Hiking in Switzerland – Gabrielle and Urs: March 2023

March 30, 2023

Twannbach Gorge and the Vineyards along Lake Biel

Thursday March 30, 2023 -- My niece is visiting and we purchased a day ticket for the public transit to travel anywhere in Switzerland. The problem was, the weather was poor in all parts of the country this day, even in the Tessin which is our go-to place when the weather is bad here in the North!

The best we could do was the western part of Switzerland, which had a forecast of some sunshine after 3 p.m., but before that cloudy with rain....We really wanted to do some walking, so we chose to do a walk through the Twannbach Gorge where it wouldn't matter if we didn't have a lot of sunshine, and to simply start late in the day.

We combined this plan with a visit to the exotic Papiliorama in Kerzers near Biel, a lovely establishment showcasing the life of butterflies and various exotic jungle animals such as birds, bats, small primates and lots of bugs. We spent two hours inspecting the three sections of the facilities, but were too warmly dressed to stay long. (Those photos HERE).

We then arrived in Twann on Lake Biel for the start of our hike at 2 p.m. but had to loiter over coffee for an hour waiting for the rain to stop, which happened exactly as foretold at 3 p.m.! We did a 7.5-km round tour through the gorge and the vineyards west of Lake Biel, and returned to the train station in Twann at 6 p.m. It was a successful day even with the poor weather...

Interesting note: This region of Switzerland is half French-speaking and half German-speaking, so many of the towns have both German and French names. The French name for Twann is Douanne.

The "Rebhaus" (Vine House) near the train station in Twann is a symbol to the wine production in this area.

Spending an hour in a café/bakery/Tea Room waiting for the rain to stop.

At exactly 3 p.m., as foretold by the weather report, the sun came out. So we walked from the bakery eastward through the "Main Street" of Twann

Details of the main street in Twann, including one of several painted murals depicting the wine production here

Main street Twann (with another mural on the left).

At the east end of the village is the evangelical village church built in 1482

A cool photo in a mirror

At the front entrance of the church hangs the old "Bell Brace" and Clapper from 1731, dismantled in 1963 when the ringing of the bell was automated

A look over the rooftops of Twann as we head up into the vineyards.

The hike from Twann into the Twannbach Gorge and back out, then through the vineyards, was about 7.5 kilometers

Making our way through the vineyards above the village of Twann toward the gorge

Just two minutes from the "Twannbachschlucht"

There is a fee for walking in the gorge (2 CHF for adults and 1 CHF for children). The funds are for the upkeep of the gorge trail.

A sign next to the path informs us that this is a bat cave, and that seven species of bats (some quite rare) live here. It is not permitted to go into the cave. All species of bats are protected in Switzerland.

There was lots of water in the Twann River as it flowed down the gorge!

Interesting caves under the cliffs

I have to be in a photo once in a while as well...

Trail markers in the gorge inform that hiking this gorge is subject to a fee (gebührenpflichtig). The sign also informs that this is a nature reserve.

Always a good time with my niece!

Different impressions of the Twannbach Gorge

A particularly interesting section of the trail

It was the ideal choice for a hike for this day. Also, we were totally alone in the gorge, another plus for me!

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We chose to hike uphill into the gorge instead of downhill, which was a good choice because the trail was slippery.

Another sign at the top entrance of the gorge informs us that there is a fee to walk this path.

From the top of the gorge we returned via a forest road back to the lake side, where we were pleased to be able to see over Lake Biel. We walked through the vineyards to the 16th-Century pilgrim's church above Ligerz, and then followed the Pilgrim's Trail back to the train station in Twann.

The first set of houses we encountered as we came back out of the forest, at the top of the vineyards. The community has a name: Schernelz (German) / Cerniaux (French)

Another nod to the fact that this is wine country!

Now that the clouds are lifting, we get a nice view across Lake Biel! That land mass is not a real island because it is connected to the mainland by a narrow strip of land. But it is called "St.Petersinsel", or "Saint Peter's Island".

The small pilgrim's church in the middle of the vineyards above Ligerz. It is here were we doubled back to head back to Twann.

The pilgrim's church was built in Late-Gothic style in 1522/26, but "renovated" in Baroque style in 1666/69! The tower is apparently older than the church part.

I guess it's important to know that that's a hotel, from above.

A look back at the pilgrim's church as we head back down to Twann

The trail that we followed parallell to the lake is called the "Pilgrim's Trail". We ended up with some nice sunshine at the end of the hike.

Looking down at the train tracks and lakeside properties

A view of the village of Twann ahead of us, and the vineyards above it.

We can even just make out the Bernese Alps (Gantrisch)

Last section down through the village of Twann and back to the train station.

What our hike looks like on Google Satellite Maps

Location of Lake Biel in Switzerland (near Neuchatel)

Additional note: In July 2016 we walked through this gorge the first time, the typical recommended hike starting with the Funicular from Biel to Magglingen, and walking along the top of the hill from where we descended the gorge to Twann. Those photos are HERE.

March 25, 2023

Hike in Val Mara to the Summit of Monte Sant'Agata

Saturday March 25, 2023 -- Another case of not-so-nice weather in the north and lovely in the South!

