Oberdorf-Grenchen-Waldrandweg
Overview
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Distance 12 km
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Duration 3 h
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Ascent 200 m
Intro
This leisurely hike from Oberdorf to Grenchen along the edge of the forest offers lovely views. One of the highlights is the Lommiswil quarry which is littered with dinosaur tracks.
Description
This pleasant hike leads mostly along the edge of the forest from Oberdorf to the watchmaking town of Grenchen. It is ideal for families as well as dinosaur fans. Apart from the pretty views, the dinosaur tracks near Lommiswil are a highlight of the tour. The tracks in the quarry were left by giant herbivores, or more precisely, by a group of brontosaurs. From the viewing platform you can see the tracks clearly, especially in oblique light. Information panels explain the history of their formation and provide interesting facts about the world of the dinosaurs, for instance, that the tracks are around 145 million years old. A visit to the Solothurn nature museum which features a topical exhibition is a good way to complement the experience.
After the quarry, you leave the forest above Lommiswil. The clustered village is situated on a terrace sloping slightly to the south, at the foot of the Hasenmatt, the highest Jura peak in the canton of Solothurn (1444 m.a.s.l.). From here, a level trail continues along the edge of the forest, interrupted only by two short forest passages across two streams. The stork village of Altreu, which at times is home to over 100 storks, is clearly visible during the hike. Tip: If you take the boat from Grenchen back to Solothurn after the hike, you will pass a place known throughout Europe where white storks were successfully reintroduced in 1948.
Above Grenchen, the last two kilometres take you gently downhill towards the train station. If you still have time, you can visit the Grenchen boulder garden. Along a path of 500 metres, you get a glimpse of 500,000 years of the earth's history. Ten information panels and some 60 erratic blocks along the renaturalised Moosbach stream invite you to learn and linger. The Grenchen museum of culture and history tells the story of industrialisation and its consequences in the exhibition "From farming village to industrial town", using the region as an example. The exhibition focuses on the 1950s, the "golden age" of Grenchen's watchmaking industry.
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 |
Oberdorf SO
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|---|---|
| Destination |
Grenchen
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| Ascent |
200 m
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| Descent |
420 m
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| Distance |
12 km
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| Duration |
3 h
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| Duration back |
3 h 15 min
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| Technical requirements |
Easy
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| Physical requirements |
Medium
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| Theme |
With panoramic view
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| Signalization |
Signalisation in both directions
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Quick Facts
Route number
