Lots of Free Cookie Samples at the Kambly Cookie Factory in Trubschachen

(This post published on December 15, 2025 -- Since this first trip, we have been at the Kambly Cookie store many times, especially when we ended a hike nearby!)

Sunday November 3, 2013 -- My Aunt Ruth had told us about the Kambly Cookie Factory in Trubschachen (Canton Bern), where they sell the "less than perfect" cookies (and also crackers) in larger packs for less than it costs to buy the perfect cookies in the shops. The fun part about this factory shop is that you can taste as many of the cookies as you like! But you cannot take any samples with you, and you cannot even take the cookies into the adjoining café (where you can buy pastries with your coffee). 

Because I had never been to a place where you can sample cookies for free, I ate too many, and went home with a stomach ache! We also bought a few bags of the ones we liked best! 

There is even a "special" train called the "Kambly Train" decorated with cookies, which travels between Luzern and the town of Langnau in the Emmental, stopping at the factory in Trubschachen along the way.

We board the Kambly Train in Luzern

The Kambly train at the Trubschachen train station.

It's quite a walk from the train stop past the factory buildings to the factory store!

What fun! You can taste as many cookies as you want! You just can't take them out of the store. 

Urs is quite happy to be here at the cookie store as well!

After tasting the cookies, we started to collect bags of the ones we like the best!

The cookies are sold in 500g bags for about 10 Fr.. each. These are second-grade cookies, but taste just as good as the perfect ones!

Oh no, this cookie box needs a refill!

Decoration inside the shop. 

Many shelves of sweet and salty biscuits. (There are also pretzel sticks, puff-pastry sticks, goldfish and other salty crackers). 

Kids love it too!

Kids can sign up to decorate their own gingerbread houses! You can also watch the personnel created specialty chocolates. 

A few more chocolate-covered cookies before we head to the cash to pay for our purchases. I ended up with a belly-ache on the way home.... 

This is what we came home with! A variety of our favourite cookies, plus a bag of savoury puff pastry sticks with olive filling!

Stroll through Kaiseraugst and the Roman Colony Augusta Raurica

(This post published on December 26, 2025. No notes taken at the time).

Sunday October 27, 2013 -- On this Sunday afternoon we didn't want to do a big hike, so traveled in the direction of Basel in the Northeast corner of Switzerland to have a walk around the site of the Roman Colony of Augusta Raurica, one of the most important Roman sites in Switzerland and the oldest known colony on the Rhine.

Information from the website: https://www.augustaraurica.ch/en/archaeology/city-history

"The capital of the colony Augusta Raurica was constructed around 15 BC. Within 200 years the town developed into a regional metropolis and flourishing trade centre with some 15,000 inhabitants. This was possible not least because of its location on the intersection between the River Rhine and the north-south axis linking the Rhineland with Italy and the west-east route from Gaul to the Danube and Raetia."

Here are a few photos of the archeological site, and from the walk we did around the town of Kaiseraugst with a short stretch along the Rhine River there. 

Heading into the town of Kaiseraugst, we pass a remaining piece of the original Roman fortress wall. 

Walking past the town's church. 

Pretty Houses

Lovely window decorations

This is the St.Gallus Catholic church. Information from Wikipedia: "It stands on the foundations of a church considered one of the oldest Christian places of worship in Switzerland. Below the church, a baptistery dating from the 4th or 5th century is built into the bank of the Rhine. The church tower dates from the 14th century, while the Baroque interior was completely redesigned between 1736 and 1750."    

Along the river there is an open-air museum where we had a look inside at what used to be the Roman Rhine Baths. (More information HERE)

A map shows all the archeological sites of the old Roman city, built in 15 BC and flourishing 200 years later.  

Starting at the train station, we first walked into the actual town of Kaiseraugst, then along the river past one excavation which included the Roman baths, then we walked to the Amphitheater (which wasn't really impressive, and then ended at the large Roman Theater and Temple on the hill, and that was more impressive. We took a little over two hours to do this loop.

