Photos from this walk:

The Walking Guide
Zermatt to Findeln  

Description: This walk passes through beautiful forest to a romantic mountain village set amid lush summer pastures. Findeln is also home to many excellent restaurants. This walk features classic views to the Matterhorn. This trail is open all year and receives a lot of sun.
Time required: About two and a half hours (1˝ hours uphill at start / 1 hour downhill)
Difficulty: **  Modest            Popularity: ****  Popular 
Begins at: Winkelmatten (1672m) or Zermatt (1620m)                 Ends at: Winkelmatten or Zermatt                 Goes via: Findeln (2051 to 2177m)

Track Notes: This broad footpath is in very good condition. Any walking or sports shoes should be suitable. There are also many park style benches along the way, strategically placed for relaxing in the sun.
Variants: Continue from Findeln up to Sunnegga and take the underground train down to save time or energy.

The walk begins and ends in the satellite village/suburb of Zermatt called Winkelmatten (1672m altitude).  To get up to Winkelmatten from Zermatt takes about 10 minutes of walking. Follow these directions for the stroll from the main church square (1620m) in Zermatt: Walk over to the Marmot statue/fountain in the corner of the square by the church. Turn your body so the Marmots are just to your left and you should be facing (east) down a gently sloping busy street by the church. 

Head downhill past a little park, cross the bubbling Triftbach, pass the graveyard, and cross the river on to a busy four way intersection with the Papperla Pub on one corner. A signpost at the intersection points you in the direction of “Winkelmatten". So coming from the church you need to take a right (south) at this intersection. Walk up this road, after 150 yards passing the Hotel Rhodania/North Wall Bar. Continue on straight for a 120 more yards to a three way intersection, where the road becomes two footpaths. Take the left path up a steep cobbled path past the Youth Hostel until you reach a road curving moderately upwards towards Winkelmatten. Take this 'main road' as it curves up 600 yards on to the center of Winkelmatten and the little white Winkelmatten chapel (1672m).

Turn left to walk on (east) behind the chapel. Follow the paved path as it heads 200 yards towards the imposing Gornergrat railway bridge over the Findelbach gorge. A signpost before the bridge indicates (Findeln) path leading to the left up a good gravel track. The path continues uphill for a few minutes before crossing the tracks of the Gornergrat railway to a three way intersection (1720m). Take the right path uphill (east) in the direction of Findeln. 

A good broad path ascends steadily through the larch forest in a series of zigzags, before reaching a corner and lookout (1780m) over the Gornergrat railway bridge and often (in summer) a waterfall with a view towards the Matterhorn (photo). There are no fences or guardrails at this improvised lookout, so be careful - there is a very big cliff with bushes concealing its edge.

A further series of zigzags ascend the steep forested slope, before ending finally at a couple of old barns and a three way intersection (1887m). Take the right path in the direction of Findeln. The path then traverses across steep pastures and scattered forest far above the "Findelbach" (Findeln brook). Look back over your shoulder for superb views of the Matterhorn from one of its most beautiful angles. After another ten minutes (800 yards) another intersection is reached. Take the lower right straight on in the direction of Findeln. The unique sawtooth summit of the Rimpfischhorn (4200m) can  be seen far ahead and after another five minutes one reaches the lower and main village of Findeln (2051m). 

Findeln itself is a loose collection of charming old farmhouses, chalets and restaurants sprawled over a large area of summer pastures (pistes in winter). This particular part of Findeln you first reach is also known as "Ze Gassen" to locals. 

As you enter this cosy cluster of sunburned wooden buildings, you immediately pass the restaurant Findlerhof, and a minute further on is the Findeln chapel. Behind the chapel is the restaurant Enzian. It would be worthwhile to stop at any of these charming restaurants in the Findeln area. 

If you wish to explore further uphill some more of Findeln, then continue on the path past the chapel, to reach in four or five minutes another very fine restaurant: "Chez Vrony" (2075m). Beyond that the path can be followed up a to another charming line of barns known as "Eggen" (2177m). There can be found the restaurant Paradise, and if you have made it this far, you might be tempted to also go the little extra distance to the mountain lake "Leisee" (2230m). From the Paradise continue along the path before a left turn uphill (north), which finds its way to the lake five or ten minutes beyond the Paradise. The lake is popular with families for swimming, and being quite shallow, it is surprisingly warm in summer.

Wherever you made it to in Findeln, return to Winkelmatten and Zermatt  the same way (~45mins down to Winkelmatten). Alternatively if you have made it up to the lake "Leisee" and wish a quick descent, one can climb a bit higher up to Sunnegga (2288m - ten minutes walk above the lake) and take the underground express railway down to Zermatt in quick time.