Section Thun/Thoune - Amsoldingen

6.5 km, walking time around 2 hrs 30 min.

Scherzligen church

After an impressive round of the town we leave the historic centre and walk from the station, first along the Aare canal, then the Seestrasse to Scherzligen. In this part of the town stands the legendary church “Santa Maria von Scherzligen”. Together with that of Einigen, this church belongs to the oldest in the Bernese Oberland. It was first mentioned in documents in 761/62. The oldest parts of the roman nave date from the 10th century, the rare murals from the 13th to 16th century.
From the church it is only a few steps to the Schadau castle with its beautiful park, a perfect place for a rest and an opportunity to visit an exhibition in the castle. The continuation of the route is on the Seestrasse to Dürrenast.

Gwatt Strättlig way

A lane with little traffic leads southwards past the shipyard and the bathing place, through the sports ground and along the lakeshore to the Bonstetten park at Gwatt, right near the historical “Bettlereiche” (old oak tree). To the west of the “Gwattlische Moos” we turn off in a south-western direction, cross the Frutigerstrasse near the country inn “Lamm”, and also the railway line, and through a residential quarter and across pastureland, climb to Gwattegg. We follow the road southwards across pastureland and through a small wood, cross the motorway through an underpass and come to “Alti Schlyffi” near the “Glütschbach” (brook). From here we climb up to the village of Zwieselberg, first on the road and then using a shortcut.

Crypt of Amsoldingen basilica

We continue westwards, first on the Amsoldingerstrasse and then on the carriageway beside the wood and into the wood until the pastureland to the east of Amsoldingen. The route then takes us across meadows and along the edge of the wood into the hamlet of Galgacher, to turn there to the left into the village of Amsoldingen. On the Dorfstrasse, we come to the roman pillared basilica, visible from far away. It belongs to the 1000 years-old churches around Lake Thun, dating from the time of the Burgundy dynasty. Below the choir is the crypt, and beside the organ is a room housing old capitals.

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