As most Bond fans know, Piz Gloria was
used as the location for Blofeld's headquarters for the 1969 film 'On Her
Majesty's Secret Service'. Perched on top of the 10,000 ft Schilthorn
mountain in the Bernese Oberland region of Switzerland, this location is
even more popular today due to the publicity surrounding its use in the
film, as well as being home to a revolving restaurant with spectacular views.
In recent years the restaurant building has been enlarged to cater for the
growing number of tourists, and the cable cars have been replaced or refurbished,
but the location is still a wonderful place to visit, whether you're a fan
of 007 or not.
The following photographs were taken on a trip
to Switzerland, in May 1990, when the cable cars were still in their original
state, and the restaurant building on top of the Schilthorn was being rebuilt
and enlarged. The journey to Piz Gloria is almost as spectacular as the
views from the summit of the Schilthorn. Arriving at the valley station
Lauterbrünnen by narrow gauge train from Interlaken Ost, I immediately
recognised it as the location where James Bond (George Lazenby) left the
train on his own journey to Piz Gloria in 'OHMSS'. Rather than take a sleigh
ride to a helicopter as 007 did, we took the more normal route of funicular
and mountain railway to the idyllic Alpine village of Mürren. After
a short mile long stroll through this beautiful little town, we arrived
at the cable car station of the 'Luftseilbahn Stechelberg Mürren Schilthorn'
(LSMS). The red cable car was just descending into the station. After passing
through the ticket gate we stepped into the cabin and awaited departure
time. With a ringing of communication bells we were on our way, first to
the middle station of Birg, and then lofted up to the breathtaking heights
of the Schilthorn. An unforgettable journey to one of the most majestic
viewpoints in the whole of the World.
