Gfellen-Schimbrig round walk

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14.42 km long
round trip
Difficulty: medium
condition: medium
Hike
  • 05:20 h
  • 875 m
  • 875 m
  • 989 m
  • 1,815 m
  • 826 m
  • 14.42 km
  • Start: Gfellen near Finsterwald (Entlebuch)
  • Destination: Gfellen near Finsterwald (Entlebuch)
Enjoy an ever-changing walk around the Schimbrig. Your reward for tackling the steep climb, which demands surefootedness and concentration, are amazing views from the summit of the Entlebuch mountains, the Pilatus with Lake Lucerne, and the Bernese Alps.

 From Gfellen follow the Grosse Entlen to the Stilaubbrücke bridge. Cross the river and follow the path on the right towards the Schimbrig. At the beginning, your goal - the Schimbrig - is well in sight, before the path zigzags up the steep meadow slope. After about 30 minutes you reach the Understettili alp. From there follow the agricultural road, which, barely climbing, passes the Stettili alp. Stay on the road. Shortly before Schimbrigbad you may smell something rather curious: a sulphurous spring. Be brave and take a sip of the healing spring water!

 

From Schimbrigbad you walk up a meadow path to the edge of the forest, which you zigzag through. You're starting to catch wonderful glimpses of the Entlebuch between the trees. Now follows the most spectacular part of the outing. The last 160 metres up to the summit are mostly on the ridge. To start with, saplings line the ridge, but the last metres consist of bare, grass-covered terrain. From here you have great views of the Titlis and the Bernese Alps. Lake Lucerne is also visible on the right-hand side of the ridge. Shortly before the summit, a pasture fence crosses the ridge. A gate allows you free passage to the nearby summit cross. Enjoy the panoramic view!

 

After a breather, walk back the same way along the ridge. Shortly before the path enters the forest, climb over the fence on the left with a small ladder. From here you descend in a quarter of an hour to the Loegg alp. The bench you encounter on the way down is a good place to pause and enjoy the view. From the Loegg alp you walk down more than 200 altitude metres through the pasture for 20 minutes to reach the Chätterech alp. You then follow the agricultural road and descend steadily to the bottom of the alp. The road takes you about two kilometres along the Grosse Entlen, the last three hundred metres of which are on asphalt. You cross the river over an old timber pedestrian bridge and follow an ascending forest path. At the top you pass the Brüderen alp with its little chapel. From here the Eremitenweg (hermit's way) leads you through a holiday home zone down to the starting point of Gfellen.

Good to know

Best to visit

suitable
Depends on weather

Directions

Starting and end point:  Gfellen near Finsterwald.

Gfellen - Stillaub - Understettili - Alp Stettili - Schimbrigbad-Schimbrig - Alp Loegg -  Alp Chätterech - Grund - Brüederealp - Gfellen

Tour information

  • Loop Road

Equipment

Sturdy footwear.

Directions & Parking facilities

At Entlebuch follow the turn-off towards Glaubenberg. In Finsterwald stay on the Glaubenberg road until you see the Restaurant Gfellen on your left.
Free parking at Gfellen.
Buses for Gfellen (Finsterwald) leave from Entlebuch village (on the Lucerne-Bern railway line).

Additional information

A white-blue alpine path (suitable for experienced walkers) also leads over the hang.

Literature

Die Broschüre «Wandern - Wandervorschläge in der UNESCO Biosphäre Entlebuch» erhalten Sie im Biosphärenzentrum oder im Broschüren-Shop auf www.biosphaere.ch

Author

UNESCO Biosphäre Entlebuch

Organization

UNESCO Biosphäre Entlebuch

Author´s Tip / Recommendation of the author

Try the sulphurous spring water at Schimbrigbad.

Safety guidelines

The walk calls for surefootedness in parts.

Nearby

Getting there
Gfellen-Schimbrig round walk
6162 Entlebuch