Dry waterfall "Trockener Wasserfall"

Around 1858, Conrad von Rappard, together with Adolf von Greyerz (1818–1871), head forester of the Bernese forest district Oberland, laid out the Ringweg on the Rugen and thus created a wonderful recreational area. Walking on the Ringweg and the drinking hall were fixed components of the whey cure offered to guests of the nearby Hotel Jungfraublick (today Schulhotel Regina). With its magnificent views of the Jungfrau massif, Lake Thun, the Bödeli, the Harder chain and Lake Brienz, the Ringweg is still an unforgettable experience for those seeking relaxation.

A special attraction on the Ringweg, even in the early years of tourism, was the wooden bridge at the "Trockenen Wasserfall". The idyllic place - probably a quarry in former times - was often used as a background for club photos or tourist souvenir photos. The photo above shows the Men's Choir Matten, around 1896. According to old lore, water was even let out over the rock face at the photographer's request to simulate a waterfall. Presumably, the water for this came from the reservoir built further up. Possibly this attraction was also intended to attract those tourists who did not want to or could not make the journey up to the Giessbach.

Unfortunately, the facility was neglected after 1920 and increasingly fell into disrepair. From then on, the site served as a dumping ground for wood, and later as a waiting room for the Tellspiele's Alp Abzug. In recent years, the place became overgrown or was partially destroyed by debris flows.

The reconstruction of the bridge

Ernst Hunziker from Matten had the idea years ago that the "Trockenen Wasserfall" or bridge should be restored at the same time as the gravesite of the von Rappard family. In 2018, the employees of the Matten building authority worked on the repair and reconstruction of the bridge at the "Trockener Wasserfall". The photo (around 1896) with the Men's Choir Matten in front of the "Trockenen Wasserfall" served as the basis for this work. 

In 2018, the Matten building authority had begun with the preparations and the clearing. A few metres of wall were still recognisable.

The work of reconstructing the bridge by the Matten building authority, completed in 2021, is a masterpiece and a further enrichment of the Ringweg. Since its completion, the new wooden bridge with its natural stone wall has once again become a magnet for photos and group pictures.

Adolf von Greyerz
Adolf von Greyerz was born in 1818 in Günzburg on the Danube into a family of foresters. He studied forestry, among others in Munich, Augsburg and Bern (where he attended the Green School “Grüne Schule”). In 1839 he came to Biel and in the 1840s, as forest administrator, he was responsible for reforestation on the slopes above the town. In 1860 he was elected head forester of Interlaken and in this function left a lasting mark on the town.

After his death on 2 April 1871, the Bernese Oberlanders Newspaper wrote in an obituary:

Like the Oberland in general, the health resort of Interlaken in particular owes him a great deal. Apart from Mr Ober, no one has done as much for our Bödeli in recent times as he has. As president of the Promenade Commission, he was tirelessly active for the beautification of our health resort. No one had a more practised eye for finding new beautiful spots for a viewing pavilion or a new walking path. The Heimwehfluh, unforgettable to every tourist, owes its existence to his eye; small and large Rugen, the slopes of the Harder, etc., were covered with paths by him. It is hardly possible to list everything he has done in this direction; wherever you go in the Bödeli, you will come across traces of his inexhaustible activity and he may well be called the beautifier of Interlaken.