ViaJacobi
Overview
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Distance 23 km
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Duration 6 h
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Ascent 560 m
Intro
In peaceful countryside, with the Stockhorn mountain chain in the background, past several lakes and 2 of the «1000 –year-old churches on Lake Thun»: The oldest, built by King Rudolf II of Burgundy, is in Einigen. Romanesque church in Amsoldingen with an impressive crypt by the same builder.
Detour / Closure
There are detours or closures along this route, for more information see https://schweizmobil.ch/en/hiking-in-switzerland/route-4/stage-11
Description
The hike starts beside Lake Thun at the magnificent Spiez Castle, which dates back to the 10th and 11th centuries. The advent of steamship travel in the mid-19th century brought the first tourists to Spiez, while the construction of the railway turned the town into a major transport hub for the Bernese Oberland region.
From the castle, the path turns right and takes you directly into the vineyards. Grapes have been cultivated alongside Lake Thun for over 1,000 years. Nowadays, wine is made within the walls of Spiez Castle. After enjoying magnificent views of Spiez, Lake Thun and the mountains beyond, you leave the vineyards behind you for the next stretch, which leads to Einigen through the Spiezberg woodlands and along the edge of the Eggliwald forest. It is here that this stage finally breaks away from Lake Thun.
You take the Strättligsteg footbridge across the Kander River, which flows from its source at the Kander Neve glacier into Lake Thun at Einigen. Atop the Strättlighügel, you have another chance to enjoy the view of the lake and the mountains. The area is also home to the ruins of the 13th-century Strättligburg Castle, although the gunpowder tower that you can still see today was not built until the 17th century. Switching to a gravel path, you continue on through the Glütschbachtal valley as far as Amsoldingen, whose church is well worth a visit. The hike then resumes on a tarmac road, passing the third lake on this stretch and a village – both named Uebeschi – on its way to Blumenstein. You then pick up another gravel path as you follow two rivers – the Fallbach and then the Gürbe – to your final destination in Wattenwil.
Wattenwil is nestled at the foot of the Gurnigel mountains inside the Gantrisch nature park. Situated just a few kilometres from Thun, the village has grown into a residential community. It has many Bernese-style houses from the 17th and 19th centuries that are well preserved, as is the church with parsonage dating from 1863.
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 |
Spiez
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|---|---|
| Destination |
Wattenwil
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| Direction |
One way
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| Ascent |
560 m
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| Descent |
520 m
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| Distance |
23 km
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| Duration |
6 h
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| Duration back |
6 h
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| Technical requirements |
Easy
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| Physical requirements |
Difficult
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| Season |
All year
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| More information | https://schweizmobil.ch/en/hiking-in-switzerland/r... |
Quick Facts
Route number
