Langnau in May

I'll zip it.

Thanks

That worked.

Thanks

Johnny-

This is a continuation of my long post about a circular route day hike from Rüegsau, posted on April 12.:

myswissalps.com/ forum/topic/ permalink/ cgKCr6DW9mqS6v8AAFcRTQ

In step #2 of the route description, I mention the Emmentaler Schaukäserei in Affoltern i. E.

emmentaler.ch/ other/show-dairy.html

myswitzerland.com/en-us/emmental-aoc-show-dairy.html

Attached are some of my pictures. I'm doing this in stages, because my files are not well organized, and I have to hunt up some of the images.

The first shows the entrance sign, which you will pass on the bus up from Rüegsau. Watch on the right. The building is the "Dorf Speicher" - the village Speicher. An antique, at one time it was used to store valuable items of the village, to protect them from fire in the main buildings. There is a Speicher on many Emmental farms, serving the same purpose today.

There is a working reproduction of an old dairy, showing they made cheese over a wood fire.

The new dairy is a small factory, and you can view it through glass windows from a two level visitors gallery.

In the picture with my daughter and granddaughter on the stairs, examining the cowbells, you can see the restaurant in the background toward the bottom. The toilets are on the second (upper) floor.

You will not be surprised tolearn that you can buy souvenirs and postcards in this building. Also,cheese. Many kinds.

<<"Slowpoke, this thread has become an extensive resource on the Emmental! Thanks for that. Really nice pictures too by the way, including the Swiss taxi ;-) :>>

Arno -

Thanks. Glad you like it.

The horses on that taxi are matched with Swiss precision, you'll note.

The Emmental has a very different feeling from the Berner Oberland, or other nice regions. Lots of well signed trails, and still plenty of good inns, and you can hike there from April (sometimes March) until November or later. And, the Alps pop up on the horizon frequently, so you can at least look at them from a distance.

There are some nice places in the Seeland (the three lakes region), too. There, the Röstigraben adds some character of its own. And, you can still see the Alps. ;-)

I've got a few more to add to this thread. Real soon now. ;-)

Slowpoke said:

Johnny-

This is a continuation of my long post about a circular route day hike from Rüegsau, posted on April 12.:

myswissalps.com/ forum/topic/ permalink/ cgKCr6DW9mqS6v8AAFcRTQ

In steps #3, 4, 5, I mention the route to Eggerdinge and onward to Juch and Junkholz.

Here some pictures taken as you reach the top of the rise, climbing from Affoltern and looking at Eggerdinge.

The route to the crossroads after Eggerdinge is clear.

The buildings at Eggerdinge are nice to look at, too.

I have added one shot, which may show a bit of Juch and also Junkholz, taken after you emerge from the woods at Sachgraben , (see map in original post on this topic.)

Hi Slowpoke

Been AFK for a couple of days but now we are getting really itchy legs, need to do some hiking to walk it off!

We have booked our flight and are going to plan the hike and book our stays during this weekend hopefully. Unfortunatly we will not be able to stay at my friends place in Rüegsau so we are looking at hostel/inn/hotel or Airbnb during our trip.

We will arrive late in Zürich (land about 22:30 and then collect bags etc) on the 30th but will try to go by bus/train down to the Emmental area if possible, in order to save "travelling time".
From what I see on the internet there is a train leaving from Zürich in the evening to Bern but we will check if we can take a bus or something as well. Do you know if there is any other stations closer than Bern to the "Emmental hiking area" that we can reach by train/bus that late?

Our plan right now is:
Friday: Hike up to Napf (definetly stay and eat at Mettlenalp on the way). Which is the best place to start do you think? Is the trails starting from Trubschachen? Sleep somewhere in this area.

Saturday: "Hike the The Emmentaler ridge walk" from Napf to Lüderenalp and perhaps longer depending on how fast we walk, or we take a bus somewhere. Maybe go to Rüegsau to meet our friends there in the evening and have a nice dinner.

Sunday: In the afternoon we need to go back to Zürich as our plane is leaving early Monday morning. Maybe go early and do some sightseeing in Zürich.

Thank you so much for helping us!

For now - a short answer.

How are you on jet lag?

I assume you have passports?

You could get to Langnau by 0052 Friday AM. Don't.

http://www.sbb.ch/en/home.html

You have to do stuff at the airport after you arrive. Takes time.

Don't push the limits of the system. Use it effectively. Stay in Zürich when you arrive ( not at airport - even more expensive than very expensive Zürich , I believe) and go to Langnau in the AM. Lots of trains, connections, etc, and tourist services will be open, not to mention hotels, which would not be open by the time you would get there on early Friday AM. If you arrive in Langnau at 1AM Friday , it may not be possible to find anything open. Could check the Hirschen.

http://www.hirschen-langnau.ch/

Do your walk. It fits in easily. Bus from Langnau via Trubschachen (or, train may stop at Trubschachen) to Fankhaus. Walk in to Mettlenalp. Coffe. Climb up to Napf. Lunch. Hike to Lüderenlp. Dinner and sleep. Am - walk down to Wasen for bus out. Or, maybe make it to Wasen on Friday night....That is pushing it, but might be possible. If you can get that far, Bären Sumiswald is an exceptional inn.

