DAY 5: Up the Pass, over the Bridge, and into The Spiritual Home of Sherlock Holmes

How gracious of the King of Bohemia to invite us onto his steam train to make the journey to Meiringen. Rumoured to cost some 3000 Swiss francs an hour, his privy purse must be full of the takings from the season at Marienbad.

There must be a reason the Gelmer Funicular is the steepest in the world? Could it be all others graded at 106 per cent or more have been boarded up by Health and Safety?! Many of the party were faint at the prospect.

Lady H’s cream begloved knuckles turned quite white on the descent.

Sashaying across the Handeck Swinging Bridge, however, was a walk in the park for Vicky. (Oui, after four days spent together amidst the intimate beauty of the Bernese Oberland, We are indeed on a first name basis with Ourselves.)

Romantic, remote, elegant Grimsel Hospiz is a four-star high-daway at the top of the pass. A delicious lunch was served and their cellar is vaut le detour. Today, the snow gods sprinkled us with frosty good luck – and could have frozen the teets off a nun.

Down in charming Meiringen, Mr Sherlock Holmes is mobbed by his fans – mountain guides from Kandersteg, no less than two mayors, the inevitable brass band, a merry odd assortment of doyens of the daily vin d’honneur, and a mule. Sherlock is touched with Honorary Citizenship of Meiringen. Hip hip horray. And more of that to come….

Who is this mysterious orange-juice swilling specimen? Tune in tomorrow....