Heading south now through the site of the various Roman structures, we pass the ruins of what is called the Grienmatt Sanctuary, which might have been a place of pilgrimage for the sick. See also HERE on the Website. 

We then passed the outer walls of the Amphitheater, the southernmost point of the loop walk around the site. 

Back at the main Roman Theater about 25 minutes later, this structure was much more interesting!

Directly across from the theater are the steps up to the temple. 

This is what is left of the Temple on Schönbühl Hill. "In the late 3rd century the temple became a ‘stone quarry’: parts of it were removed and reused elsewhere. That is why only the core of the temple podium has survived. The recesses on the sides show where the columns used to be." 

Roman Theater seen from Schönbühl Hill

Panorama view of the Roman Theater. 

What our little walk around Kaiseraugst and the remains of the Roman Colony Augusta Raurica looks like on Google Satellite Maps. 

Foggy Hike along the Schächen Valley High Trail, from Biel-Kinzig to Eggbergen.

(This post published December 15, 2025. NOTE: The owners of the Alpstubli Selez retired after 2020 and the little restaurant is no longer in operation.)

Wednesday October 9, 2013 -- Urs wanted to take me on one of his favourite hikes in Canton Uri near Flüelen and Altdorf, which requires a cable car ride to a high trail (part of the Schächentaler High Trail) to Biel/Kinzig, and from there you walk about 2½ hours (8-9 km) to Eggbergen where you take another cable car down to Flüelen. 

On the way is a favourite restaurant, a little mountain inn called Alpstubli Selez which serves the best macaroni and cheese, Swiss Style (with Schabziger cheese sauce) and fabulous grilled pork steaks!

Unfortunately we had fog the whole way (can't win them all!) but enjoyed the walk most of the way. Along the way was a small shelter with a fountain and a supply of sirups where you could have a drink (called the Sirup Bar). This was run by a private individual who stopped doing this in 2014, unfortunately. It was a fun feature.

First we took the cable-car from Bürglen (Brügg) to Biel-Kinzig summit station, from where there is a short uphill walk, and then a fairly level and wide road heading westward. Along the way you pass this little hut called "The Sirup Bar". We got here at 12:20 after about a 40-minute walk from the cable-car station. 

A local resident keeps the hut, built around a water trough, stocked with syrups and cups, and you can help yourself for free. (Side note: A year after we were here, the gentleman stopped doing this, which is a shame, because this was such a cool feature). 

We didn't get much of a view, as the fog didn't lift here at all. 

We got to the Alpstubli Selez at about 1 p.m. The fog hasn't let up at all. Usually you can sit outside to enjoy a meal and the fantastic view, but we were glad to be able to go inside on this day!

Once we got to the Alpstubli Selez, we could sit inside in the warmth of their "living room". We were served the best mountain macaroni (Aelplermagronen) with the even better grilled pork steaks 

Ironically, our place-mats showed us the view which we should have had on this hike!

At shortly after 2 p.m., it was time to continue on our hike toward Eggbergen. This little barn is part of the Selez alpine farm. 

After a long walk to the summit and then down through forested areas, we reached the first farms in Eggbergen at about 3 p.m. It's always nice to visit with the cows!

That's a huge bell which she is wearing!

Alpine pastures as we head down toward the cable-car station in Eggbergen. 

By 3:30 p.m. we were on the cable-car back down to the Reuss Valley at Flüelen. 

Before heading home, we walked around the alleys in the town of Flüelen. 

This is the very south end of the Uri arm of Lake Luzern. Even the foggy weather won't prevent people from enjoying a boat ride on the lake!

A dominant landmark in the town of Flüelen. 

Biel-Kinzing summit station to Eggbergen via Alpe Selez (approx. 8 km, 2.5 hours)

Zügen Gorge and the Highest Viaduct along the Rhaetian Railway

(This post published on November 19, 2025.)

