Various ways of St. James (with brochures available in PDFformat)
A -Constance - Einsiedeln („Way of Svabia“)
B - Rorschach - Einsiedeln („Way of St. Gallen“)
C - Einsiedeln-Flüeli-Ranft - Brünig („Way of Central Switzerland“)
D - Brünig-Amsoldingen („Way of the Bernese Oberland“)
E - Amsoldingen-Romont („Way of Berne/Friboug“)
F - Romont-Lausanne-Genève („Way of Western Swizterland“)
G - Lucerne-Rüeggisberg-Schwarzenburg („Lucerne Way“)
H - Rankweil - Einsiedeln („Vorarlberg-Appenzell Way“)
K - Schaffhausen-Tobel („Monasgtery way)
On the Way of St. James
in Switzerland
Contact address:
Verein Jakobsweg.ch
Postfach 151,
CH-3700 Spiez
Tel 0041 (0)33 655 04 00
Mail: [email protected]
Accomodation see: www.jakobsweg.ch
Important pointer
Helpers and association members walked the route themselves to inspect it.
As volunteers, they edited the brief route descriptions based on the state as
encountered. The accuracy of the contents and specially the correspondence
with the official Way of St. James way-posting cannot be guaranteed by the
association „jakobsweg.ch » and the authors, also in the sense of a product
guarantee. Pilgrims are therefore asked to follow the official Way of St. James
way-posts if discrepancies occur, and to notify us.
Many thanks.
Texts : Winfried Erbach, Joe Weber and Klaus Augustiny (manuscript reader).
Translated from German by Hans Bamert
Pictures: Wolfgang Hörer / Winfried Erbach, and several others
(7) Lucerne-Rüeggisberg“
„„Way of Lucerne“ “
Itinerary and directions for pilgrims
Copyright: Verein „jakobsweg.ch“
©Copyright Verein „jakobsweg.ch,Spiez (Berner Oberland)
Signalisation - Via Jacobi
Lucerne-Rüeggisberg -
Signalisation - Via Jacobi
Lucerne route - Lucerne-Rüeggisberg
120 km, walking time around 33 hours
Sign in the direction of Santiago de Compostela
National Way of St-James No. 4 - Via Jacobi
Signpost - Via Jacobi sign
on yellow background
Via Jacobi - shell shows in the
left directon
Via Jacobi - shell shows in the
right direction
Pilgrims who use the Lucerne Route start from the lake of Lucerne and travel
through Lucerne’s catholic hinterland and the reformed Emmental to the Gantrisch region in the canton of Bern. The route from Lucerne via Willisau, Huttwil
and Burgdorf to Rüeggisberg leads through a hilly landscape with pastureland
and green fields cultivated by hardworking farmers. The small villages and towns
along the route bear witness to a solid prosperity gained through hard and
honest work by skilled and reliable business and trades-people. The trim villages,
the wooden farmhouses with the broad roofs and the flower-decorated windows,
but also the famous “Stöckli”( the small house beside the farmhouse, for the
retired farmer after the farm has been transferred to a descendant); they all are
reminiscent of old times as described in the narratives of the Swiss writer Jeremias
Gotthelf. Many a cosy inn lies beside the road and invites pilgrims to make a stop.
The “Willisauer Ringli” (a hard pastry deemed fit as provisions for the road) and the
“world-famous” golden-brown “Bauernrösti” (fried potatoes) and the meringues
from the Emmental are a very popular and nourishing pilgrim’s food.
Pilgrim stations, pilgrim’s way-posts, and the stone ritual
Returning way
Via Jacobi - french sign
Shell shows in the left direction
Via Jacobi Nr. 44
shell shows in the right direction
4 - Brunnen/Lucerne - Rüeggisberg - jakobsweg.ch - Nr. 7
On the Lucerne Route of the Way of St. James,
we come across some pilgrim stations, pilgrim’s
way-posts and instructions for the stone ritual,
mounted over 10 years ago in the course of
a project for the promotion of the Way of St.
James. Regretfully, some of them have been
damaged or removed by vandals. In our route
description, we point to those that still exist.
