Between the picturesque glacier village of Grindelwald and the cookies and cream peak of the First lies a glittering sapphire jewel. Separated by a manmade divide of concrete into the twin pools of a dam and a lake, Bachalpsee is a hiking paradise for its visitors. Found along the way of several scenic trails that weave in and out of the region in Jungfrau, a steady stream of pilgrims can always be seen making their way to the famed shores of the lake daily.

Graveled paths and smoothed out sandy strips make for a walk that even tumbling toddlers can attempt. Meadows colored with the wildflowers of the Swiss Alps, umbels of blue and closed buds of a dozen shades, fall away to either side throughout the path leading up to the lake. Yet even these views can’t be compared to the unpolished radiance of the lake’s waters. Reflecting the white peaks of Shrekhorn and Wetterhorn with ribbons of grey spiraling across, the Bachalpsee is a flat mirror that hides nothing. Its numerous postcards do it little justice, the crown jewel dazzling with incomparable brilliance under the cloudless summer skies. Finding a quiet corner for yourself, take a seat on the springy grass banks and spread out a potluck feast or a picnic basket grabbed along the way to savor the flavors of the highlands with your meal. At the Bachalpsee Lake, you’ll come to realize that it isn’t just in Riccola Ads where the beatific mountain ranges and crystal clear lakes exist.