From Liestal to Arlesheim: Hike through the Cherry Blossoms near Nuglar

When the cherry trees bloom in the Baselbiet and the adjacent Schwarzbubenland, the landscape around Nuglar, St. Pantaleon and Büren turns into a white sea of blossoms. It is precisely here that this varied hike runs, from Liestal straight through orchard meadows and over the Jura heights to Arlesheim.

Along the way, blooming fruit trees, scenic high paths and quiet stretches of forest alternate. A diverse spring hike whose length can be adapted flexibly.

From Liestal via Sichtern to Nuglar

We start the hike at Liestal station. The extensive renovation of the station has meanwhile been completed. We use the new northern platform underpass and follow Sichternstrasse until we reach the intersection with Widmannstrasse and encounter the first signpost.

The trail leads us through a cozy residential neighborhood toward Tierpark Weihermättli. The trail runs right through the small facility and then climbs toward Munzach. This district on the outskirts of Liestal was once an independent village. In addition, a Roman villa was discovered here in the 1940s. With a short extra loop, the excavations located at the edge of a residential area can be viewed freely.

Since we have planned a decent distance, we skip this detour and instead follow the signpost directly uphill in the right direction toward Sichtern.

Cherry trees in bloom as far as the eye can see

Already on the Sichtern clearing we can admire the first blossoming high-stem fruit trees. A first foretaste of what awaits us on the other side in the municipality of Nuglar-St. Pantaleon after crossing the Brunnenbachrain – a small hollow that at the same time forms the border between the cantons of Basel-Landschaft and Solothurn.

Nuglar-St. Pantaleon has one of the most beautiful fruit-tree landscapes in Switzerland. That is one reason why the municipal area, as part of the Gempen plateau that we will cross later, is listed in the Federal Inventory of Landscapes and Natural Monuments of National Importance.

Through the cherry orchards of Nuglar-St. Pantaleon to Büren

Our route takes us right through the pretty village center of Nuglar. At the bus stop «Nuglar, Schulhaus» we come across the wooden-signed «Chirsiweg». This is designed as a circular route and leads straight through the impressive orchard landscape within the municipal area of Nuglar-St. Pantaleon. It can also be enjoyed as a leisurely Sunday stroll without great sporting ambitions (time required approx. 1.5 to 2 hours).

Our hike follows the Chirsiweg for the next roughly 1.7 kilometers up toward Herrenberg. From there you enjoy a wonderful view over the blossom spectacle that presents itself to us here in mid-April. But even outside the flowering period the view over the scattered orchards is impressive. With a bit of luck you can also spot roe deer on the higher forest clearings.

At the forks in the path at the level of «Rotacker» and «Lochacker» some attention is required. We stay on the yellow-marked hiking trail and do not follow the signs of the Chirsiweg toward St. Pantaleon.

Up the Hobelrank onto the Gempen plateau

From Herrenberg we take the paved roads downhill into the village center of Büren. Here we let our gaze glide once more over the slopes planted with cherry trees. After that we devote ourselves to the ascent through the Hobelrank onto the Gempen plateau.

Geologically the plateau is part of the Table Jura and is characterized by a diverse landscape. The roughly 250 meters of elevation from the village center of Büren up to the plateau are the most physically demanding part of this hike. Once at the top, however, you have plenty of time to catch your breath. Up here runs the route of the «Via Surprise». This multi-day hike leads in six daily stages through the Solothurn and Baselbieter Jura.

The hike now takes us, following the Via Surprise, past the edge of the settlement of Hochwald over forest and meadow paths on the high plateau to Gempen.

Extra kilometers to the Schartenflue for the view

As we march into the village center of Gempen we see the Postauto drive past the stop just before our arrival. The next one doesn’t run until half an hour later. Up to this point we have taken just over three hours and now have almost 14 kilometers in our legs. We decide on the spur of the moment to go ahead with the already planned extension toward Arlesheim. The first confirmation that this is a good decision is not long in coming.

Above Gempen is the Schartenflue, at 760 m a.s.l. the highest point of the Gempen plateau. From there an impressive panorama opens up over the forested Jura landscape on one side and the settlement conglomerate of the Basel agglomeration on the other.

At the viewpoint you’ll also find the popular «Bärgbeiz» Gempenturm. And if you like, you can, for a fee of 1 CHF, climb the 28 m-high Gempenturm climb.

Second blossom highlight in the cherry country around the Weiler Stollenhäuser

Unlike the first section between Liestal and Gempen, the following stretch is noticeably busier. This is partly probably because we are in the Basel suburban belt. On the other hand, the beautiful spring weather over the course of the morning has also drawn many people outside.

The kilometers are slowly being felt in our legs. Yet unexpectedly we are treated to another highlight. When planning the route on the swisstopo map I had spotted the scattered fruit-tree landscape around the Weiler Stollenhäuser. But I definitely would not have expected that we would end up here again right in the middle of the peak of the cherry blossom.

As far as the eye can see, here mostly beautiful, old high-stem trees line up and stand in full bloom. What a splendor! That also generously makes you overlook the fact that we have to accept longer stretches on asphalt in between.

On the last kilometers this hike still leads us with a view of Burg Birseck at the Ermitage Arlesheim, the largest English landscape garden in Switzerland, and past the baroque Arlesheimer Dom. All in all, you can therefore look forward to numerous scenic and cultural highlights on this tour.

Key facts of the hike Liestal – Nuglar – Büren – Gempen – Arlesheim

The following hiking map shows the route from Liestal via Nuglar, Büren to Gempen and onwards to Arlesheim. The entire route is signposted as a yellow-marked hiking trail (T1). On the route, gravel paths, stretches on paved roads and individual forest and meadow paths alternate. Technically you will not face any particular difficulties on this hike. However, if the entire route is too demanding in terms of fitness, you can easily split it into stages thanks to public transport (öV) connections in the villages of Nuglar, Büren and Gempen.

Note: the time indication below refers to the signposted signpost times. We were rather brisk and required a total walking time of 4:50 h for the route.

Starting point	Liestal train station (323 m a.s.l.)
Accessibility	accessible by public transport
Length	22.5 kilometers
Elevation gain	↗ 779 m ↘ 814 m
Duration	6:15 h
Destination	Dornach-Arlesheim train station (294 m a.s.l.)
Places to eat	Bärgbeiz Gempenturm (Wed to Sun) and Restaurant Schönmatt (Wed to Sat)

Practical tips for your hike through blooming orchards near Nuglar

• Best time for the cherry blossom: The cherry trees along the route are usually in full bloom from April onward depending on the weather. The exact timing can vary from year to year. The municipality of Nuglar-St. Pantaleon also publishes current announcements about the cherry blossom on the Gemeindewebsite.
• Arrival and return: The start and end points of the hike at Liestal and Dornach-Arlesheim stations are excellently accessible by public transport (öV). In the villages of Nuglar, Büren and Gempen there are regular bus connections (usually every half hour) to the nearest train stations.
• Shortening the hike: If the distance of this hike is too long for you, I recommend tackling the first 14 kilometers from Liestal to Gempen. Alternatively, the beautiful circular Chirsiweg walking route through the cherry landscape of Nuglar-St. Pantaleon is a great option.
• More hiking tips in the region: If you liked this hike, you’ll find more worthwhile tours around Basel. Especially in spring, the Baselbieter Chirsiweg is worth a visit, which also passes impressive cherry blossom landscapes in the Table Jura. In addition, there are scenic hikes in the Wasserfallen region – my favorite tour here is the Wasserfallen-Rundweg ums Chellenchöpfli.