Nr. 7 - Brunnen/Lucerne- Rüeggisberg - jakobsweg.ch - 5
Section Lucerne-Willisau
Lucerne - Werthenstein
Section - Werthenstein - Willisau
Lucerne - Werthenstein
21 km, walking time 5 hrs 45 min
(Lucerne – Obernau/Brunnhöf/bus stop 6.5 km, around 1 hr 35 min)
Luzern – Willisau
Willisau
Burgdorf
Geiss
Buholz
Luzern/Lucerne
Malters Blatten
Werthenstein
Kriens
Brunnen
Berthoud
For pilgrims starting in Brunnen: By boat from Brunnen to Lucerne takes about 2 hours. A
train ride is 45 minutes.
s
us
Re
Lucerne -“Kapellbrücke“
View from Dattenberg
Topographic maps of the section:
Scale 1:25‘000: numbers 1129, 1149 and 1150
Scale 1:50‘000 numbers 234 and 235
Obernau way
6 - Brunnen/Lucerne - Rüeggisberg - jakobsweg.ch - Nr. 7
On the Bahnhofstrasse westwards along the river Reuss, we pass the “Kapellbrücke” (chapel bridge) with the
water tower, the landmark of Lucerne. Built around
1300 as part of the town fortification, it is Europe’s
oldest surviving wood-bridge. The pictures below the
roof were painted in 1614. Many of them were destroyed by fire some years ago. Some distance downriver,
the Rathaussteg (town hall footbridge) turns off to the
right into the old city with its painted guild-houses.
Above the old city is the 870m long Musegg wall with
its imposing towers, erected as town wall around
1400.
After the Kapellbrücke and the Rathaussteg we come
to the baroque Jesuit church, built 1666-77, certainly
worth a visit. We turn off to the left and come to the
former Franciscan church, built 1270-80. The sumptuously decorated nave is also worth a visit. In the vestibule near the left-hand side entrance, a powerful
and elegant group of figures in stucco can be seen.
It represents the small Jacob as a child, with his brother John (the Evangelist). The well-marked Way of St
James turns now off in a south-western direction and leads
along the Klosterstrasse past the buildings of the cantonal
administration, and past the railway tunnel to the Bruchmattstrasse. We follow this street, pass the vocational school and
turn off, at first to the left to the Berglistrasse, and afterwards to
the right onto the Gigeliweg which leads to the southern rim of
the Gigeli wood. We follow the wood but a short way and take
a south-western direction through residential quarters of Dattenberg. The route passes the “Chupferhammer-Feld” down to
the “Luzerner Hauptstrasse” in Kriens. We follow it some 300m
and turn off to the left to follow the Fenkernstrasse. Now we
head for Obernau, past the town centre of Kriens with its parish
church. Taking to the left and proceeding in a south-western
direction on footpaths and town quarter streets (past the townNr. 7 - Brunnen/Lucerne- Rüeggisberg - jakobsweg.ch - 7
Luzern - Werthenstein
part “Hackerain”) to the hamlet of Geissrüti. Now along the slopes of the “Schlossberg”, below the wood to the village quarter
“Brunnhöf” at the southern rim of Obernau. The bus line from
Lucerne ends here. Pilgrims wishing to avoid walking through
the city of Lucerne can ride the bus and start the pilgrimage
stage from here. We start (or continue) westwards, and a hiking
trail takes us along the edge of the wood. Behind the hamlet
of Rodel, the path joins the Obernaustrasse, on which we go
back a short stretch in the direction we came, then we turn
off left into the Schachenwald wood. Through the wood, we
follow the course of the brook Ränggbach northwards to the
clearing Steibruchhof. Still along the Ränggbach, we come to
Parish church in Kriens
the footbridge of the hiking trail. We cross the brook and climb
the steep wooded bank of the “Ränggbachgraben” (trench). The
path, secured by railings and wooden planks takes us past rock
walls, waterfalls and small resting places. Solid footwear is recommended. Above the Ränggloch gorge, the path continues
through the wood, turns westwards and leads down to the even
valley bottom. During the descent over sloping meadows, we
pass by the “Charehus” where we turn to the right, cross the Luzernerstrasse and join a field road leading us past the farmstead
“Unter Säntimatt” to a small canal in the plain. Here, we turn off
to the left and, skirting the village of Blatten on its eastern side,
we come to the baroque St. Jost chapel. Now across the field in
a northern direction, crossing the railway line, we come to the
river Kleine Emme, and further to the west, to the bridge “BlatBlatten-St. Jost
terbrugg”. Following the path of the southern shore westwards,
we come to Werthenstein. After the violent tempests of the year
2006 when big parts of the riverbanks were torn away, restoration works are now in progress. Bar a few exceptions, the shorepath leads mostly over meadows or through small woods near
the river. It passes on their northern side the villages of Malters
(with the St. Martin church), Ennigen and Schachen (where it
crosses the Rümlig brook), crosses several roads and also the
railway line near the “Schofgrabe”. Shortly before Werthenstein,
the river valley becomes narrower. After a bend, we can see,
above a rock ledge, the monastery “Our Blessed Lady” to which
we are now directing our steps. The monastery was founded
following a wondrous light phenomenon around 1500, and as
Emme river with church
a regional place of pilgrimage had its heyday in the 17th and
18th centuries. Its spring-water is known for its healing power far around. We leave the interesting monastery church and descend on the access road down to the Kleine Emme. On
8 - Brunnen/Lucerne - Rüeggisberg - jakobsweg.ch - Nr. 7
Werthenstein - Willisau
the way we come by the “Gnadenbrünneli”, a shrine
in a grotto to our right. We cross the river on a woodbridge and, heading north-west, come to the railway
station.
