Sagenroute Gantrisch

A headless monk, a burning man, a pedlar, a man from Rabbental and a dwarf: these are the characters you will meet on the Tales of the Gantrisch Route. You can listen to or read local legends at the various experience spots along the way. At just under 50 kilometres in length, the Tales of the Gantrisch Route consists of a mixture of roads, surfaced paths, gravel paths and dirt tracks. It leads through the varied landscape of Gantrisch Nature Park with its fairytale forests, mystical gorges and rugged rocks. As well as the legends and natural beauty, you will also encounter various local and historical curiosities, such as the picturesque gardens at Riggisberg Castle, Rüschegg church with its wood engraving by Franz Gertsch and the majestic ruins of Rüeggisberg Priory.

The route starts in Schwarzenburg, where it’s worth taking a detour to the 16th century castle. Then comes a leisurely descent and an impressive stretch over the well-known Maillart bridge in the Rossgraben chasm. If you fancy it, you can cool down in the river Schwarzwasser. But you’ll soon work up a sweat again: it’s uphill pedalling through the woods all the way to Hinterfultigen, where you can find out more about the legend of the burning man. Continuing via Vorderfultigen and heading over the Fultigenegg, you will arrive at Rüeggisberg and its ruined priory. The experience spot here will tell you the tale of the headless monk. The story of the former lord of the castle from Rabbental is told in the Riggisberg castle garden; and, if you’re interested, you can find out all there is to know about the man purported to be the region’s first pedlar at the high-altitude experience spot at Rüschegg church. Further uphill towards Riffenmatt, you can look forward to a view of the Horbüelpass and the tale of two imprisoned dwarves. The next location along the route is Vrenelidorf Guggisberg, primarily known for the oldest Swiss folk song “Vreneli ab em Guggisbärg”. This “legendary” tour ends in Schwarzenburg via Kalchstätten.

With their glorious views, the experience spots where this route’s tales are told are also the perfect place to stop and have a bite to eat. Given the fact that a total of over 1,000 metres in altitude is covered, you’re going to need it. Particularly impressive is the constant view of the famous triumvirate: the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. If you’re feeling peckish, all the ingredients for a picnic can be found in the charming farm and village shops along the way. If you’re in the mood for some local cuisine, stop by one of the restaurants that line the route. As an alternative to Schwarzenburg, you can also set off from the welcome area in Riggisberg. The route works best clockwise.