We went on a mountain hike this time again, on Monte Sant'Agata in the Mara Valley on the west flank of Monte Generoso and near the south end of Lake Lugano, just opposite where we were two weeks earlier (Monte San Giorgio, those photos are HERE). It is amazing how the landscape has suddenly become all green there, the trees having popped their little light green leaves at lower altitudes! Unfortunately, we missed the fabulous magnolia bloom which had just started when we were here last, and is already finished.

Val Mara is a valley we had only accessed once before, and that was a bus ride to the uppermost village of Arogno, from where we walked AWAY from the valley (those photos are HERE). This time we started in Rovio about halfway up the valley, climbed the 400 meters up Monte Sant'Agata for a view of the lake to the West (and all the way to the Monte Rosa Massif once again) and of the impressive Mario Botta construction called "Fiore di Pietra" (the Stone Flower) at the summit of Monte Generoso, and from there we returned to Rovio, mostly impressed in that village with the 19th-Century fountains they created out of old 5th-Century Roman stone sarcophagi!

The hike up this mountain wasn't long enough for us, so we walked back down to lake level via a lovely waterfall called Cascata del Botto, ending in Melano where we started. We had just enough time to walk to the end of the road to two large church buildings there, and just enough time to NOT find the way in, before we had to return to the bus....

Waiting for the bus down at lake level in Melano, you can actually see Mario Botta's "Stone Flower" from this vantage point.

On the bus ride up into Val Mara, we got several views of the south end of Lake Lugano (this is the eastern arm, separated from the western one by Monte San Giorgio on the right)

Passing the parish church in Rovio. We returned here after descending from Monte Sant'Agata

At the start of our hike at the bus stop further up the road is another church called Sant'Assunta, which unfortunately was locked (photo taken through an iron-grill window). Apparently, it has quite a beautful ceiling.

The quickest way up to the summit of Monte Sant'Agata is 1 hr. 20. We had ten minutes more, because we took a more indirect route

First we hiked to the summit of Monte Sant'Agata, then we had a look around Rovio, and descended to Melano via the Sovaglia Waterfalls

The path we chose was a wilder trail, not really cleared for hiking as it is an unofficial trail up the mountain.

We chose to ascend on the unofficial trail so we could reach this clearing with a view over the south end of Lake Lugano

We would not have had this view if we had taken the official trail around the north side of the mountain. In the background is Monte San Giorgio, where we were two weeks earlier

Walking along the forest trail... some of the trees are just getting their leaves!

At Alpe Bogo we rejoin the official trail to ascend Monte Sant'Agata from "the back" (east side). From here it's another 30 minutes uphill.

All along the way the little lizards were scurrying out of our path. They too enjoy the new warmth of spring!

At the summit of Monte Sant'Agata is the Oratorio of Sant'Agata. It was locked, but looking through the window, it wasn't special inside. This building is from the early 12th Century

Our view of the Mara Valley from the summit of Monte Sant'Agata. The mountain in the middle is Monte San Salvatore with the Lake in between and on the right is the city of Lugano. Way at the back on the left are the mountains of Canton Valais

The view across Lage di Lugano past the long ridge of Monte San Salvatore, and all the way to the snow-covered Monte Rosa Massif way in the back.

This is the spot where we had our picnic lunch. It was nice that there were no other people up here.

On the path back down from the summit we could see the summit of Monte Generoso to the East, and the Mario Botta building called "Fiore di Pietra" ("The Stone Flower").

A closer look at "The Stone Flower"

And a very close-up view of the "Fiore di Pietra", one of Mario Botta's creations. Mario Botta is one of Switzerland's best-known architects. We saw this building up-close in May 2019, those photos are HERE

A carpet of blue flowers

Heading back down the other side of the mountain

A really nice "Mule Path" this time

Around the base of the mountain before we got to the village of Rovio, we got a good look at Monte San Giorgio

Village of Rovio

Close-up of Rovio

Another look behind us at the summit of Monte Generoso

Another look at the south end of Lago di Lugano (the town there is called Capolago, which meand "Head of the Lake")

Always happy to find fresh cold water from a village fountain. (Turns out this is made from a 5th-Century Roman stone sarcophagus)

Walking through the streets of Rovio

This looks like it could be the town hall

One of several stone fountains in the village of Rovio. They were all marked with a placard which read "Avello IV-V secolo d.C.?" which means they are not sure, but this could be a Roman stone sarcophagus from the 4th or 5th Century, transformed into a fountain in the 19th Century.

The Rovio Parish Church of "Santi Vitale ed Agata", 17th to 18th Century

Details on the 17th-18th Century parish church. The new front section is obviously much younger, added in 1996

Very neat cobblestone roads through the village.

All the various stone fountains created from 5th-Century Roman sarcophagi

Monte Generoso in the background

A lovely blossoming Magnolia tree. Further down at lake level, these are already finished.

Some early blossoming fruit trees

Heading down the forest trail to the waterfall (Cascata del Botto). This was not even 15 minutes from the village

Taking a break at the waterfall

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Waterfall along the Sovaglia River: Cascata del Botto

Standing on the big rock at the waterfall

Heading through the forest down the hill to lake level.

Still a few Magnolia blooms on this tree

All the village and farm cats really like Urs

Town square in Melano. We purchased a cold drink at a local butcher's shop and sat here for a while to drink it.

Not sure what this is, but it was the entrance to a courtyard and what obviously once was a beautiful villa, now in disrepair

At the south end of the town of Melano were two churches. We didn't have time to check out both of them. The first one, called the Dom, had a locked main door, and we didn't try the others.