Werthenstein - Willisau
14.6 km, walking time around 3 hrs 50 min.
The route takes us over meadows, interspersed with
fruit trees. We walk partly on a quiet road, partly on
shortcuts past the hamlets of Rain, Wiprächtige and
Grofehuse until up to the Bielmüli. Here we descend on the right to the Bilbach (brook),
which we cross. After also crossing the road to Wolhusen, we walk on the opposite side
northwards along the slopes of the hills, passing the hamlets of Büel (pilgrim waypost with
the symbol “being silent”) and Chriesbaumen to the village of Buholz. On the way, we also
come by the “Landsgerichtskapelle”, the chapel where until 1798 the criminal court was
held. At the entrance of Buholz stands the baroque chapel St. Gallus and Erasmus with its
beautiful frescoes, and a few hundred metres above the village is the historical place of
execution. We leave Buholz westwards, pass the small “Armesünderchäppeli” (chapel of
the poor sinners) and on the right, climb over fields
up to the “Galgeberg” wood, steeped in legends. We
traverse it in a northern direction, thereby enjoying
a good view to the Soppen lake. We leave the wood
and proceed north-westwards along the slopes of
the hills until we come to the road leading to Geiss,
and on which we reach that village. Its parish church
St. Jakobus with the beautiful altars in the late-rococo style is worth seeing. In the side-altars, we see on
the left the Madonna, and on the right Saint James.
Büel way
The stately country inn “Ochsen” is opposite the
church. We leave Geiss near the St. James fountain
and follow the road to Elswil. We remain on the road
and proceed westwards through the hilly landscape
until we turn off to the right onto a field road leading
to “Studeweid” (with small chapel) below a conspicuous hill. We cross the main road here and continue
northwards along the chain of hills past the hamlet
of “Badhuet” (with the pilgrim waypost “On the Way
of St James” to the houses of Schwand. Keeping to
Buholz Lakeof Soppen
the left, we skirt the Schwandberg and come to Hinderwald at the southern rim of the Ostergau plain. Down to the left, on the plain, we
see the big ponds of a fish-breeding farm. After the houses, we turn off to the right and,
„Gnadenbrünneli“
Nr. 7 - Brunnen/Lucerne- Rüeggisberg - jakobsweg.ch - 9
Section Willisau - Huttwil - Burgdorf
Werthenstein - Willisau
Parish church of Geiss
heading westwards along the edge of the wood, we
come to the rivulet near Ischlagmatt. Here, we turn
off to the right onto a footpath leading us across the
plain and the small river Seewag to the Willisau road
in the village-part Ostergau. We follow the road and
after a short stretch, we turn off to the left to a shorepath on which, crossing the Seewag, we come in a
north-western direction past the former LEGO factory and through an industrial quarter to a road bifurcation shortly before the roundabout at the eastern
edge of the town of Willisau. Across the roundabout
and crossing also the railway line, we come past the
station and through the “Untertor” (lower gate) into
the old part of Willisau. This town with its historical
fountains was destroyed by fire four times, the last
time in 1704. The pastry “Willisauer Ringli” is wordfamous. The catholic parish church St. Peter and Paul
stands on a rise at the end of the main lane, on the
left-hand side.
