Switzerland: Emmental
The Emmental, located to the east of the city of Bern, covers an area of around 700 square kilometres and encompasses the catchment area of the Emme and its tributaries, from the Hohgant mountain in the south to the Lower Emmental, from Burgdorf to the border with the canton of Solothurn in the north. This hilly, sometimes dramatic landscape with steep slopes is characterised by pastures, fields and forests. The farmers mainly raise livestock and the local cheese is produced in numerous village cheese dairies. Just as striking as the landscape are the stately farmhouses with hipped roofs that almost reach the ground on the sides. Despite all this and a respectable density of impeccable inns, tourism has not yet broken out and the good road network is not very busy for long stretches. The largest towns are Burgdorf, Langnau, Huttwil and Sumiswald - we have chosen the latter as our starting point.
For all the modesty of its geographical extent, a diverse range of topographical features provides plenty of food for cycling enthusiasts. The ride from Burgdorf through the Lindental valley to Worb is long and generous and the light-flooded Kreten roads to the north of Sumiswald make you forget about gravity. But the Emmental also has a dozen mountain passes in store. The climbs are never very long, but some of them are quite tough. Within a few days, you can build up your form there, which you can then soon try out in the neighbouring Entlebuch. The Glaubenbielen and Glaubenberg passes, with a detour to Lake Sarnen, are a nice preliminary stage to the major Alpine passes.
You can download the entire article and the GPS data for these tours below:
- Tour 1: To the Fritzenfluh (100 kilometres, 1,400 metres in altitude, max. 12 percent gradient)
- Tour 2: Herz-Route (85 kilometres, 1,510 metres in altitude, max. 14 percent gradient)
- Tour 3: Steep to Chuderhüsi (94 kilometres, 2,350 metres in altitude, max. 17 percent gradient)
- Tour 4: Question of faith (157 kilometres, 2,700 metres in altitude, max. 13 percent gradient)
