Weekend tip: Get up on the Gurten and go for a hike

I vividly remember my visits to Gurten as a three-cheese high. View or not, the only thing that was interested was the small railway in the play park. The ride was the highlight on the Gurten and what I remember to this day. We used the reopening of the restaurant Gurtners (formerly Bel Etage) as an opportunity to once again go on a discovery tour on the extensive park grounds at a proud 858 m above sea level high above the city of Bern.

Gurten – Park in the countryside

The fascinating thing about Gurten is that you actually turn your back on the hustle and bustle of the city in no time at all and find yourself in the middle of a green oasis. This effect alone is worth the ride on the Gurtenbähnli (which, by the way, is included in the GA travelcard). Apart from that, a lot has happened on the Gurten. Numerous attractions have been added to the play park and the miniature railway now makes its rounds in a chic BLS miniature form. If you’re too old to get on the train (and don’t have children with you as a good excuse), you can go on an art walk in the Gurtenpark. Outside, in the countryside, there are art installations by Ursi and Bernhard Luginbühl as well as Silvio Matteoli. Other works of art can be found in the various rooms. The walk leads us to another highlight: the Gurtenturm. From the 23-metre-high observation tower, there is a magnificent panoramic view of the Swiss Plateau as far as the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau.

Restaurant: dinner at Gurtners

In culinary terms, the Gurten has sometimes made a name for itself as a nice place for a Sunday brunch. With the successful realignment of the former Bel Etage restaurant on the first floor, the Gurten now also has a really casual location for a fine meal with family, friends or romantically for two, including a view of the green glittering Aare and the Federal Palace. My taste was at least met with the Gurtners with the fresh design and many wooden elements. The dinner menu is pleasantly simple. You can choose from a four-course dinner menu for 85 CHF as well as five à la carte main courses from Chateaubriand to Belper char fillet. According to the motto “Good things made with love”, the focus is on recipes from Bernese farmhouse cuisine. “Just like from my grandmother,” the service employee explains to us how we have to imagine the veal pre-dinner. Overall, we were thrilled by the concept and the food – the sensational veal pre-dinner is reason enough for me to stop off at Gurtners again. What I didn’t understand – or conceptually doesn’t think fits with it – is the cauliflower garden with giant prawns as a starter. I think my grandpa didn’t even know what prawns were.

Oooooo

After dinner, there are two alternatives. Either you take the Gurtenbähnli back down to city life – or you simply extend the feeling of a mountain break by one night and lie down in a soft bed two floors above the Gurtners and let yourself be woken up the next morning by the chirping of birds. There used to be a few hotel rooms on the Gurten, but two remain: äuä and ieu – almost an exclusive story. We unlock the door to the room with the heavy key and know at that moment: brilliant! The two rooms have a contemporary design, offer plenty of space and, above all, a phenomenal view of the old town of Bern. In addition, the room price includes the use of the richly stocked minibar and a picnic basket full of fine items. The fun costs a fair 315 CHF per double room on Friday and Saturday. On the other days, the price is 265 CHF. Berghotel Flair close to the city: a real insider tip for Gurten.

Hiking from the Gurten: On the Gürbetaler Höhenweg homeward

The only drawback for an overnight stay on the Gurten: Breakfast is only served from nine o’clock, when the doors to the Tapis Rouge restaurant also open for external guests. Perfect for late risers. As early risers, we know how to help ourselves. The contents of the rich picnic basket are still almost untouched in front of the bed. We grab it and sit down on the green meadow in front of the Gurtenturm. A nice start to the day. Motivated, we lace up our hiking boots, pack up our belongings and march off. The Gurten is not only a great excursion mountain, but also a beautiful starting point for hikes through the Gürbetal. We follow the hiking trail markings in the direction of Kehrsatz, pass the idyllic Gurtendörfli and then turn onto the Gürbetaler Höhenweg at Breitägerte. As a native of Gürbetal, the Gürbetaler Höhenweg, which has been in existence for about ten years, has been on my bucket list for a long time. On this day, this could be perfectly combined with the Gurten excursion. In a total of 27 kilometres, the high-altitude trail leads from Kehrsatz to Wattenwil. The hiking time for the entire route takes about 7.5 hours. I was afraid that the hike would be “boring” in terms of landscape. Far from it, as I realize on this day. We pass beautiful hamlets, admire the constantly changing panorama, hike through enchanted creek ravines and watch a fox catching mice. And I keep repeating myself along the way with “oh, so beautiful – look!” Since the section at Pfaffenloch is currently closed (which is a pity, because this is one of the most exciting sections), we head for the Toffen train station and overcome the last kilometers to the barbecue at my parents’ house by train. Conclusion: pure enthusiasm! If you have a day to spare, then just start shaggy in Kehrsatz!

More information about the Gürbetaler Höhenweg: Route on Switzerland Mobil / Information page of the Gantrisch Nature Park