Section Willisau - Huttwil - Burgdorf
Willisau
Willisau „Müligasse“ with church
Topographic maps of the section:
Scale 1:25‘000: numbers 1128, 1129, 1147 and 1148 Scale 1:50‘000
numbers 233 and 234
10 - Brunnen/Lucerne - Rüeggisberg - jakobsweg.ch - Nr. 7
Nr. 7 - Brunnen/Lucerne- Rüeggisberg - jakobsweg.ch - 11
Willisau - Huttwil
Willisau - Huttwil
15.5 km, walking time around 4 hours
We leave the old part of the town in a western direction
through the “Obertor” (upper gate), built in 1551. Behind the
town gate, and to the right, stands the baroque pilgrim chapel Holy Blood, built 1675, with a beautifully painted wooden
ceiling, and wall paintings depicting the legend of the wild,
blasphemous card players. The route turns right and leads
upwards in a northern direction past the cemetery and then
past an animal park to the wooden cross on the hill “Gütsch”.
Here, we enjoy a beautiful outlook over Willisau and the Pilatus mountain. We go westwards to the edge of the wood and
soon turn off into the wood “Willbrigwald” which we traverse
in a north-western direction. After an intersection of paths and
a resting place in the wood, our slightly rising path turns west
Willisau chapel
and comes to open pastureland. After the farmstead Schwarzwald and then after a bend, we come to the hamlet of Olisrüti. Here, we climb the hill in a
western direction until we come to the rim of the wood Howald. We follow the edge until
we come to the summit of the wood, skirt it until we turn off westwards. We cross the field
road and come to the farmstead “Im Bärnet”. Along the way near the farm “Ankerain”, we
come to the pilgrim station “Power and Powerlessness” that unfortunately was damaged by vandals,
something that today might well relate to the theme
of that station. We direct our steps southwards to the
farm “Hegihof”, and from here on the main road in the
direction of Zell until, below the edge of the wood at
the southern rim of the “Zäller Allmend” (commons),
we turn off to the left onto a field path on which we
pass the hamlet of Buechwald and through a small
wood we come down to the river Luthern. Crossing
Framhouse Ölisrüti
the bridge there, we come to the houses of “Vorder
Schache”. We turn off to the right and proceed on the
Huttwil road past “Stosschäppeli” to the road bifurcation Stoss. Here, we turn off sharply left, cross the
brook Warmisbach and follow its course on an access
road until we come to the cut-off at the wood’s edge
where we climb on a field road at the right up the
slope to Ufhusen, the mountain village on the hillcrest, with its parish church St John and Catherine,
built 1780. On the gallery below the organ is a picture
Parish church of Ufhusen
showing the Madonna with the Good Counsel.
12 - Brunnen/Lucerne - Rüeggisberg - jakobsweg.ch - Nr. 7
Willisau - Huttwil - Burgdorf
We leave Ufhusen behind, starting at the village centre, and southwards over sloping meadows, we come
down into the wooded trench of the Cholerloch
brook. On the opposite side, we climb up the slope
westwards and continue along the edge of the wood.
Near the end of the wood, we turn off to the left, continue southwards past the farm “Neuhof” and come
to the road. At the wood’s edge, we come to another
pilgrim station, dedicated to the theme “Money”, a
theme of interest also for pilgrims. We cross the road
and through a small wood, and along the sloping meadows, we come into the Chammerewald (wood). We
cross it near the northern edge and, before we come to
the end of the wood, we turn off to the right to Huttwil-Rütistalde. Proceeding westwards and over the river Langete, we come to the Eriswil road, cross it and
take the cemetery path parallel to it into the centre of
the small town and the main road of Huttwil. The reformed town church is noteworthy, also the beautiful
market fountain and the hotel “Mohren”, an important
pilgrim hostel since the 13th century.
Huttwil
„Fiechten way“
Huttwil - Burgdorf
23,5 km, walking time about 6 hours 30 minutes.
