From Langnau to Eggiwil in the Emmental

November 1, 2017 -- Not all of our hikes are ideal, and this one wasn't one of my favourites. The weather was good and we had nice views, but I wasn't prepared for about half of the tour to be on paved roads. I can walk a long time on meadow and forest trails, and especially on high alpine trails, but asphalt tires me out within minutes.

It was a cold morning, so our long uphill climb on the shady side of the mountain was actually quite enjoyable. Here the trails were good and interesting and the cows are thrilled to be out in this weather, so we were accompanied by the cowbells, which is always a treat. But there was more forest than views, which I hadn't been expecting. Still, I was able to get some nice photos. We were accompanied by views of the typical rolling hills of the Emmental along the way, and where we stopped for lunch (Blapbach) we saw a few of the snowy peaks of the Bernese Alps. The restaurant is known for its meringue desserts, but it was so busy that our order took a long time coming, so no time for dessert. Instead we bought some meringues when we got back down to the valley, and made our own dessert at home (also WAY cheaper that way!)

The most interesting feature on this tour was that we unexpectedly came upon one of the very oldest tunnels in Switzerland. We all know the Swiss have been building tunnels galore, but this one called the "Hegenloch" was blasted by locals in the mid 1800's using only Bernese black powder as an explosive. The "rock" is what they call "puddingstone", probably easier to blast than other rock, but still it made me think of the difference between cutting down a tree with an axe or a chainsaw....

Another 13 km hike in the Emmental, 4 hours, from Langnau to Eggiwil, about 600 altitude meters both up and down.

Cows are happy to be outside in the crisp weather

This farmer just sent his mamas and babies out to the pasture to enjoy the lovely morning as well

The farmer just sent his mamas and babies out to the pasture to enjoy the lovely morning as well

The Emmental is a pastoral landscape of low rolling hills

Carved from the Siamese Twin Tree

Here in the Emmental they prefer Simmental cows to the Swiss Brown

The Hegenloch tunnel is one of the oldest tunnels in Switzerland 

The Hegenloch tunnel is one of the oldest tunnels in Switzerland 

We walked through a lot of sun-dappled forests. These sections of trail are preferable to the paved roads

As we got close to the restaurant (after 3 hours of walking) we finally got the view I was expecting the whole way

The peaks of Wetterhorn, Schreckhorn and Finsteraarhorn from the Bernese Alps are just visible on the horizon

I could say this one picture made the 4-hour hike worthwhile

Restaurant Blapbach, where we had a very good lunch on the terrace, is a popular restaurant and we had to wait a long time for our food. Any mountain restaurant accessible by car will be bound to be popular on such a beautiful fall day.

On the last hour steep downhill to Eggiwil, the view South was unfortunately quite hazy

In any case, the Emmental farms and houses are always a highlight

On our descent to Eggiwil we passed many interesting Emmental buildings.

On our descent to Eggiwil we passed many interesting Emmental buildings.

Crossing the Emme River before reaching Eggiwil

Hotel feature in Eggiwil

Hoping to "score" some meringues before the bus came. Bakery was open, but there was no one there to serve us. The owner must have gone upstairs for a quick nap.

Hotel in Signau, where we changed from bus to train

Five minutes till the train in Signau, and we found the meringues in a butcher shop!

And here's the made-at-home dessert.... (ice cream, meringue and whipped cream)

Neumühle to Lüderenalp in the Emmental

June 10, 2017 -- We had a plan. We picked the trail and figured out the train schedule. And then... good thing we checked the Engelberg website because we saw that the trail we wanted to walk is closed. Maybe still icy on the shady sections? Or maybe a land slide? They didn't say.

Plan B, a hike in the Emmental region of Switzerland, one I've been wanting to do for a while. But when we got closer we saw the dark clouds hanging low to the South and blue skies to the North, so after a quick look on my hiking App, we took a chance on something unplanned to the North.... and it was a pleasant success.

Also in the Emmental, we walked North 11km along a ridge from which we had views into valleys on both sides, such a picturesque landscape with typical Emmental houses. The first part was through a forest called the Dürsrüti forest, known for its very large and tall fir trees. At the end of our hike after an icecream treat at the pass restaurant Lüderenalp, we marveled at the "longest bench in the world" made entirely of the trunk of such a white fir, 38 meters in length.

The bus ride back was along a road so narrow that it is closed to opposing traffic for 30 minutes for each of the bus's four runs each way. 

And best of all, at the start of our trip we discovered the most fantastic second-hand book shop I have ever seen! The owner has packed over 210,000 books and records and DVDs into four storeys of the old mill, built shelves into and around the old mechanical works, with labyrinthine nooks and old carpets and reading corners... and musty musty smell, that we almost got lost and didn't make it on our hike.

Definitely going back there one day, just to walk the labyrinth again. Don't know how one could ever decide on a book....

This is the typical style of Emmental houses

Düsrüti forest has lots of large fir trees. According to an information placard, the largest (Number 165) is 42 m high and 156 cm in diameter, and is 350 years old. We didn't see it.

We started late in the day, and had lunch at 2 pm., in the Fir Forest

The village below is approximately where we started the hike.

Our view West was all the way to the Jura foothills and the French border

We got a few glimpses of the Bernese Alps from here (South of our location)

Mowing the meadows is hard work in Switzerland, and this isn't even really a steep slope.

This house has a drive-through section!

The air wasn't clear but we did get some views of the Bernese Alps

Another well-earned rest after a steep uphill section

Admiring the view South across the vast Emmental landscape

This branch broke off recently, it crashed into the public fire pit. I wonder if anyone was there at the time?

Urs is laughing because I just stepped into a cow pie.

Not much more than 5 minutes to the Lüderenalp Pass

Ice cream reward for a successful hike

The world's longest bench made of one entire tree trunk = 38 m

If you come by car and you want to drive this road, and you just happen to come at 08:10 or 10:10, for example, you have to wait 30 minutes till the bus arrives. There are special "waiting places".

The red path is what we had planned to walk, the green one is what we ended up doing (11 km, 3 hour 15 mins.)

At the start of our hike was this large old mill, no longer used as a mill, but as a huge second-hand book store (Urs is talking to the "owner" of the project)

On four storeys are over 210,000 books and records and CDs in "The Book Mill"

On four storeys are over 210,000 books and records and CDs in "The Book Mill"

Most of the inner workings of the mill were kept here, and shelves built all around them.