away from the waterfall into the forest again (still on the trail). I made it to the restaurant at the top which was a wooden chalet on top of a hill. I went into the restaurant briefly to restock on water and then it was time to find the ledge! I followed the brown sign with a picture of Sherlock Holmes on it that stated "Fussweg Footpath." The thin dirt path soon turned to a stony steep descent surrounded on both sides by trees.  I easily made my way down the path all the way to a pasture. I looked at my directions (thanks to Spring Vollie Steph!) and I realized that I had passed the trail leading to the ledge! Well, I didn't come to Reichenbach Falls to miss seeing the famous Sherlock Holmes ledge! I gritted my teeth and climbed the steep route back up to a trail next to a rock cliff.

The trail followed a rock cliff and I hoped that it was the trail that I was looking for. The rock cliff was bumpy and looked to me as if it had been chiseled out long ago. After I rounded the bend, I came upon a ledge that had a metal fence on the right and the rock cliff on the right. On the rock cliff there was a plaque that stated "At this fearful place, Sherlock Holmes vanquished Professor Moriarty, on 4 May 1891." 
It was really cool to be at the famous ledge and I definitely could see why it is a "fearful place." Without the fence, it would be very easy to tumble into the force of the falls. The ledge is close to the top and nearby powerful water. I saw the white star marking the ledge up close and I was lucky to be able to spend some time alone on the ledge without the company of others. This was nice for two main reasons: 1) It was a very narrow ledge 2) I had some time to admire the ledge and soak in the fictional history seeping the ledge


Then, I left the ledge and I crossed a muddy area of grass where I was exposed on one side completely to the falls. I could see the trolley and the platform on the other side of the rock cliff and it seemed so far away. I began my descent (again) down the mountain side on a steep narrow path filled with roots, stones and many twists and turns. After about 15 minutes, I reached a small wooden door connected to a fence that led me into a cow field. I followed a narrow cow path on down until I climbed over another fence...clearly I was on someone's property haha. In the background, as always, is the tinkling of cow bells. I walked along a road down the mountain and I came across some goats, cows and two animals that are native to Switzerland that I could not identify. The unidentifiable animals were not behind any fences so I quickly passed by them on the road. I followed the road back to the trolley station and started to walk back into town.


It was 4 pm and I had two options: 1) Go to the Sherlock Holmes Museum before it closed at 6pm or 2) Get to Aareschlucht Gorge before it closed at 5:30pm. I decided that the Gorge sounded cooler and I would rather get to it in one day than spend the money to get back out to Meringen to see it another day. I walked fast back into town and took some pictures along the way of some interesting buildings and other things in town. With one last gaze at the Sherlock Holmes museum, I made it to the train station by 4:30 pm and caught the last train to the Gorge. The train was bright blue and green and the train ride was pleasant but short. I decided to get off the train at the East Gate of the Gorge so then I could walk back towards Meringen instead of away.