Prize-Winning Chalet Construction in the Diemtigtal Nature Park

Saturday May 8, 2021 -- The Diemtigtal Valley is the largest side valley of the Simmental in Canton Bern, and even though the total population in its six main villages is only 2200, this is the 6th largest community area-wise in the Canton. Furthermore, with over 140 alpine farms and 10,000 farm animals, the Diemtig Valley is the largest alpine farming community in Switzerland. And yet, as one of Switzerland's 18 Nature Parks, it also has some very nice wild and natural landscapes. 

The valley is renowned for its talented carpenters who have done the most fabulous artistic work on so many houses there. In fact, some of the houses are so spectacular, that the local tourist bureau has created three themed loop trails called the "Diemtigtaler Hauswege", or "Diemtig Valley House Trails". Furthermore, the municipality of Diemtigen (which gives the valley its name) was awarded a prize called the Louis Wakker Prize in 1986 for its approach, in terms of planning and culture, to its traditional buildings.

As we had not yet ever been to this beautiful valley, we wanted to take the bus to its final stop at the Grimmialp in the back of the valley, and walk back down to the train station in Oey along the 14-km Trail no.37: "Berner Voralpenweg". However, we wanted to combine some detours to the houses indicated on our pamphlet, so we ended up with a variation of our plan, ending in the very lovely village of Diemtigen. We were able to admire about 16 of the 38 houses featured on the three loop trails (most of them built late 1600's to mid-1700's), but they weren't even the best of the lot! But we got an idea of the geography of the area, and will plan to return later to find the other houses.

In the end, we walked almost 15 km mostly along the Fildrich River, which in a beautiful valley such as this one is not at all boring. At the back of the valley we were treated to views of the unusually-shaped snow-covered peaks that form the backdrop of the valley, mountains called "horns" or "Hore" in the local dialect. 

A particular highlight for us was discovering that about half-way down the valley is a very popular downhill mountain-bike trail which was EXTREMELY well-visited on this day. What with the recent heavy rains we had, the trail was very muddy, and we got a kick out of the mud-covered bikes and riders, who did not let the mud stop them from several runs down the mountain!

Almost every trip to the Bernese Oberland (and also to Canton Valais) includes a stop or transfer in the city of Bern, with this, one of my favourite views as the train enters the city. (This picture is a bit dark because the photo is toward the morning sun, and through the train window, but the Bernese Alps are looking magnificent!)

From the train station in Oey (on the stretch from Spiez to Zweisimmen) we took a bus to the back of the Diemtigtal Valley, toward the mountain alp called "Grimmialp" (Still lots of snow). We didn't go all the way to the back, got out here to see the "officially final" house on the House Trail, before heading to the river on the right.

Along the road to Grimmialp is this old restaurant at Tiermatten, No.36 on the House Trail (built in 1751). This was probably the most ornate of the houses which we admired on the section we walked. 

A close-up view of the ornate carvings, paintings and text on the wood of this wonderfully-decorated house at the back of the Diemtigtal Valley. 

Each house along the trail has a name and description, and the pamphlet we picked up later on had additional descriptions of each house and where to find them. 

Before heading down the river trail, a coffee-break stop in the sunshine! (At this point it was still quite chilly)

A large part of our hike was along such trails next to the Fildrich River. Not boring at all because of the wild beauty of this valley. 

These fellows told us they were going to ride the "interesting" part of the river!

We are walking along Trail no.37: "Berner Voralpenweg". This location we came to was called "Anger", which looks pretty funny on a sign for an English-speaking person!

A look back up the river

At the farm in Anger (also a bus stop on the main road) we found the first of these many self-serve cheese/sausage/refreshments refrigerators! (We bought cheese and sausage made locally, which we took on our next-day's hike)

The cows in this region are different from the ones in Central Switzerland. These are Simmentaler Cows, who get their name from the nearby Simmental Valley.

We took a detour from the river to the little community on the hill behind me (Oeyen) where we were to find three more of the houses along the House Trail.

The trail markers point us along the Diemtigtaler House Trail and to where the next house is for viewing. 

