Emmenuferweg

The route wanders through charming river landscapes and meadows between Entlebuch and Wolhusen. The trail switches from the right to the left of the natural path of the Kleine Emme river. This section of the Emmenuferweg is popular with families. It is mostly flat with several places to swim, play, discover or grill. With the many public transportation stops in immediate proximity of the hiking trail, the tour can be shortened, if necessary. The many swimming areas and playgrounds along the shore offer lots of fun for the children.

Heading in the direction of the skating facility from the Schüpfheim train station, the trail leads directly to the shore of the Emme. As you hike along the meadows, you keep switching from one side of the river to the other, cross old covered bridges, and come across lovely coves and gravel banks. The path alternates between forests and sunny areas on the shore until you reach the playground at Feldgüetli just a short while later. The playground with soccer and volleyball fields and play towers is located directly on the shore of the Kleine Emme, where you find attractive places to swim and cool down. The Kleine Emme is a torrent that normally contains relatively little water. After heavy rain, however, it can rapidly swell up, as the clayey flysch soil of Entlebuch cannot hold much water.

In Entlebuch you pass the impressive building of the former Ackermann Versandhaus AG, the first mail order company in Switzerland. With a circulation of over one million catalogues, Ackermann used to reach half of all Swiss households until the turn of the millennium. In 2007 Ackermann had to discontinue its core business.

Back on the banks of the Emme, one of the most beautiful natural segments of the entire route follows. The Emmenmätteli area is a special highlight. With natural ponds and meadows rich in biodiversity as well as lizard habitats, the area, which was originally destroyed by a flood, turned into a nature paradise. At Mäderslehn you are close to the village centre of Wolhusen. A bus is available for the last kilometre along the main road. The municipality of Wolhusen was once the property of the Baron of Wolhusen, before passing into Habsburg ownership in around 1300. The Habsburgs lost control over the territory after the Battle of Sempach in 1386 and pledged it to Lucerne in 1389. The city gained full control over Wolhusen in 1405. The present boundaries of the municipality broadly align with the waterways of the Kleine Emme, Fontanne, Flühbach, Schwarzenbach and the portion of the Wiggere that flows through Wolhusen.