Belchenflue vantage point
Overview
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Hint
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Intro
The highest point on the Belchenflue at 1,099m above sea level offers incomparable views over the Black Forest, the Vosges and the Alps. For the Celts, the Belchenflue was a marker for determining the positions of the sun, while in the First World War, it served as a key observation point for the Hauenstein fortification.
The Belchenflue, in the Basel-Landschaft municipality of Eptingen, is a popular destination and perhaps the most well-known mountain in the canton of Basel-Landschaft. The Belchenflue is part of the Jura chain between Northwestern Switzerland and the Swiss Plateau, while at the same time forming the watershed between the River Aare in the south and the River Ergolz in the north, both of which later flow into the River Rhine.
One way to make the ascent is via the military road, constructed between 1914 and 1915 on the southern side. Various rock engravings and brightly coloured murals still visible today commemorate the activities of battalions and companies during the First World War. The final part of the trail leading up to the peak consists of steps carved directly into the rock and made safe using railings. In good weather and on clear days, impressive panoramic views of the Alps, the Black Forest and the Vosges await hikers on the summit platform.
The “Belchen-Dreieck” (Belchen tripoint) on the southern part of the Upper Rhine encompassing the Black Forest Belchen, the Swiss Belchen (Bölchen, Belchenfluh) and the Vosges-Belchen (Ballon d’Alsace) was likely used by the Celts to tell time and find their way. Celestial bodies, specifically the sun and moon, act as the “hands”, while the countryside is the “dial” of a topographical-astronomical clock.
General information
| Time required |
2 to 4 hours (half day)
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|---|---|
| Suitable for children with age |
0 to 5 years, 6 to 9 years, 10 to 13 years, 14+ years
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| Suitable for |
Children, Families, Groups, Individual, Couples
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| Accessible |
Not Wheelchair accessible
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| Category |
Nature
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Discover the surroundings
Contact
Baselland Tourismus
Hardstrasse 1
4133
Pratteln
Switzerland
Phone
+41 (0)61 927 65 44
info@baselland-tourismus.ch
baselland-tourismus.ch
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