Figure out how to get from Lüderenalp to Rüegsau on Saturday. No public transport, IIRC, from Lüderenalp on Saturday.

On you last night, stay in downtown Züric, catch train to airport in the AM.)

If you want to do it cheap, you'l have to give your self more time to fit into the low cost services. If you do it fast, it ain't cheap.

I second Slowpoke's advice to stay in Zurich for the night if you arrive that late. The hotel at the airport is pricey, but there are affordable hotels nearby with free shuttle buses, and also hotels in the city center. Please find them here:

• myswissalps.com/ zurichairporthotels
• myswissalps.com/ zurich/hotels

And, i forgot to mention luggage.

If Johnny has checked luggage, it will slow him down in Zürich Flughafen.

If he is on a non-US carrier and has to change planes in Europe, he may find that the 12 kg weight limit on KLM ( 8 kg on Lufthansa) for intra -Europe carry on luggage is a problem.

Once he is in the Emmental, he has to do something with his luggage, unless it is all on his back.

It can be stashed at some rail stations...Langnau is likely... but, how will he pick it up when he leaves?

Thanks for a hotel list in Zürich. I would suggest that the Widder may be a bit expensive for people who use Air BnB. ;-)

My friends who want to stay near the station have used the convenient Walhalla, no breakfast, coupon for breakfast at next-door Starbucks, real close to Hauptbahnhof, not real cheap. Last check in at midnight.

I use the Adler.

FWIW.

Arno said: Thanks for the hotel suggestions Slowpoke. I'll consider adding them to the Zurich page. ">>

Arno- it's up to you, whether you add them or not. It is your web site, and if you have not tried them, you should be sure about them.

I have been using the Adler for 12 or 13 years, after trying several others. 10 minutes from the Bahnhof, or two tram stops on the number 4.

The restaurant is good, the service is excellent ( of course, they know me well...;-) and help me out with early arrivals, etc.) the rooms are not large but are not small by Swiss standards, and you are in the Niederdorf, if that appeals.

The only problem for people who are not hard of hearing is that it can be noisy outside, especially on weekends. The windows are soundproof, but, in the summer, you will want them open. I just take out my hearing aids.

If you check them out, you might ask for Demet Soyalp - the manager - and mention my name and my recommendation to you. You won't get a better rate, but I might.;-) I think you have my name in the forum records. If not, I did send you a private e-mail the other day, about one forum software feature.

I have no personal experience with the Walhalla. It is really close to the Bahnhof, and I'm told it has a direct connection with the underground mid-track pedestrian cross tunnel.

<"The Widder is expensive indeed, but, the Youth hostel is listed as well (click Next in the bottom of the page).

I did notice the wide range of prices in your suggestions....;-)

Something for everyone, and, if you wish to spend the money, it is worthwhile to sample the best that Switzerland has to offer.

We are flying from Sweden so not a very long flight and in EU.
We've decided to stay in Zürich, have a discount offer for hotell X-tra we hope to use.

Have also tried to book some Air bnb as well so hopefully we'll know soon how we'll stay

Thanks for all input!

//J and H

JohnnyPS said: Just so there's no confusion - we know were flying to a non-EU country but Schengen country

And, it looks like about nine krona to one CHF.

It will be interesting to hear your feed back on cost of travel, vs. Sweden, after you get back.

Sweden is on our list for "some day..." ;-)

This is the final set of pictures for the later part of the Circular Route from Rüegsau posted previously. At some point I may post some generally interesting pictures from around the Emmental, however.

myswissalps.com/forum /topic/permalink/ cgKCr6DW9mqS6v8AAFcRTQ

These pictures start with the view down the valley that you see as you emerge from the woods that you pass through after leaving the parking lot of the Landgasthof on the Wanderweg. Heimiswll, the destination, is at the lower left. The trail passes along the upper right and middle of the image. and down to the left through some woods.

Along the way, you pass through "villages" of Heimisbach and Gerstler ( or Gärstler)... One or two farms per village.

There are some pictures of the buildings. The "Speichers" are traditional structures for storing family valuables apart from the main building, to preserve them in case of fire.

These pictures were taken at different times of year.

The Speicher with Christmas decorations has different trim at different seasons of the year.

As one nears Heimiswil, in the forest, the trail continues along a sunken road, carved in to the rock. History unclear.

Images come in two groups, with those at Heimiswil in another post

At the end, some pictures of Heimiswil.

The rectory is a "benefice" and is an old barn converted to the Pastor's House, a meeting room, and, the public toilets for Heimiswil. Take a look. My Swiss friends all look anxious when they see these pictures and explain that I should make clear that all public toilets in Switzerland are NOT like this one. ;-)

Nonetheless, an interesting and useful part of the trail.

Good to hear that both jet lag and lines at pass control will not slow you down. That airport is pretty fast, and my baggage, if I check it, often is on the carousel by the time I have made it through Pass Control ...USA passports are not quite as fast as Schengen country passports. ;-(

Good luck on AirBNB.

Last pictures - at Heimiswil.

My Swiss friends always make me promise to point out that not all public toilets in Switzerland look like these. ;-)

They are right.

<<"Things are neat and organized.">>

Varies a bit from city to town to countryside, and from region to region.

But, almost always well organized, and usually neat.