We traverse Huttwil on the main road and after the railway station on the south side of the
hospital, we turn off onto a lane that brings us to the town-part “Fiechte”. We turn off to the
right, cross the Rotbach (brook) and shortly after, on an access road in a south-western direction, we climb the slopes of the Fiechtenberg until, near the big bend, we turn off to the
left onto a hiking trail leading along the edge of the
wood into the “Rothaule-Wald” (wood). At the wood’s
edge, we come to a stone ritual. We cross the completely wooded range of hills and, heading southwards,
come to a clearing and to the edge of the “Chaltenegg”
wood. We follow the edge of the wood in a southern
direction (above the hamlet of Oberi Rotmatt), and after a small wood and over open pastureland, we come
to the hamlet of Chaltenegg. Turning off to the right,
we go up the incline to reach a rise. On a field road
Parish church of Dürrenroth
southwards, along the sloping meadows and past the
hamlet of Chnubel, we descend to Dürrenroth. After crossing the main road, we come to
Nr. 7 - Brunnen/Lucerne- Rüeggisberg - jakobsweg.ch - 13
Huttwil - Burgdorf
Huttwil - Burgdorf
Lueg-way
View from „Lueg“
Lueg-monumentl
Hamlet Heiliegenland
the railway station. At the village square with the two
beautifully renovated inns, there is also the St. Mary
church in a park-like compound. It was reconstructed
in 1768, giving it a hall structure in late-baroque style.
Passing the park, we come to the street that takes us
westwards to the hamlet of Gärbihof. After a few nice
old houses, the path branches off to the left into the
Rotwald (wood). At the wood’s edge, we come to the
pilgrim station “Life in the Region of Trachselwald”.
We traverse the northern part of the wood in a southwestern direction and come to the access road that
brings us to the hamlet of Unter Waltrige. On the way,
we meet the pilgrim symbol “to hear”. We follow the
field road southwards and, along the slope of the hill,
we come into the wood above Häusernmoos. At the
road bifurcation in the wood, we turn off sharply right
to Häusernmoos, cross the Rotbach (brook) and the
railway line and come to the crossroads where we turn
off towards the left to Herbrig. On the wall of a barn,
we find the next pilgrim symbol “to pray”. In Herbrig
(its name possibly derived from Herberge) begins the
ascent to the lookout point Lueg. The continuously
ascending route leads over roads and footpaths, over
pastureland, through small woods and also through a
wooded ravine up to the mountain meadows below
the Luegwald (wood). During the ascent, we cross a
few access roads and also pass the hamlets of Juch and
Junkholz. The last metres are gained on a steep field
road to the vantage point (887m). Beside the military
monument, we also find a resting place with barbecue.
The panorama is overwhelming, from the Jura chain to
the ranges of hills of the Emmental region, and from
the Bernese Alps to the Gantrisch chain and to the Fribourg Alps. The hamlet of Heiligenland below the Lueg
is idyllically lying on the hillside. Below the vantage
point, the route leads over the summit of the pass and
past the country inn “Lueg” (838m, with bus stop) and,
from the road, turns off to the left. We walk westwards
down over mountain meadows and after a wood, we
again come to the Lueg road. We leave it shortly after and turn off left to a small access road that leads
us via pastureland past the hamlet of Heimismatt to
14 - Brunnen/Lucerne - Rüeggisberg - jakobsweg.ch - Nr. 7
the farm “Gärstler”. Here, the road turns northwards
and presently, on a forest road that turns off to the
left, we come back to the Lueg road and to Kaltacker.
The staff of the stately inn “Zum Hirschen” waits here
on hungry pilgrims. At the road bifurcation soon after the last houses, we leave the road turning off to
the left to the access road to Egg that climbs up in
a south-western direction past the schoolhouse and
along the edge of the wood to the hill Egg. From Egg
we proceed along the wooded crest of the hill, pasCastle hill of Burgdorf
sing the hamlet of Sandgruebe on its southern side,
to the edge of the wood. Through the wood and
along the edge of the wood, we come to “Waldecke”
from where the route leads down the steep slopes
of the “Lauehölzli-Wald” into the valley of the river
Emme. Thereby we pass through a gorge-like hollow
way conveying a mystic sense, by name of “Leuenhohle”. On the high sandstone walls, there are traces of engraved names and symbols. In the nearby
country inn “Summerhus”, a fortifying meal awaits us.
Burgdorf Kronen square
We leave the inn and proceeding along the wood’s
edge, we come to the former “Siechenhaus” (hospital
for incurables) with the St. Bartholomew chapel (closed), both from the second half of the 15th century.
