Mittelländer Hügelroute
Overview
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Distance 39 km
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Ascent 440 m
Intro
Ancient flooding rights in the water meadows around Langenthal, the serene silence in the St. Urban Monastery gives you goose bumps, the roar of the motorway in Wiggertal shatters the dream, the tiny town of Sursee offers reassuring charm.
Description
In the middle of the 19th century, Langenthal gained a rail connection to the SCB line from Olten to Herzogenbuchsee. In the half century that followed, turbulent industrial development commenced: a textile company, a linen weaving factory, a machine factory and a porcelain factory were founded. Talking of the SCB line: this has nothing to do with the Bern ice hockey club. It means «Swiss Central Railway», and it was once one of the five largest private railway companies in Switzerland.
The stage begins «from Langetu on to Langete». In the river valleys of Langeten, Önz and Roth, the meadows are irrigated and fertilised as they were in the old days. The agricultural culture of watering meadows from the «Oberaargau water meadows» dates back to the Cistercian monks of St. Urban in the 13th century. The landscape along the waters and ditches is characterised by wide green spaces, hedges and individual trees. Periodic flooding carries nutrients to the meadows. Water is channelled into a network of ditches and distributed through small dams via a submerged dike. Birds of prey like it too. They circle tirelessly over meadows and fields. The «greater mouse-eared bat» also circles tirelessly in search of insects. The critically endangered bat species has lived in the roof beams of the St. Urban monastery for a good two centuries.
After Pfaffnau, there is another detour to the canton of Aargau before you reach the Wigger and then Lucerne. There is a hydroelectric power plant on the Wigger. A cotton mill once operated on the river, which is approximately 40 kilometres long. Renewable electricity is now generated there. Not counting the nearby motorway, the ride through the Wiggertal valley is extremely lovely. The nature reserve of the Uttiker-Buchser Moos pond countryside is perfect for taking a break. The «AareLandWeg» also passes by here. This is advertised as a journey of discovery through the cantons of Aargau, Bern and Lucerne.
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 |
Langenthal
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|---|---|
| Destination |
Sursee
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| Ascent |
440 m
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| Descent |
420 m
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| Distance |
39 km
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| Distance on tarred ways |
34 km
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| Distance on natural surface |
5 km
|
| Physical requirements |
Medium
|
Quick Facts
Route number