A little detour from the river to the main road to look at House no.33: The Houeten House, built in 1753 by the same carpenter who also worked on the Tiermatten House (the first one we saw).

Many of these houses have paintings of bears (the mascot of Canton Bern) under the roof overhang.

Another look to the back of the valley, to the "Horns". The combination of wild landscape and farmland is pretty striking.

A close-up view of one of the horns, possibly called the "Hinderi Spillgerte"

We crossed the river on many bridges

The two houses on the left are part of the house trail, and the two houses on the right, built more recently, also show the dedication of the local carpenters to preserve the traditional style of house building. In the entire valley, we saw no "modern" houses, and mostly only this style. 

Another look up the wild valley

Here at Zwischenflüh (this is the schoolhouse), we bought pastries, picked up a pamphlet, and headed up the hill to Oeyen

A short detour from the valley bottom to the community of Oeyen, where there were another three official houses on the House Trail, plus one which was nicer than those!

From up here in Oeyen we look down to the back of the valley

This house, built in 1715, is not officially part of the House Trail, but right next door to one. So I leaned over their fence and took this photo of the lovely ornate painting under the roof extension.

Across the valley is the top of the chair lift, which provides access for skiers in winter and mountainbikers in summer. You can see a bit of the snake-like bike trail on the left. I thought the snow-covered hill behing it was spectacular.

Back down at the river we took a little detour over this bridge to have our picnic lunch near the river. 

Some interesting peaks on the North side of the valley

Hier at Ried, about half-way down the valley, is the chair lift with an offering of a mountainbike trail which descends about 500m down the mountain. The muddy trails did not stop these enthusiasts from doing repeated runs down the hill!

We got a real kick outof the muddy clothes and muddy bikes. No idea what colour the bikes are!

Our trail climbed up through the forest for a while, away from the river. We spotted this old structure. Also interesting!

After a steep descent back to the valley bottom, another covered wooden bridge to cross!

Water from streams joining the main river!

An idyllic side-canal

We ended our valley-bottom walk here as we climbed an easy 90m ascent to the village of Diemtigen, where all the houses are pretty!

Zoomed view of the back of the valley from Diemtigen Village

This house in Diemtigen, called "Haus Riesen" was actually built in the 16th Century!!

Not all of the houses are 200-400 years old, but even the ones built in the 20th Century match the traditional building style of the valley

Another spectacular construction: "Haus Trogmatte", built in 1770

The masterpiece of Diemtigen: "Grosshaus", built in 1805, now a boarding school

Carved details on the front of the "Grosshaus"

Gasthof Hirschen, built in 1800, also one of the houses on the official "House Trail"

Waiting in Diemtigen for the 16:13 bus back down to the train station in Oey

The "House Trails" are split into 3 loops of about 3 hours each, showcasing some of the oldest and most ornate houses in the Diemtigtal Valley. We saw a few of the houses in the back of the valley (36 and 33 to 28) and a few in Diemtigen (9 to 1). The really spectacular houses seem to be on the East side of the valley, so we will have to return!

The path we took was about 15 km and more than four hours of walking time! We started toward the back of the valley in Tiermatten, and walked out to Diemtigen.

Our walk through the Diemtigtal Nature Park as viewed on Google Satellite Maps. This is an area where we have not done a lot of hiking to date.

As it was such a beautiful day, and the mountains were pretty distinct due to the Foehn Wind effect, I took a few photos out of the train window on the ride back to Bern via Spiez on Lake Thun:

Just before Spiez, we pass through the town of Wimmis with its castle, a Swiss heritage site of national significance.

And then the train passes at the foot of Mt. Niesen, which is at the junction of the Simmen Valley (where we were this day) and Kander Valley (where we often travel).

Heading west from Spiez to Thun along Lake Thun, this is also a favourite view of mine, with the highest peaks of the Bernese Alps just coming into view.

And on the way back home leaving Bern again, another clear view of the mountains, including Mt. Finsteraarhorn, the sharp peak to the right of the church steeple, which is the highest of the mountains in the Bernese Alps.