Seeland-Solothurn-Weg
Overview
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Distance 21 km
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Duration 5 h 15 min
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Ascent 280 m
Intro
Ideal, all-year-round family tour. In summer the first bushes blossom, in summer bathing in the lake and perfect peace in autumn. Many aquatic animals can be discovered along the lakeside path, castle and winding old town to admire in Erlach.
Detour / Closure
There are detours or closures along this route, for more information see https://schweizmobil.ch/en/hiking-in-switzerland/route-76/stage-1
Description
Situated at the western end of Lake Biel, the starting point of Erlach, with its picturesque alleys, squares, and castle, is one of the lovely villages along Lake Biel. The castle is now a boarding school for boys and girls. From Erlach, you can also explore St. Peter's Island, a peninsula that extends about five kilometres into Lake Biel. The area is a nature reserve that can only be explored on foot or by bike.
The hiking trail, however, takes you in the other direction along the lakeshore through bushes and reeds, slightly ascending to Vinelz. After that comes the tour's only (modest) incline. You will have fantastic views of the entire lake, St. Peter's Island and the Jura from the ridge path. The area along the shore was inhabited as early as the Neolithic Age.
After about 90 minutes, you reach Lüscherz. From here, the trail leads again along the lakeshore to the mouth of the Hagneck canal below the village of the same name. The hydroelectric power station was built in 1899 and reopened in 2015. A nature reserve of national importance, the Auenwald, was created around the power station. The eight-kilometre Hagneck canal is also the centrepiece of the Jura water correction (1867 to 1891) and was a pioneering project for land reclamation. With an ingenious canal system, it was possible to lower the water levels of Lakes Murten, Neuchâtel and Biel. The land was protected from flooding, and the soil became available for agriculture. However, the draining also caused the disappearance of many animal and plant species that had previously been native to the marshland.
The hike continues along the lakeshore until you reach the Mörigenbucht after about three hours. The hike's last hour then follows along the lake to the Nidau-Büren canal, which is already inside the urban belt. The city's dynamism starkly contrasts the previous tranquillity along the lake.
Passing Nidau Castle, once a moated castle when the lake's water level was higher, you reach Biel railway station after a few minutes as the stage's destination.
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 |
Erlach
|
|---|---|
| Destination |
Biel
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| Direction |
One way
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| Ascent |
280 m
|
| Descent |
280 m
|
| Distance |
21 km
|
| Duration |
5 h 15 min
|
| Duration back |
5 h 10 min
|
| Technical requirements |
Easy
|
| Physical requirements |
Difficult
|
| Season |
All year
|
| Theme |
Along Water
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| More information | https://schweizmobil.ch/en/hiking-in-switzerland/r... |
Quick Facts
Route number