Saturday September 7, 2013 -- The Rhaetian Railway is the largest private railway in Switzerland, and its network contains 84 tunnels and 383 bridges. The highest of these bridges is located in the Zügenschlucht (Zügen Gorge) near Davos, which was the location of our hike on September 7th, 2013 (shortly after I came to Switzerland).

Friends of ours were spending a week in a vacation home in Davos, and invited us to join them on a hike this day. We walked from the train station at Monstein to the one in Wiesen, about 5 km, and then walked over the Wiesener Viaduct, a 210m long bridge 90m above the river, before returning to the little train station at Davos Wiesen.

(This information is from the website myswitzerland.com : "The Zügen Gorge between Wiesen and Davos Monstein was previously used as a connection route to Davos. The gorge was once travelled by horse-drawn coaches, a time which is recalled by a number of information boards along the route. Today, a level gravel path passes through tunnels and crosses over bridges spanning the crystal-clear Landwasser mountain river).    

The Zügen Gorge (between Davos Monstein and the viaduct at Davos Wiesen) is approx. 3-4 km long, created by the Landwasser River. After a short stretch from the Monstein train station, we got to the gorge at about 11 a.m. 

The train travels through several tunnels and over bridges here in the gorge. 

There are many bridges and tunnels in the Zügen Gorge.

This is also a very nice train viaduct, not quite as spectacular as the one at Davos Wiesen.

It is a beautiful day for this easy 5-km hike in the Zügen Gorge, from Davos Monstein train station to Davos Wiesen train station.  

The Zügen Gorge is approx. 3-4 km long, created by the Landwasser River.

At Bärentritt, the hiking trail is higher than the railway line, and we can look down at the tracks on the very short stretch where the train leaves one tunnel and enters the next! It's too bad that a train didn't pass right then!

Since "Bär" means "Bear", and also "Ursus" in latin, we have to take a photo of Urs whenever there is something that relates to bears!

As we walk around the side valley, we look behind us to see the trail we came along (that was the spot where we looked down on the small piece of railway between the two tunnels). 

Near the Davos Wiesen railway station is a vehicle bridge which crosses the gorge. 

We got to the little train station in Davos Wiesen at 12:25. The fabulous Wiesen Viaduct is just past the train station here. As our friend was afraid to cross the steel bridge, Urs and I went on our own, and joined our friends back here later. 

We were quite pleased that a train from the Rhätian Railway just passed us as we were walking across the highest railway viaduct along this line!

Information panel on the bridge: The tallest viaduct of the Rhätian Railway, built 1906-1908, 88.9 meters over the river, 210 meters long. It cost almost 324K Francs to build. 

As we wanted to view the bridge from a better vantage point, we hiked up the hill along the trail to this good look-out point. Then Urs stayed here while I returned to the bridge, to take a photo of me on the bridge!

Close-up view of me on the Wiesen Viaduct. Look at how massive those stone supports are!

Look how small I am on that HUGE bridge!

Heading back across the viaduct. 

Back at the train station, we had time to walk to the vehicle bridge for a look down into the steep gorge. 

From the far side of the gorge, along the vehicle bridge, this is a view to the railway line, where the train exits the tunnel just north of the Davos Wiesen train station. 

Now back at the Wiesen train station at 13:45. 

A nice cold drink on a hot day! (Side note in 2025: I think we stopped for coffee at the eclectic café next to the train station). 

This is what the hike through the Zügen Schlucht looks like. It is about 5 kilometers, and takes just over an hour to walk. 

As it was still early in the day, we returned to the city of Davos and took the funicular up to Schatzalp. 

The hotel at Schatzalp had a huge display of edelweiss flowers!

Schatzalp panorama restaurant. 

View across the valley to Davos below, and Mount Jakobshorn. We stayed up here for an hour (coffee at the restaurant), and headed back down just after 4 p.m for the trip home. 

A map shows the walking trail through the Zügen Gorge, which continues on past the Wiesen Viaduct all the way to Filisur.