A Walk through the Pastoral Landscape of the Emmental near Bern

Thursday October 14, 2021 -- We had no mutual day off this week, so I did a hike on my own this time. I spent a long time deliberating on what I wanted to do, and had decided on a panorama round tour in Braunwald in Canton Glarus, a hike which we had done together in 2015. It seemed like a good choice to do it on my own a second time, and the weather forecast was for pure sunshine!

What a surprise in the morning, then, to discover that it had snowed very low overnight, and the trail I wanted to hike was covered in snow (I checked the webcam for the area). So on the spur of the moment I had to change plans, and went in the other direction, toward the Emmental region of Canton Bern where the hills are low and the good weather would provide a view of the Alps.

The 10-km trail I decided to hike on is part of National Trail no.2: "Trans-Swiss Trail". The Internet description promised wonderful views of the Jura Hills and the Bernese Alps, and lots of agricultural vistas. What I hadn't expected was the icy cold wind.... and a great deal of the 10 kilometers between Wikartswil and Schafhausen was along paved roads. And the air was too hazy to provide more than a profile of the Bernese Alps. But there were many cows, and lots of pretty houses. 

All in all, not my favourite hike, although, once again, I have some very nice photos, especially of Emmental houses!

Starting in the village called Wikartswil near Worb meant I didn't have to walk uphill so much! There is a convenient bus stop here, and almost exactly 10 km (3 hours) to the train in Schafhausen

Before heading out on the trail, a look at a few of the nice houses in Wikartswil

Lovely wood construction and the flowers make all the difference

My 10-km walk starts here in Wikartswil, along National Trail no.2: Trans-Swiss Trail, in the direction of Mänziwilegg

The distance from bus stop in Wikartswil to train station in Schafhausen (just over 10 km) was just right for me to do this hike alone, and required little ascent. The downside is that a large portion of the distance was along paved roads (although not a lot of traffic)

Heading up the hill from Wikartswil. The view of the Bernese Alps is definitely a nice one, although unfortunately hazy. 

A zoomed view of the distinctive peaks of the Bernese Alps: In the center is Mt. Schreckhorn, and the very pointy summit on the right is Mt. Finsteraarhorn, the highest peak in the Bernese Alps (4274 meters)

One of several small hamlets along the way. This view is to the Northwest, toward the Jura Range.

Another hazy view of the Bernese Alps, this time including the Eiger/Mönch/Jungfrau trio on the right

Another little scattering of buildings along the way

There was a bench under that beautiful tree, so I stopped there for my picnic lunch. 

Zoomed view of the Schrattenfluh Massif from where I had my picnic lunch. (That is in the Entlebuch Region near Sörenberg) 

What a lovely old barn!

Walking right by a farmhouse, between the house and garden, where the owner was just cleaning up....

Heading down toward Schafhausen (a look back at the farm I just passed by)

And a final view South and Southeast to the Bernese Alps, which are now better visible as the afternoon sun shines on them. 

The town of "Schafhausen im Emmental", where I can catch a train to Burgdorf and Bern, and then back to Zug. 

Emmental-style house in Schafhausen

Emmental-style house in Schafhausen

Emmental-style house in Schafhausen

Emmental-style house in Schafhausen

This is the area near Bern where I walked the 10 kilometers between Wikartswil and Schafhausen

On the way to Bern by train, we pass the castle in Burgdorf, definitely worth a visit on another day.

Always in the evening, when the train pulls in to the city of Bern, the peaks stand out in the late afternoon sunshine

And this is a screenshot of the webcam of the Panorama Trail in Braunwald which I had actually planned to walk this day!