Schwarzwasser-Sense Gorge Trail between Cantons Bern and Fribourg

Saturday March 8, 2025 – With fabulous weather in the forecast we headed to Canton Bern to the town of Schwarzenburg within the Gantrisch Nature Park, which takes only 2½ hours for us to travel there, and from where we might get some clear views into the Bernese Alps. 

Back in October 2023 we did a hike on a themed trail called the “Schwarzwasser-Sense Gorge Trail”, starting in Schwarzenburg and heading north to the Schwarzwasser Bridge. This was the eastern part of the 23-km loop, and that particular hike took us through the Schwarzwasser River Gorge (see photos HERE). This time we walked the western part of the loop heading north, and descending twice into the Sense River Gorge, once after visiting the ruins of the Grasburg fortress and then crossing the river on a wooden covered bridge, and the second time leaving the gorge and heading to the end of our hike in Thörishaus instead of returning to the Schwarzwasser Bridge. 

What made the walk most interesting was that one section was right along the Fribourg/Bern border, crossing it a couple of times as well. The convolution of borders here in this small country are fascinating.   

It was ideal walking weather, not hot or cold, a nice variety of paths (including forest roads and footpaths as well as some paved roads), and best of all we did get those nice views of the Bernese Alps, especially later in the afternoon when the effect of the Föhn winds made them look very large and close to us. In particular, we had 20 minutes to wait for a train connection in Bern on the way home, and had the most fantastic view of those mountains. 

On the way to Schwarzenburg from Bern by train, we pass some cute farming villages. It is a 2½-hour trip from home to get to Schwarzenburg.  

More cute houses as the train reaches Schwarzenburg

We got to Schwarzenburg at 10:41 and started on our long, almost 4-hour walk to Thörishaus. 

We are following the local "Trail no.381: Schwarzwasser-Sense Schluchtenweg" (Schwarzwasser-Sense Gorge Trail), heading down to the Grasburg fortress ruins, and walking via Albligen to Thörishaus, an approximately 4-hour walk. Schwarzenburg is also part of "Trail no.3: Alpine Panorama Trail", and "Trail no.4: St. James Trail".  

Beautiful house in Schwarzenburg. We are headed down the main road from where we walk westward out of town.  

Typical family home in this region. This was on the edge of town before heading out into the countryside. 

This is the 13+ kilometer hike we did from Schwarzenburg to Thörishaus. Trail no.381 actually passes via the Schwarzwasser bridge where there is also a train station (where we had ended last time when we did the eastern part of the loop, photos HERE). We wanted to walk out of the gorge to Thörishaus. Starting at 10:45 in Schwarzenburg, we got to Thörishaus at 4:15 p.m. Altogether four hours of walking. 

Heading westward now along country roads

A first glimpse of the Gantrisch mountains to the south. 

To the west is a little village called Heitenried, on the other side of the Sense River Gorge (which actually forms the border of Cantons Bern where we are, and Fribourg where that village is). There is a church and castle there. The St.James Trail from Schwarzenburg passes by there, another walk we could do some time. 

The further out we get from Schwarzenburg, the more we can see of the Gantrisch Range, which is part of the Bernese Alps. 

The trail leaves the paved road and heads over the hill there. We spotted a convenient bench, currently occupied, but the people left just as we approached, so we took our first break there, mostly to enjoy the view of the mountains as we wouldn't see them for a while afterwards. 

Taking a break on this bench! It was the highest point of a small rise called Warthöhi. 

This is the beautiful view to the south from our bench!

Close-up of the mountains. 

Descending on the other side of the rise, we walked for another kilometer mostly through the forest toward the Sense River Gorge and the Grasburg Fortress ruins. On this side of the wall is a set of steps we could climb to access the grounds inside the site. 

At 11:40 we got to this part of the castle. There were places up here to make campfires, nice for families. 

Climbing the castle walls. 

A diagram shows how large the castle site would have been in the 1500's. We walked to another section to look at the remaining walls there. The fortress stands here since the 11th or 12th Century, but fell into ruins at the end of the 16th Century. 

View south along the Sense River Gorge from the fortress hill. On the left is Canton Bern, on the right is Canton Fribourg, as the river forms the canton border here and all the way south along the gorge. 

After heading back down from the fortress hill, we cross the Sense River on this lovely covered wooden bridge. It's called the Harrisstäg.

At river level in the Sense River Gorge. 

From the river we had to got up this little "Couloir" through the forest. Several people passed us on the way down to the river. 

At the top of the forest trail we reached a farm called Harris. We got here at 12:20, and still had almost three hours to go to Thörishaus. From here we had some more views of the Bernese Alps. 

View south to the Gantrisch Range from Harris. 

A common sight in the Swiss farmlands at this time of year: Manure being spread on the fields.... smells great!

Another forest section before reaching the village of Albligen. 

Another kilometer through the forest before reaching the main road to Albligen. 

We had a bit of an uphill section to get to the village of Albligen, but admired several nice houses along the way. We needed to find a place to have our picnic lunch and were sure we'd find a bench near the village church. 

Along the way we saw some Easter decorations. A tradition here are Easter Egg Trees!

Here's the little church in Albligen. The best bench in front of the church next to a water fountain was already taken, so we had a walk around the church first to find other benches. 

Walking the grounds around the church we found that neat wooden structure at the back, which housed the church bells! Also there was a convenient bench in the passage at the side door. After our picnic lunch, we headed into the church for a look. 

Inside of the Evangelical church in Albligen. The church was built in 1823/1824

This is when we got to the interesting part with the borders between Cantons Bern and Fribourg. Here I am walking right along the border between the two: Bern on the left, Fribourg on the right. (This is counterintuitive, as Fribourg is in the west. But there is a short piece of Canton Bern which protrudes into Canton Fribourg here). The stone on the right indicates the border. 

