Arisdorf Cherry Blossom Trail in Canton Baselland

Saturday April 12th, 2025 -- It seems counterintuitive for us to travel 2½ hours for a short walk among flowering cherry trees, considering that cherries are a major crop in our own region of Zug (mostly used for making the brandy called Kirsch: Zuger Kirsch is well-known and used for a locally patented cake recipe called Zuger Kirschtorte), but the Basel Land region of Northwest Switzerland is particularly known for its "Cherry Blossom Walks", so on this final nice day of a four-week streak of beautiful weather, and having been told that the trees are in full bloom there at the moment, we traveled to a town called Arisdorf (near Liestal), which was recommended to me by the Baselland Tourism Office.

We were a bit disappointed at the recommended loop hike, as we had expected a landscape that looked like snow (such as was the case in April 2019 as we visited the blossoming cherry orchards in Nuglar-St.Pantaleon also near Liestal, but on the southwest side), and the path was rather monotonous. So along the way we left the recommended circular trail, to walk to a neighbouring village called Olsberg, a peculiarity in that the village is located on the Canton border, with some of the houses in Canton Baselland, and the others in Canton Aargau. The landscape there was more interesting, and we passed by many more blossoming trees. 

Also on this detour is a site of a former Cistercian Monastery (now an institute for children with learning and behaviourial issues), and we had hoped to have a look inside the church, but it is only open for public viewing on weekdays during business hours or by appointment, unfortunately. 

On the 20-minute bus ride from Liestal (after approx. 2-hour trip from home) on the way to Arisdorf, we pass below some of the flowering cherry trees where we will walk later. 

We started our hike somewhat south of the heart of Arisdorf village, at a bus stop called Kreuz. Our original intention was to end the hike in the main part of the village, where the "Arisdorf Cherry Trail" officially starts and ends. (We did not do that in the end). 

A lovely spring day, after a long and foggy winter. This is the final day of a four-week long streak of lovely spring weather, and from here on in, rain is expected. 

After having started on our walk at 10:35, it was only just five minutes until we reached the first section of beautifully flowering old-growth cherry trees. 

At this point we were very happy with the abundance of flowering trees at this, the south end of the "Cherry Trail". 

Beautiful weather, and yes, the trees are currently in full bloom here. (At the end of April 2023, we had done another “Cherry Trail” nearby—officially called the “Fricktaler Chriesiwäg”—but we came too late in the season at that time, and most of the blossoms had been washed away by recent rains. 

These look like the trees we saw from the bus as we passed earlier on the road below.

The sign indicates where we need to follow when walking the "Cherry Trail". The sign translates to "Blossom Loop Trail". 

This is the "Arisdorf Cherry-Blossom Trail" as recommended by the Baselland Tourism Office. Officially, the trail starts and ends at the church in Arisdorf (bus and parking). We started further south in Chrüz, and planned to return to the bus stop in Arisdorf, but along the way we decided to walk to Olsberg instead. Arisdorf is in Canton Baselland, but the town of Olsberg lies right along the Canton border with Aargau. From there we headed along the Canton border to Giebenach. 

Lovely landscape in Canton Basel Land. Below is the southern part of Arisdorf, where we started on our hike. 

Cute idea!

More clusters of cherry trees. 

Below us now we can see the town of Arisdorf. The loop trail would return via the cherry trees on the upper right, but we figured there were not enough cherry trees in this landscape to make the walk interesting enough for us, so it was here where we decided to walk a different direction. In the background on the left we can see all the way to the city of Basel. 

Close-up view of the village of Arisdorf. 

Zoomed view of city of Basel further to the northwest. The two large buildings are called the "Roche Towers" (pharmaceutical company). At 205 meters (50 floors) and 178 meters (41 floors), these are the two tallest buildings in Switzerland.  

Small farms dot the countryside. The rape-seed fields are starting to turn yellow, but not as intense yet as we have previously experienced them. 

A longer, and not so interesting stretch! There were luckily not as many people on the walk as we had expected on this nice Saturday morning. 

A different view of Arisdorf with the city of Basel in the background. 

Below us is a hamlet called Blauenrain. It is just past here that we changed plans and headed along the road on the right, instead of continuing toward the farm on the left. Those mountains in the background are in Germany, on the other side of the Rhine River. 

After Blauenrein, the "Arisdorfer Chriesiweg" loops back to Arisdorf via Saffholdere. We headed to Olsberg which is just across the Canton border line, and then we continued along the border to Giebenach, from where we caught a bus back to Arisdorf, to look at the church there, which unfortunately was locked. 

More cherry trees here. 

A view past the farm called Egghof to the city of Basel (zoomed view).

We then came past a most magnificent blossoming tree. Also, in this direction, the landscape was more interesting, with more blossoming trees. 