Already we can see the houses and towers of Burgdorf. Using the road, we come to the river Emme at
the foot of the “Gisnauflüe” (rock-wall). We cross the
Emme on the covered wooden Wynigen bridge. Due
south-west, we come to the reformed parish church
(built 1471-90). The note-worthy house of God has
Burgdorf - old city
a rood screen from 1512, and choir stalls from 1647.
The rood screen, artfully hewn by stone-masons, forms the separating wall between choir
and nave, and is considered the most beautiful in Switzerland. On the Burgberg rise to the
south-east of the church stands the well-fortified Zähringen castle from the late 12th century. Apart from municipal offices, it also houses a museum. The Way of St. James leads
us through picturesque lanes of the old part of the town, between church and castle. We
see the fountain with the Justitia, citizens’ houses, guild houses and pergolas, as well as
the town hall, built in 1750. Leaving the old part of the town, we come to the Lower town
from where we continue on our way in a south-western direction.
Nr. 7 - Brunnen/Lucerne- Rüeggisberg - jakobsweg.ch - 15
Section Burgdorf - Gümligen
Burgdorf - Gümligen
Section Burgdorf - Gümligen
Burgdorf - Gümligen
Burgdorf/Berthoud – Gümligen
Willisau
Burgdorf
Bern
Berne
Krauchthal
Ostermundigen
Boll
Gümligen
Dentenberg
Kehrsatz
e
Aar
Rüeggisberg
Topographic maps
Scale 1:25‘000: numbers 1147 1166 und 1167
Sclae 1:50‘000: numbers 233 und 243
16 - Brunnen/Lucerne - Rüeggisberg - jakobsweg.ch - Nr. 7
23,6 km, walking time around 6 hrs 10 min.
Through residential quarters of Burgdorf, we come
to the station of Steinhof on the railway line Burgdorf – Langnau – Konolfingen. Using the underpass
near the station, we come to the quarter Steinhof.
We follow the little town quarter road and a field
road up to a meadow on a rise gradually becoming
more level, from where we enjoy a beautiful outlook
onto the town and the castle of Burgdorf. The route
leads to the access road to Rothöchi, crosses it and
Gansere -Weiler road
follows the edge of the wood. After 200m, it turns
off to the left into the Pleerwald (wood) and comes
to a crossing where 7 roads and paths converge. A
small resting place is also there. From here, we head
southwards down to the Underbergetal. Past the
farm “Gansere”, we come to the Oberburg road. We
follow it a short stretch, then turn off to the right.
Across a field, we come to the farmstead Mattenhof.
Here, we follow at first the Zimmerberg road, and
after only a short distance, we turn off to the left to
a field road leading along the slope of a hill to the
Krauchthal road
hamlet of Schuepisse. Here, we turn off to the right
and on the hiking trail, we climb in a western direction up to Althus and from there on the access road
to Zimmerberg higher up. During the ascent, we
meet the pilgrim symbol “to let be”. We remain on the
crest of the hill and proceed south-westwards across
pastureland and along the edge of the wood to the
Eybergwald (wood). We traverse it above the steep
wooded slopes of the Chrouchtal (valley) until, near
the hamlet of Bonziloch, we descend into the valley.
Thorberg
At the northern rim of the Chrüzflue (rock-wall), we
come to the first houses and the main road of Krauchthal. We cross the village on the
main road southwards, paying the reformed church (built 1794)a brief visit. At the village
exit, we turn off to the left onto the winding road that leads past the penal institution
Thorberg to the hamlet of Schwändi 170m higher. The Thorberg, sitting on top of the hill,
today is a prison. It goes back to pre-reformation times when it was founded as a monastery dedicated to Saint Pauline. With a view of the prison, we think of the people behind
bars and ask ourselves what being imprisoned means to them.
Nr. 7 - Brunnen/Lucerne- Rüeggisberg - jakobsweg.ch - 17
Burgdorf - Gümligen
18 - Brunnen/Lucerne - Rüeggisberg - jakobsweg.ch - Nr. 7
Section Gümligen - Rüeggisberg
Gümligen – Rüeggisberg
Kehrsatz
Burgdorf
Gümligen
Kühlewil
re
Aa
From Schwändi , the ridge-way rises continually
and turns into a south-western direction and leads
through the Äbnitwald to the farm Tannebode. Now
along the edge of the wood southwards past the
farm Sunnrain and through the Utzigewull wood.
