Jurasüdfuss-Route
Overview
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Distance 52 km
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Ascent 360 m
Intro
From Olten, over small Jura foothills, past the former patrician seat of Waldegg Castle, to the baroque town of Solothurn. On through the alluvial marshland of the meandering Aare, via Grenchen, to Biel, bilingual Seeland metropolis with its beautiful old town.
Description
What do Franz Hohler, Alex Capus and Pedro Lenz have in common? There were all part of Olten’s golden generation of authors. It would seem the railway town was a good place for the writer’s life. Perhaps it’s the fog or the pretty old town with its covered wooden bridges. Leave the town via the river Dünnern towards Wangen bei Olten. Before long, you won’t be able to ignore the drone of the A1 motorway anymore. But it makes for surprisingly leisurely riding through flat, fertile farmland.
The peregrine falcon seems to be taking things at a leisurely pace too. It is reluctant to leave its woody perch and is startled by cyclists. Pretty astonishing, as it’s the fastest animal in the world. When nosediving, it can attain speeds of over 300 kilometres per hour.
The Jura chain remains in view the entire time. Uphill from Oberbipp, you can make out Bipp Castle, which dates back to the 13th century and is now privately owned. The little town of Wiedlisbach makes for romantic riding. Its landmark is its stately fortified tower, which served as a corn silo from the 16th to the 19th century.
Shortly after Hubersdorf, you will pass the 500-metre altitude mark for the first (and last) time. It’s not a particularly demanding ascent and is followed by a brief descent through Riedholz to Waldegg Castle. This Baroque gem overlooking the Swiss Plateau was built in 1682. Almost imperceptibly, you will now cross the Verenabach stream, whose water gushes through the mystical Verenaschlucht gorge. The hermitage in the gorge, near St. Niklaus, is a popular destination for Solothurn locals.
It’s a pleasure to cycle through Switzerland’s most beautiful Baroque city. You will pass by the pedestrians strolling about and cosy cafés on the way to Grenchen, famous for its watchmaking. Just as pleasant is the ride through Switzerland’s foremost habitat for hares. The Witi plain is an agricultural and conservation area that extends for around 15 square kilometres between Solothurn and Grenchen. If you want to catch sight of a wild hare, you might need a little luck and patience. Herons and storks are significantly easier to spot. Right on the banks of the Aare is the Altreu stork habitat which is aiming to re-establish a greater population of white storks in Switzerland. There are many rooftops where you can see the stork colony’s “harbingers of spring” flap their wings and brood over their nests. The watchmaking city of Grenchen is now just a wingbeat away.
An enjoyable tour includes the careful planning of the same. Please inform yourself in advance at the local information center about the route and weather conditions. Depending on the season and weather conditions, this route may be blocked or interrupted
| Start location |
Olten
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|---|---|
| Destination |
Grenchen
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| Ascent |
360 m
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| Descent |
320 m
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| Distance |
52 km
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| Distance on tarred ways |
45 km
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| Distance on natural surface |
7 km
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| Physical requirements |
Medium
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| More information | https://schweizmobil.ch/en/cycling-in-switzerland/... |
Quick Facts
Route number
