Hiking in Switzerland – Gabrielle and Urs

Thursday April 23, 2026 -- A beautiful week all week for sure, and an opportunity to invite a friend to ride along on a "Companion Ticket", so my "hiking buddy" and I organised a hike which seemed interesting to both of us, and we traveled together to the Simmen Valley (Simmental) in Canton Bern, to hike up to a little local lake.

The hike started at the train station called Erlenbach, where Urs and I had actually ended two other hikes previously—most recently in July2025 when we walked the "Simmen Valley House Trail"—and continued on the south side of the river, a slightly strenuous hike straight up the hill. Our effort was rewarded with a long break at the pretty little alpine lake called "Aegelsee".

From there we descended into the Diemtig Valley to the main town of Diemtigen, where several very old and hand-carved houses are on display (part of the similarly-named "Diemtig Valley House Trail", which we mostly followed on a very lovely hike down the Diemtig Valley in May 2021.) The valley is known for its carpenters and the beautiful houses that were built several centuries ago. Even now, every newly-built house in this valley must be built in the same chalet style.

We finished off by descending to the Chirel River and following it to Oey where it flows into the Simme River, and from there caught the train for the approximately 2½-3 hour trip back home.

PART I: From Erlenbach to Lake Aegelsee and Descent to Diemtigen

On the way from Bern to Thun we pass the Gantrish Range with the prominent peak called Stockhorn, seen from the north. On our upcoming hike, we see this peak from the south.

Having left home before 8 a.m., we were on our way to the Simmental by 10 a.m. here, passing along the south side of Lake Thun.

Riding 1st Class!

We got to the train station in Erlenbach (in the Simmen Valley) at 10:30, a good time to start on our planned hike to Lake Aegelsee.

First it's a 15-minute walk westward along the Simme River, with views of the houses in the village of Erlenbach above us.

A look behind us to the houses in Erlenbach. We did not make a detour up that way, as Urs and I had extensively visited that village at the end of our hike along the "Simmen Valley House Trail" back in July 2025

A nice small trail along the Simme River

15 minutes west of Erlenbach, we cross the Simme River for our hike up the hill on the south side of the valley. The view is to the west.

From here at the river crossing, it should be about an hour to hike up to the little lake called "Aegelsee". (Side note: The brown signs indicate the themed trail called "Simmentaler Hausweg", i.e. "Simmen Valley House Trail". )

Starting at 10:30 at the train station in Erlenbach, we walked up the hill on the south side of the valley to the little lake called Aegelsee, then descended into the Diemtig Valley via the village of Diemtigen, where there are many lovely old houses worth looking at. Following the Chirel River, we made it to Oey at about 4 p.m., but just missed a train, so had to wait another half hour for the next one.

The cows are happy to be out in the pastures now, and they are always curious when we hikers pass by!

To the east is Mount Niesen, a distinctive peak accessed from the other side via a funicular train.

The town of Erlenbach on the hill behind me, and on the left is the bridge where we crossed over the Simme River.

A little bit of colour on the forest floor.

For about 45 minutes we had to climb up the hill along this path.

Views across the Simmen Valley to the north. The range of mountains there is best known for the distinctive summit of Mt.Stockhorn, just barely visible on this photo.

Zoomed view of the summit station of the Stockhorn cable-way. We hiked up to the summit of Mt.Stockhorn on a fabulous hike we did starting along the Gantrisch Range to the west, back in September of 2023.

The final stretch

At about 12:15 we finally got to the level road near the lake. (It took us over an hour for the uphill walk).

At 12:20 we got to the lake, and found a perfect bench for our picnic lunch.

A perfect spot for our lunch break. We stayed here for about 40 minutes, enjoying good company, mild temperatures, and nice views, and home-made cookies!

The view from our lunch bench

My friend bakes the best Christmas cookies!

At about 1:10 p.m. we continued on our walk, choosing to go around the south side of the lake.

Walking around Lake Aegelsee

Walking around Lake Aegelsee.

The lake serves as a "balancing" reservoir for the Erlenbach Powerplant, and one is unfortunately not allowed to swim here.

For me it is always interesting to be in a region where we have hiked before, and to view our hikes from a different perspective. Across from here is the small village called Weissenburgberg, which is where we started on our hike along the "Simmentaler Hausweg" in July 2025.

This building, just before we started on our descent to Diemtigen, is called Gasthaus Bergli. We had read that we could stop here for refreshments. We went to have a look, but it was closed. They offer a little "honesty" shop on their grounds, where you can actually prepare your own coffee, but we decided to continue on our walk.

Inside this little hut on the grounds of the Gasthaus Bergli was a small table with two chairs and a coffee machine, where you could have purchased and made your own coffee... plus the regular cheese and refreshments you can buy on the honesty principle.

PART II: Descent To Diemtigen and Oey, to visit the special Chalets

From here now we could have returned back down to the train station in Erlenbach, but we chose instead to descend into the Diemtigen Valley. Along the way to the village of Diemtigen were two more houses from the "Diemtigen House Trail" which Urs and I had not gone to see on our hike out of that valley in May 2021, so this was convenient for me!

The ever-present meadow cat, thinks we can't see it.

Heading down into the Diemtig Valley to the east.