From the southern end of the wood over open pastureland along the Allmit ridge to the hamlet of Hubel. We enjoy here the wonderful view over the city
of Bern until the Bernese High Alps. At Hubel, the
relatively steep descent begins down to Utzigen. At
Utzigen-Vorderwull
the castle of Utzigen, built 1669 (with park and café
open to the public), we can take a rest. There is also
a bus stop there. In the village centre near the crossroads, there stands, as it did already in former pilgrimage times, the inn “Zum durstigen Bruder” (thirsty
brother). Past the castle (now a boarding and nursing
home), the route takes us over meadows and fields
to the farm “Weier” (with the pilgrim symbol “to be
silent”), where it turns right, and to the wood’s edge.
Along the sloping wood, we come down to Boll in the
Pilgrim Signal - keep quiet“
Linden valley. We traverse Boll on the main road in
a southern direction (with a brief side trip to the station) and at the western end of the
village, we turn off to the left onto a village lane. Along the brook of the Lindental which
we cross twice, and in a south-western direction across the brook Worble, we come to the
farmstead Wiler. Now southwards through the wooded slopes up to the village of Dentenberg. Here, a cosy inn awaits us. We follow the access road as far as the western village
entry, take the shortcut over the meadow and return to the access road near the cheese dairy. We follow it south-westwards
across pastureland to the Dentenberg forest. Still on the same
road and, shortcutting a bend, we come to the wood’s edge
near the war memorial on the southern side of the Gümligenberg (hill above Gümligen). From the World-War memorial, we
take a foot-path westwards along the edge of the wood to the
first houses of Gümligen. We turn off southwards and through
a residential quarter, we reach a crossroads with the village
fountain and the reformed church of 1953. The pilgrim figure
on the outer wall is impressive. After a visit to the church, the
route takes us in an arc past the portal of the castle of Gümligen, built 1735.
Parih church of Gümligen
Section Gümligen - Rüeggisberg
Niedermuhlern
Rüeggisberg
Amsoldingen
Schwarzenburg
Topographic maps
Scale 1:25‘000: numbers1167, 1186 und 1187
Scale 1:50‘000 numbers 243 et 253
Nr. 7 - Brunnen/Lucerne- Rüeggisberg - jakobsweg.ch - 19
Gümligen - Rüeggisberg
Gümligen - Rüeggisberg
21,7 km, walking time around 5 hrs 30 min.
Going southwards, we cross the railway line Gümligen – Worb, follow the road in the direction of
Worb for a short stretch, and turning off, we take a
southern direction again. We come to the railway line
Bern – Thun and later, turning off to the left, to the
motorway feeder and we cross both. At the edge of
the Hüenliwald (wood), we turn off to the right onto
a forest road that takes us in a south-western direction through the wood, crossing the main road, and
to the motorway which we cross too. After the moAuguet-Bridge
torway, we pass the park of a castle compound on its
right-hand side, and, forming a wide bend, we come
through Halen, a part of the town of Muri, and come
down to the river Aare which we cross on the Auguet
bridge.
The covered wooden bridge from 1835 was only
transplanted to this site in 1973 when the motorway
was built. Walking along the wooded shore-strip, we
come in a north-western direction to the Giessehof.
Shortly after, the path turns off to the left and comes to the bridge across the Gürbe river, north of
Oecumenic center of Kehrsatz
the airfield of Belp. We cross the bridge in order to
come over the plain of Belp to “Under-Selhofe” a part
of the town of Belp. From here southwards through
the town-part Ober-Selhofe past the schoolhouse
and the modern church of the ecumenical centre
to Kehrsatz. We visit the ecumenical centre with the
church room and the Room of Silence, being used
by both creeds, reformed and catholic. By the way:
the pilgrim coffee here is delicious. To the south-east
of Kehrsatz and in a park is the country estate Lohn,
Landscape of Obermuhlern
built 1780-83. It serves the Confederation for representative purposes on occasion of state visits. On certain days of the year, the estate is
open to the public (for dates, please consult the Internet). In the centre of Kehrsatz stands
the Blumenhof, built 1580-90 and extended to a baroque country house 1745-52. Since
1990, the Blumehof has been the seat of the municipal administration. From the town
centre, we proceed southwards to the line of the railway through the Gürbetal and we
cross it on the northern side of the station. Further to the south, we cross the main road
Bern – Wabern – Wattenwil. At first, we proceed in a southern direction and follow the
20 - Brunnen/Lucerne - Rüeggisberg - jakobsweg.ch - Nr. 7
Gümligen - Rüeggisberg
ascending road that leads to Englisberg, then we turn
off to the left to a shortcutting quarter lane that joins
the Englisberg road again higher up. We use the road
for a short stretch only and turn off to the right onto a
hiking trail on which we come, first through the wood
and then over a sloping meadow and crossing the
trench of a brook, up to the old-age home Kühlewil.
