Sense–Glâne–Veveyse
Overview
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Distance 34 km
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Ascent 780 m
Intro
After the capital city, a perspiring pedal over the gentle crest of the Längenberg, spectacular views of the Alps, large, well-to-do farmsteads, a deep and steep landscape, the wild, foaming Schwarzwasser.
Description
Urban cycling is the order of the day first of all. Beginning in central Bern on the square known as Hirschengraben, your ride leads through the Monbijou neighbourhood and past several monuments, pretty rows of houses and parks. A short stop-off at Köniz Castle is well worth it. The building was constructed in the early 11th century as a walled monastery for Augustinian canons. The beautiful 14th-century murals and stained-glass windows inside the Romanesque-Gothic church are a must-see.
After turning off at the roundabout in Köniz, the road becomes quieter and takes you through some idyllic countryside once you leave the village of Schliern bei Köniz. A little off the cycle route, Bubenbergweg leads to the ruined Neu-Bubenberg Castle, which once served as one of the many ancestral seats of the von Bubenbergs, a patrician family from Bern. The route winds its way across fields, past stately farmhouses and through small villages. However, the history of this region is nowhere near as idyllic and tranquil as you might think sat on your saddle, because the first international socialist conference opposing the First World War was held in Zimmerwald’s Hotel Beau Séjour in 1915. Lenin, Trotsky and other socialist activists attended this clandestine meeting, which culminated in the Zimmerwald Manifesto and also left its mark on Switzerland as a country.
Shortly before reaching the village, the cycle path becomes a village road, which does not dip into the Taan forest until just after reaching Oberbütschel. The view from Längenberg across the countryside is marvellous and fantastically unspectacular, featuring sturdy farmhouses, placid animals and the Alps off in the distance. To the east, you’ll see the Belpberg mountain and the pretty western foothills of the Emmental hills. Even more impressive, however, is your view of a massive trio of mountains: the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau.
After the high plateau at Fultigen, things begin to get wilder. Next up is your descent into the Brügglewald forest in the Gantrisch nature park, full of gorges and rugged rocks. First you cross the impressive Schwandbachbrügg bridge, where the trail descends steeply to the left and right and the roaring and splashing can sometimes be intense. The path through the forest is not easy, climbing 120 metres over two kilometres. You soon reach another bridge, the Rossgrabebrügg this time, which crosses the Schwarzwasser, a tributary of the Sense. Once you leave the forest, you don’t have long to go before Schwarzenburg, your destination for this stage and a cosy little place that is also a stop on the Way of St. James.
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 |
Bern
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|---|---|
| Destination |
Schwarzenburg
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| Ascent |
780 m
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| Descent |
540 m
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| Distance |
34 km
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| Distance on tarred ways |
34 km
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| Physical requirements |
Medium
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Quick Facts
Route number
