Meteorologically, fall arrived on September 1, and believe me, if there’s anything better than hiking in the summer, it’s hiking in the fall! The beautiful warm colors all around, the sparkling cool air while the sun is still trying to warm you up with its rays…well, just beautiful. In this article, I’ve put together a round-up of the most beautiful fall hikes in the canton of Bern that don’t require any mountain transport. Because at this “time” (you know what I’m talking about 😉 ) you might want to avoid crowds in queues, or maybe you just want to hike outside operating hours and enjoy the sunset or sunrise, or maybe you just want to save money. Whatever your reason, here’s an overview of twelve beautiful fall hikes in the canton Bern.
NOTE: all the headings are “clickable”, i.e. clicking on them will take you to the full route description.
Lake Thun area
1. Niesenbänkli
An easy loop trail that takes you to a bench high above Lake Thun, where you can enjoy a spectacular view of Mount Niesen and the entire Bernese Oberland. And you could sit on that bench all day and enjoy it!
2. Schwendiblueme Lookout Tower
The route, whose starting point is the same as the previous one (i.e. Heiligenschwendi), takes you to the Schwendiblueme lookout tower.
3. Sigriswil Suspension Bridge
A few kilometers above Lake Thun is the village of Sigriswil, which boasts a rarity: a suspension bridge which, at 340 meters long, is one of the longest suspension bridges in Switzerland.
The Emmental valley area
4. Lueg-Affoltern hiking classics
For anyone wishing to visit the Emmental, the Lueg lookout point and the cheese show dairy in Affoltern are simply a “must-see” place where you can enjoy the beauty of the hilly landscape of the Emmental and see all the way to the Bernese Alps.
5. Chapf
A beautiful walk through the hills of the Emmental, from where you can see the Schrattenfluh and Hohgant massifs.
6. Bänklirundgang Sumiswald
There are two circular routes in the Sumiswald area under this name, loosely translated as “the route of the benches”. The benches along the route invite you to rest and also to enjoy the great views.
7. Rothöhe
The site on the hill above Oberburg near Burgdorf has a long tradition. What started as an inn in 1908 later grew into a guesthouse and spa hotel, where people came not only from the Emmental but also from Basel, Alsace, and Holland.
8. Flüeweg Burgdorf
The Flüeweg is a route that runs through the forest above Burgdorf – on the rocky “cliffs” that are so typical of this town, which is also called the “Gateway to Emmental”.
Gantrisch Nature Park
9. Gäggersteg
In June 2020, the wooden footbridge Gäggersteg was reopened here, which runs through and over the landscape that was damaged by Storm Lothar in 1999. The three-kilometer-long children’s nature trail “Wind, Wald & Wurzeln” also runs through the Gäggersteg.
10. Around the Gantrisch Peak
The route around the highest peak of the regional nature park, which is a popular excursion, hiking, and skiing area, leads over two mountain passes and ends at the idyllic Gantrischseeli lake.
Lake Biel Area
11. Magglingen
A pleasant hike in the Jura mountain range above Biel. Okay, you’ll have to use a funicular here, but it serves as public transport, so I don’t count it as mountain transport 🙂 .
The Simmental Valley Area
12. Bad Weissenburg Spa Ruins
Explore the spa history in the forests of Niedersimmental. And for the icing on the cake, cross the 111-meter-long Leiterenwand suspension bridge.
So what do you say, did I inspire you to go on a fall hike? Let me know which one you like best! Have a wonderful fall! 🙂