Past the home the route takes us southwards across
meadows to the hamlet of Kühlewil and further into
the wood “Chüliwil” which we cross on a forest road
„Kühlewil“
southwards. Thereby we cross two access roads and
leave the wood not far from the farm Allmid. On a field
road and still southwards, at first along the edge of
the wood and then over open pastureland, we come
down to the hamlet of Obermuhlern. Here, our path
describes an arc to the left and going over the hill, we
come to the road Kehrsatz – Riggisberg on which we
proceed to Niedermuhlern. We keep to the road and
traverse the village past the cheese dairy and the bus
stop until the village-part Holzmatt. The field road
Leueberg
takes us from here southwards past the farms Riederweid and Unders Ratteholz to the rim of the wood
Ratteholz. Here, we turn off to the left onto the forest
road that takes us in an arc up to the field road near the
farmstead Buechweid. From here we have a gorgeous
view to the hills of the Emmental, the Gürbe valley, the
Bernese pre-Alps and four-thousanders, and the Gantrisch chain. On the road, we amble southwards to the
hamlet of Gschneit where an inn awaits us. Here, the
path crosses the road to Oberbütschel and, keeping
Monastery ruin in Rüeggisberg
to the left, takes us to Leueberg. At the parking space
Leueberg (bus stop), we climb up to the memorial and the lookout point. Under a group of
trees giving shade, near the Tavel memorial, there is a resting place with panorama tables.
Below us, the wide, green plain of the Gürbetal is spread out. In the background are the
mighty, glacier-covered mountain massifs of the Bernese Oberland.
We leave the memorial of the Bernese dialect writer Rudolf von Tavel, 1866 – 1934 and
continue southwards on field and forest roads through the pine forest. Shortly before the
southern exit of the wood, the route turns to the west, and across pastureland, we reach the
hamlet of Mättiwil where we join the Way of St. James coming from the Bernese Oberland
and leading to Fribourg and Romont. On the field road heading westwards, we reach our
stage goal Rüeggisberg with its beautiful church and the impressive monastery ruin.
Nr. 7 - Brunnen/Lucerne- Rüeggisberg - jakobsweg.ch - 21
Section Rüeggisberg - Schwarzenburg
Section Rüeggisberg - Schwarzenburg
Rüeggisberg - Schwarzenburg
Rüeggisberg-Schwarzenburg
11 km, walking time around 2 hrs 30 min.
After the monastery, we turn westwards to the gate
between two farmsteads. The former monastery way
leads first along the edge, then through a wood, once
across a street, then again through the wood down
to Helgisried. From there we continue on a mountain and field path along the slope of the hill past the
hamlets of “Schulhaus” and “Rohrbach” down to “Wislisau-Schwarzwasserbrücke” (bridge, and road bifurcation). From here westwards, first along the wooded
banks of the river Schwarzwasser to the “Lindenbach”
Landscape of Rueggisberg
wood-bridge where we climb up the steep banks,
then on open fields past the farmstead “Granegg” up
to Henzischwand. Further on, first northwards, then
on a field path towards the west through the marshland to Elisried. Here, we turn left onto the paved road
and later come to the main road which we cross near
the inn “Schönentannen” . On the left side we take a
field path ascending over a chain of hills to Schwarzenburg. We walk through the place as far as the railway station. In the village centre, somewhat hidden,
„Schwarzwasser“
is the reformed church Maria Magdalena. Its 17th century tower has a tapered diameter, giving it a peculiar aspect. The Schwarzenburg castle
stands at the edge of the village. It was built in 1573-75 and housed the district administration until 2010.
topographic map
Scale 1:25‘000: number 1186
22 - Brunnen/Lucerne - Rüeggisberg - jakobsweg.ch - Nr. 7
Nr. 7 - Brunnen/Lucerne- Rüeggisberg - jakobsweg.ch - 23