A Section of the Alpine Panorama Trail in the Emmental, to Münsingen

Tuesday October 7, 2025 -- Another beautiful day, ideal for a pleasant walk through the pastoral landscape of the Emmental region of Canton Bern.... 

The weather forecast was really the best for the region in the Western part of Switzerland from the Emmental to the Bernese Oberland and all the way to the Jura mountains. There are still some sections of the National Trail no.3: "Alpine Panorama Trail" in that region which we had not yet walked, so we decided on continuing westward from a village called Grosshöchstetten, where we had once started a section of this particular trail back in May of 2019 (with some very nice Alpine Panoramas!). Last time we headed north, this time we headed west with the goal of reaching Münsingen, an 11-km walk which we could extend if we felt like it.

As always, the Emmental landcape offers a large variety of interesting houses, farms, rolling hills, forest and pasture trails, cows and cats and best of all, views of the Bernese Alps. Highlights along the way was stumbling onto a cattle market in Grosshöchstetten, and just by chance passing the oldest restaurant in Canton Bern in Münsingen: Hotel Bären from 1371.

Leaving home at 8:15, we arrived in Konolfingen at 10:05 and had to wait almost 30 minutes for the connecting train (four minutes!) to Grosshöchstetten. We checked out the Nestlé shop across from the train station, and then walked to a grocery store to get sandwiches for lunch. (Without the long wait, it would take less than two hours to get to our destination). 

Arriving in Grosshöchstetten at 10:40 and a short walk from the train station into the village we reach the "Marktplatz", a large square where regular markets are held. In this case it was a cattle show, where the farmers bring their prized animals to be inspected and judged and certified for breeding or for sale. From the looks of the pile of cowbells, there might even have been a cow parade to the square! There are some very attractive animals here. I think they are called Swiss Flekvieh.

From here we are following Trail no.3: "Alpine Panorama Trail", just over 2½ hours to Münsingen, although somewhat longer to the train station there. 

Starting in Grosshöchstetten at 10:40, we reached the train station in Münsingen at about 3 p.m. This would be an 11-km walk along National Trail no.3, which should take just about three hours with no breaks. 

Typical Emmental house, but the red geranium flower boxes are missing, which make these buildings so special!

As we head out southwards, we always have the mountains of Canton Bern ahead of us. 

The first part of the walk was on paved roads, but after that we had a lot of country roads and smaller paths. This is a nice time of year to do walks in the pasturelands, as everything is still green. 

Looking behind us as we leave the town of Grosshöchstetten. In May of 2019 we started in this town but headed North along the "Alpine Panorama Trail", also with great views of the Alps. 

It is such a lovely landscape of rolling hills and farms and small villages. Directly to the south are the mountains of the Gantrisch Nature Park. In particular the distinctive peak of Mt.Stockhorn directly ahead. (We walked to the summit of that mountain in September 2023. 

Comfortable country roads. 

Always interesting houses to admire along the way. 

Usually the farm cats will approach Urs for attention, but this time he had to approach this one!

This cow chose this moment to do her "manure" business. Any closer to the fence and she would have sprayed us!

At noon we found the perfect bench for our lunch break (above a farm called Höchmatt). Below and past the forested section is the town of Konolfingen (where we had to wait the 30 minutes for our connecting train to Grosshöchstetten) and from there the church bells rang the noon-time hour!

View from our lunch bench toward the east to the Schrattenfluh massif in the Luzern Entlebuch region. 

And to the south we see the Bernese Alps. This one in particular is the Blüemlisalp Massif. 

A tractor comes up the road pulling a cattle trailer... we figured it was a farmer returning with a cow or two from the marketplace, headed back out to the pasture....

When we pass a sculpture of a bear, I always ask Urs to pose next to it: "Urs" = "Bear". 

Far to the southeast we see the peak of Mt. Finsteraarhorn, the highesst peak in the Bernese Alps (4274m)..... a nice close-up photo!

We are now headed to that look-out point with the two lovely trees: It is called Ballenbühl.  (Once we got there, we didn't stay long, as it was quite chilly in the shade there). 

A very nice farmhouse along the way. 

To the northwest is the city of Bern, and the Jura mountain range in the background. 

A look behind us at the very pretty farm, as we continue south to the look-out point. 

Ballenbühl look-out point ahead. In the background is the Gantrisch Range of the Bernese mountains. 

Panorama view to the Bernese Alps from the look-out point. There were some nice benches here, but we did not stay as it was cold in the shade. 

A closer look at what the Eiger-Mönch-Jungfrau Trio looks like from here. 

Having come just over an hour from Grosshöchstetten, we still have 90 minutes to walk to Münsingen, passing via Tägertschi train station. 

A look behind us as we continue down the hill now. 

We are being observed again, by some really cute wooly sheep! Although one might think at first this is a Valais Black-Nosed sheep, it is probably the Oxford Down Breed (Internet research). 

Our trail now passes this pretty storage building called a Spycher. 

Some narrow paths along the way as well!

Once again we walk with views of the Gantrish moutains south of us. 

Down below us is a village with the cute name of "Ursellen"!

A very interesting tree!

Being observed once again!

A view past the village of Ursellen to the famous trio of Eiger-Mönch-Jungfrau in the back!

Along the way we had a couple of sun-dappled forest sections!

We have arrived on the outskirts of the village of Tägertschi, where we crossed the railway line. 

Further along we came to a farm called Herrenbächlen which featured a small shop. We always like to look inside, but didn't buy anything. (There were refreshments but they were not refrigerated). 

Attractive farmhouse at Herrenbächlen. 

A very nice look at the famous Bernese trio: Eiger-Mönch-Jungfrau, better visible now because of the afternoon sun more in the west. 

Close-up look at the Eiger North Wall and Mt.Mönch. 

At 2:15 p.m. we got a first look at the buildings on the eastern side of the city of Münsingen. The trail passed through an attractive tree farm.

On the main road in Münsingen we headed to the town's church. But it was locked, so we could not have a look inside. 

On the opposite side of the main road from the church is this magnificent building, the Bären Hotel, with a date of 1371 displayed on the sign. A local man passing us informed us that this is the oldest restaurant/hotel (Gasthaus) in Canton Bern, possibly also in all of Switzerland. 

The date of 1371 on the sign indicates the date that this house was built, the oldest Gasthaus in Canton Bern. It is Gasthaus Bären, so we need another photo of Urs with the bear!

I was impressed with the beautiful solar roof on this building! The house probably needed a new roof anyway, so they just made the roof out of solar panels. 

 

Before reaching the train station, we passed via the Münsingen Castle Grounds. This building is the parish library, next to a large park where lots of families and kids were enjoying this balmy afternoon. 

This is the Münsingen Castle. Built in 1550, it is now a museum. 

What our 11-km hike from Grosshöchstetten to Münsingen looks like on Google Satellite Maps. 

From Münsingen we had to take a bus back to Konolfingen (currently no train running here). This is what the mountains looked like at 3:15 p.m. 

As the bus heads to Konolfingen, we can see the tree on the hill, the look-out point at Ballenbühl above the village of Ursellen.  

All the hikes we have done in this region of Emmental. 

As our way back home was via the Kambly Cookie Factory in Trubschachen, we stopped there to eat some free cookies and to buy a few bags of Urs' favourite ones. This photo does not reflect how packed the shop was! Probably because it is now 4:30 p.m. and people are coming off work maybe? 

A new bridge spans the railway tracks here, since the last time we were here a year ago. At 4:30 p.m. the valley here is almost in shadow now. 

Location of Münsingen etc. within Switzerland.