Niesen

The Niesen rises to 2,362 metres in a symmetrical triangle that stands alone at the mouth of the Kander valley, and the shape is so clean it has been called the Swiss pyramid and painted repeatedly, Klee among others. A funicular built in 1910 climbs it in two sections. Running beside the track is the maintenance stairway - 11,674 steps, listed by Guinness as the longest stairway in the world - which is normally closed to the public and opened for one organised run a year, the Niesenlauf. The name is thought to come from the old word Yesen, the yellow gentian that still flowers on the slopes. From the top the view takes in Lake Thun below and the Bernese Alps opposite, and there is a restaurant and a small hotel at the summit for people staying for sunset or sunrise.

What you'll find

• A freestanding pyramid - 2,362 metres of near-symmetrical mountain.
• The world's longest stairway - 11,674 service steps beside the funicular.
• A 1910 funicular - two sections up the face.
• Lake Thun below - the whole lake and the Bernese Alps beyond.

When to go

May to October. Half a day, or an overnight for sunrise.

What to expect

The funicular does not run in winter and closes for maintenance in spring. The stairway is not open to walk - only during the annual event, which is a ballot. The summit is exposed and cold. Cloud below the top is common.

Nearby

Spiez and its castle are on the lake; the Stockhorn is north-west.

Key facts