The brown signs along the trail show you which historical houses are featured in the local "House Trails" (detailed information can be found for this valley on the website https://www.diemtigtal.ch/hauswege)

It's houses 10 and 11 that I am looking for! (After that, one reaches House no.9 at the upper end of the village of Diemtigen).

House no.10 was some distance away from the road, so we saw it from afar. It was built in 1804 and features cube frieze decoration, rosettes and carved plant motifs, which we can unfortunately not see from here.

Heading down into the Diemtig Valley to house no.11.

First we reached the back part of House no.11, the attached barn, which in itself is pretty impressive!

House no.11 seen from the front. Description translated: "Built in 1627 by master carpenter Hans Iulmi for Bendicht Schwingruber and Kathrin Mani (Antiqua script). Restored in 1988. Originally, it consisted of the main floor and an attic. The southern eaves porch and the northern corner room were added later. The walls of the living rooms were also renewed."

From here we can see up the Simmen Valley in the direction of Lake Thun. The mountains at the back are on the north side of Lake Thun. (Sigriswiler Rothorn and Niederhorn). We are now headed down to those houses.

We passed a gorgeous flowering Japanese cherry tree.

At 14:37 we reached the upper part of the village of Diemtigen. (Oberdorf). The sign shows that houses 10 & 11 are up the road from where we came down. This here is House no.9, called "Haus Riesen". It dates from the 16th Century!!!!

Haus Riesen, built in the 16th Century! It also originally consisted of a ground level and attic. Additionally, at the back were housed the town's smithy and tailor shop.

We took a detour into the village of Diemtigen along the main road, passing several other featured houses. This one is House no.8: Muurhus, built in 1823.

Across the street is House no.7: Haus Iseli. "Built in 1648 by master carpenter Stefan Bergmann, one of the most gifted craftsmen of his time. The roof ridge, unusually, runs parallel to the street. The only surviving 17th-century house in the village."

This beautiful house is no.5 on our list, it is called Trogmatte: "The master carpenter was probably Hans Messerli. Here, the characteristics of the Simmental farmhouse from the heyday of carpentry can be particularly well observed"

At the end of the main road is this beautiful house (no.4), fittingly named "Grosshaus" (Large House): "Built in 1805 by Jakob Reber. Master carpenter unknown. Jakob Reber held numerous offices in the community. He was among the wealthiest and most influential residents of Diemtigen. He also owned the Trogmatte (Dorf 32), whose barn (Styggässli 20) he had built in 1779 by master carpenter Hans Messerli, as well as the Ründihaus at Wiler, which he commissioned in 1792."

These are some of the beautiful hand-carved details on these fantastic houses.

We didn't continue on the detour to the village church, but returned up the main road to pass another house on the list, House no.6: Haus Reber: "A fine example of 16th-century Gothic timber framing. The rear of the house, facing the street, has changed very little. Opposite the house stands the associated barn (village no. 36), built in 1765 by Peter Reber."

A final photo of House no. 9 before continuing along the trail down to the river.

These are the five houses we looked at in Diemtigen, plus House no.9.

Even all the other random houses are beautiful! We passed this one heading down to the river.

Heading down into the Diemtig Valley

Views up the Diemtig Valley.

A look back to the village of Diemtigen, which we unfortunately can't really see due to the trees.

We got to the valley bottom at 15:20, and walked northwards out of the valley along the river, which is called Chirel.

Along the way we detoured onto a bridge for a look down the river, into the Simmen Valley.

A look upriver as we cross the final bridge into the village of Oey.

We got into the village of Oey at just after 4 p.m., and had to wait at the train station for the 16:33 train.

We had just missed the 15:59 train in Oey and had to wait 30 minutes for this one, the 16:33 train to Bern. The whole trip home was just over two hours for my friend, and almost an hour more for me.

What our hike looks like on Google Satellite Maps, starting in Erlenbach, hiking up to Lake Aegelsee, then down to Diemtigen to look at the houses, and lastly descending to the Chirel River in the Diemtig Valley, catching the 16:33 train out of Oey.

PART III: Trip back home...

The afternoon was so beautiful with such good visibility, that I simply had to take a lot of photos from the train window.

Heading down the Simmen Valley back to Spiez

This is the castle at Wimmis. We walked up to that castle on the second part of the "Simmen Valley House Trail" in July 2025, as there were several historical houses in this village as well.

Just appearing are the tips of Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau, that famous trio of Bernese Mountains.

A pretty house near the railway line, probably also a couple of centuries old!

North side of Mt.Niesen

On the way from Spiez to Thun, views of Lake Thun, and Mt. Sigriswiler Rothorn and Mt. Niederhorn.

Now we can see a bit more of the Eiger-Mönch-Jungfrau trio, but from here they are hidden by that long crest.

Back again on the stretch between Spiez and Thun.

This is the magnificent Blüemlisalp Massif in the Kander Valley.

The best views of the Bernese Alps are between Spiez and Thun, and Thun and Bern (and then later again north of Bern). The further we get away from them, the larger they appear.

Reformed church in Münsingen between Thun and Bern

Fabulous views of the Bernese Alps as the train makes its way to Bern.

It is always a beautiful sight as the train enters and leaves the Bern railway station: The Bern Cathedral spire with the backdrop of the Bernese Alps.