Here we also are walking very close to the border with Canton Aargau. In fact, the road in the center of the photo is in Canton Aargau, whereas the row of trees behind me are still in Canton Baselland. 

This farm is called Maiacker, still in Canton Baselland, whereas behind it is Canton Aargau. 

First sighting of the former Cistercian Monastery, now called Stiftung Olsberg. Later we passed through the grounds. 

This magnificent stork was flying in circles right above us. 

This is the village of Olsberg, which we are now headed to. It is a unique village in that the first few houses on this side are still in Canton Baselland, whereas all the rest (as well as the former monastery more to the west) are all in Canton Aargau. 

We were getting hungry and the only bench along the way (which was actually near here), was already occupied. So we found a concrete structure (i.e. water access?) which was just fine for our picnic lunch at 12:10.

Heading down to Olsberg now. 

At the entrance to the village were three water fountains where I gladly refilled my water bottle. But the signs indicated that this was "Highly mineralized water from a sulfur spring", which is supposed to be healthy, but it tasted weird. Also, in large quantities, it causes diarrhea and is not recommended for children and babies!

A look behind us to two of the three fountains. They are located right on the Canton border line. 

Walking up main street in Olsberg. We are now in Canton Aargau. 

Urs is studying some swallows' nests mountain beneath roof overhang.

A look back down the main road in Olsberg. 

So many blossoming trees dot the hills here!

Heading up the hill a bit above Olsberg. 

This was the best part of the walk, above the village of Olsberg and on the way to the monastery grounds. So many beautiful trees here. 

To our south and higher on that hillside is where the other loop trail would have passed through. A closer look at the white strip shows it's a plantation of newer and smaller cherry trees. 

A zoomed look to the south at a lovely plantation of smaller trees: Cherries most likely? This hillside is called Staffholdere, and we would have passed above there if we had stayed on the original loop. In fact, we could have returned there from here, but we didn't want to walk uphill!

Up ahead under that tree next to the road, we spotted a bench, a perfect place for a rest stop, as Urs is having pain in his lower back and needs to rest often! (Our walks take longer than usual right now!)

Checking out the tree where we are going to rest a bit. 

Absolutely perfect place for a long break before continuing on our walk. 

Enjoying a long break under the cherry tree. That's a really big trunk, actually!

View from our bench, and where we are headed to next.  

Heading down to the former Olsberg Monastery grounds. The convent was established in the year 1234 and is the oldest Convent of the Cistercian Order in Switzerland. In 1802 the nuns were sent "into retirement" and the grounds became secularized, housing various educational institutions since then.

And a look behind us at the bench where we were sitting, and the dense grove of blossoming trees. This is what I had expected from this day's walk. 

Grounds of he former monastery. There are several residences here now. 

We had stopped at the church building to try to have a look inside, but as this is now an institute and no longer a religious site, the church is only open for viewing during weekly business hours. Urs is reading up on the current operation of the site. 

I love how the animals always observe Urs as he walks past them. 

This long stretch toward Giebenach might have been too warm to walk on a very hot day! Below the road on the left is a stream (Violenbach) which forms the border of Canton Aargau (where we are walking) and Canton Baselland. 

Now being observed by some cows! Those poor creatures were already being plagued by masses of flies. It's going to be a long summer! From here we cross the main road as well as the stream, from where we continue along the Canton Border, but in Baselland this time. 

At 2:10 p.m. we have just crossed under the Autobahn and reached the first bus stop in Giebenach, from where we will catch a bus back to Arisdorf. 

Waiting at the bus stop in Giebenach for the 14:15 bus to Arisdorf, a 6-minute bus ride. 

This is what our hike looks like on Google Satellite Maps

Back in Arisdorf, we "skipped" a bus so that we could go up and look at the little church there, the official start and end of the Cherry Blossom Loop trail. But the church was locked. It is an Evangelical church, so most likely rather plain inside. 

A walk around the church and through the cemetery: I'd never seen gravestones with stained-glass windows. The effect was rather pretty. 

Similar view into the hills to the west as we had in the morning, but the sky has now become quite overcast (this was in the forecast, that is why we started fairly early). 

Daffodils are pretty well finished now, but these pretty narcissi are now in full bloom. 

Heading up the road in Arisdorf to an earlier bus stop. 

More typical buildings of this region. 

On the bus, I sat in the front next to the driver for views of the village as we headed back toward the train station in Liestal. 

This is at the south end of the village of Arisdorf, near where we started our hike earlier in the morning. 

These are all the hikes we have done in the area around Liestal. The April 2021 hike from Dornach to Frenkendorf (just north of Liestal) was also planned as a cherry-blossom hike, but we were a little late, and/or the blossoms were damaged from recent frost and rains (photos HERE). 

Location of Liestal and Arisdorf within Switzerland.