Now that we are up higher again, we get views of the mountains again!

Urs is standing in Canton Fribourg, and I am in Canton Bern. Ahead is still a small triangle piece of land where that house and tower are part of Canton Bern, and further on we ended up continuing in Canton Fribourg.

View west toward the Jura mountains. This is mostly Canton Fribourg now. 

We are now in Canton Fribourg at a place called Höhi. The sign indicates there is a look-out point to the right, so we made a detour there, before heading on our planned walk to the left. 

The "look-out point" is the roof of this building!

A convenient panorama panel gives us the names of all the mountains we can see, far to the east as well! In the center are the most famous of the Bernese Oberland mountains: Eiger/Mönch/Jungfrau. 

By now (2 p.m.) the Föhn winds are making the mountains look closer than they are. What a great view! The black triangle in the center is the Eiger North Face, and to its left is another famous mountain called the Schrekhorn. Mts. Mönch and Jungfrau are to the right of the Eiger. 

Close-up view of the Eiger-Mönch-Jungfrau trio. 

We're glad we did the little detour to the look-out point. 

Continuing along the path we still had this fantastic view to the south

Close-up of Mt. Schrekhorn. 

To the left of the Eiger North Face, we can see the peak of Mt.Finsteraarhorn, the highest peak of the Bernese Alps.  

The distinctive mountain at the center of this photo is Mt.Stockhorn, a summit we reached on a fabulous walk in along the Gantrisch Range in September of 2023 (photos HERE)

Before heading into the gorge, we spotted a look-out tower to the Northeast. Studying our maps, we discovered the tower is called Ulmizberg, and looks worth a hike up there.

The snow-bells are a sign of the coming of Spring.

Just before heading down into the Sense Gorge for the second time, we see the train heading to Schwarzenburg to the south. This is the line we rode to get to Schwarzenburg earlier in the day. 

Heading down into the Sense River Gorge for the last stretch of our walk. We were mostly on the shadow side by this time, as it is already after 3 p.m. 

The loop trail no.381 returns to the Schwarzwasser Bridge here, heading south, but we are headed north now to Thörishaus, which was another three kilometers from here. 

A small section with sunshine and a waterfall

This was a really neat section of the trail, with a wooden walk-way along a cliff section as we head north out of the gorge.  

A fun wooden boardwalk along a cliff on the Sense River

After the interesting section along the cliffs, we had a long stretch along a paved road and then crossed the river on a covered wooden bridge near Thörishaus. 

A staircase from the walking trail invited me to go down to river level for a better look at the bridge. 

VIDEO

Standing down by the Sense River 

before heading to the train station in Thörishaus

A train is just leaving the Thörishaus station and heads south over the railway viaduct. 

After the railway viaduct, we head uphill to the right to the railway station. It's still another 10 minutes from here. 

Final stretch to the train station in Thörishaus, where we caught the 16:23 train for the 17-minute ride to Bern. 

From our hiking app, this is the description of the Loop Trail no.381. In the circle is the description of the section we did this day. 

This is what our 14-km walk looks like on Google Satellite Maps. 

In 2023 we did the eastern part of the "Schwarzwasser-Sense Gorge Trail" (mostly following the Schwarzwasser River Gorge), and this time we walked the western part, around the Sense River. Rather than getting the train at the Schwarzwasser Bridge like last time, we walked to Thörishaus. 

We had to wait 20 minutes for our connecting train in Bern, and as that is a very large, dark and noisy train station, we headed out for the first time on the western side of the station, via an elevator, to an elevated part of the city called "Grosse Schanze", originally a defense site in the 17th Century, but now where the University of Bern is located and from where you get a super view over the roofs of the city with a backdrop of the Alps, looking large and beautiful in the late afternoon sunshine. We don't often actually "look at" Bern, as we usually just change trains here on our way to somewhere else, so it was nice to see a different view of our capital city. 

As you exit the elevator from the train station below, you come face-to-face with the main University of Bern building. As it was a very mild late afternoon (4:45 p.m.), there were many students sitting on the grass and chatting. Originally there was a defense site here in the 17th Century, but the University (founded in 1834) got this main building in 1903.  

To the east across the roofs of the city of Bern, the Bernese Oberland Alps glow in the late afternoon sunshine. The steeple is from a church near the train station called "Church of the Holy Spirit". The rounded cupola is the top of the Federal Palace (Parliament Building). 

Close-up look at the fabulous Eiger-Mönch-Jungfrau trio. Far to the left is the peak of the Finsteraarhorn, the highest peak in the Bernese Alps. (4274 meters). 

The large restaurant here takes its name from this large upper terrace (above the underground parking lot):  GROSSE SCHANZE

We walked around the grounds as we had 20 minutes before getting our 5 p.m. train to Luzern. Up on that hill near Bern is the Bantiger communication tower and look-out platform, from where you get a fantastic view of the Alps. We went up there once in March of 2022 (photos HERE) but it was an overcast day with poor visibility, unfortunately. We'll have to try it again another time.  

The steeple of the beautiful Bern Minster, built in the Gothic Style in 1421, although the 100-meter tower was not completed until 1893. We did visit this church once in August of 2018 with one of our American visitors. 

The Cupola of the Parliament Building

Location of the Sense Gorge between the cities of Bern and Fribourg. 

On the way home from Bern via Luzern, we had some more nice views of the mountains of Central Switzerland. This is Mount Rigi as seen from the northwest. 

Finally, on the way from Bern to Luzern, the mountains of Central Switzerland also loom large here! It's now about 6 p.m. Altogether, it was a 2¼-hour trip home.