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With a very public marital spat just a year after his wedding - not to mention rumours he’d had a baby with his own half-sister - it was no wonder Lord Byron wanted to escape.

Exiled from British society, the controversial poet was at a loss as he wandered Europe searching for inspiration 200 years ago.

But when he took a trip to the Swiss mountain region of Jungfrau, he was inspired to write one of his most important works - the three-act poem Manfred.

Jungfrau Railway climbs an impressive 4,500ft in just 50 minutes thanks to four miles of track tunnelled into the mountainside

Naturally, the modern traveller might be more likely to send a postcard than write an influential epic - but you can’t help but be amazed by the stunning scenes.

Plus, it’s an awful lot easier to explore these days.

While it took Lord Byron weeks to navigate the complex system of mountains and valleys, a handy railway can now shoot you straight up the mountain.

Jungfrau Railway leaves from the Swiss alpine towns of Interlaken, Grindelwald and Wengen, before taking a steep incline deep into the mountain itself.

It climbs an impressive 4,500ft in just 50 minutes thanks to four miles of track tunnelled into the mountainside.

If those heights sound terrifying, don’t worry - there’s whiskey at the top.

You can start your poetic Alpine adventure - poetry reading not mandatory - by flying into Zurich.

From Zurich you can take a train, with typical Swiss efficiency, to Interlaken in just over two hours.

The gorgeous Interlaken, where Byron stayed throughout his Alpine adventure, is a traditional Swiss town nestled between two sprawling lakes - perfect for a dip when the UV gets just too bright.

A railway pass for Jungfrau lets you hop-on and hop-off trains around these quaint Swiss towns - perfect if you want to sample every variety of fondue.

The comfy seats and wide, open windows are a world away from the train journeys you’re accustomed too, even if there is no plug socket in sight.

Rising above the countryside, you tuck in and around the three mountains - The Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau.

You can gaze at the spectacular Eiger Glacier, or even don your walking boots to explore the beautiful heights of Schynige Platte via a historic cog railway.

The whole region, once a mystery reserved only to intrepid explorers, opens up entirely.

But the real gem of the pass is that it gets you to the Top of Europe - a railway station 11,000 feet above sea level.

The Jungfraujoch, with its 360 degree views of the mountainscape, sits peacefully above the clouds.

You can brave the icy chill outside to pose for photos in the snow even in the height of summer - thanks to its sub-zero temperatures.

To warm up, or calm down from the dizzying altitude, a special ice bar has been built deep inside the glacier where you can try your hands at curling or simply sample some whiskey matured inside the ice itself.

Lit up with ethereal blue lights, it’s easy to forget you’re deep inside a mountain.

Holidaymakers can zip-line at Grindelwald First or embark on a number of hiking trails from here

When you’re done, there’s a variety of places to fuel up - including a Chinese buffet restaurant to cater for the scores of Chinese tourists who are starting to visit the region.

If you’re in the market for something a bit more traditional, no fear, a hearty Swiss meal can be served up to you as you marvel at the mountainscape.

After lunch, you trek to the Sphinx Observatory - one of the highest observatories in the world.

Appearing in Wes Anderson’s Grand Budapest Hotel, and looking distinctly like a Bond villain’s lair, the observatory has a viewing platform so you can perfect your snow bunny selfie.

And if breath-taking views and plunging valleys don’t tickle your fancy, Jungfrau has brought in two adrenaline-fuelled adventure sports likely to tempt even the wisest of travellers.

The bravest can get strapped onto a zip-wire and hurtle down the mountain at up to 52mph, if you stop screaming you might even get a look at the view.

You get on the zip-line at Grindelwald First, also the start line for a whole host of hiking trails.

When you’ve reached solid ground down at Schreckfeld, another perfectly situated mountain train stop, you can head on home.

But if you’re thirst for adventure isn't quite quenched yet, you can brave the mountain carts - a cross between a go-kart and a sledge - and thunder down the mountainside at a rapid speed.

Twisting and turning with the curves of the mountain - just be sure to keep a firm grip on the brakes.

And if moving at unnatural speeds isn't your thing, the entire region can be comfortably accessed on the well-designed - and always well-timed - train network.

From breath-taking waterfalls to scenic glaciers, a traveller looking for peace of mind could easily find inspiration.

It’s enough to tempt you to side with the scandalous Lord Byron when he said Jungfrau was a scene ‘beyond all description or previous conception.’