Ridge hike on the Jura Ridge Route

The different names could cause confusion: The arrival is at the Oberbalmberg Kurhaus bus stop. The hike starts at the signpost indicating Balmberg Kurhaus (in the canton of Solothurn; not to be confused with Bernese Oberbalm with the Hof Balmberg). At the starting point, the indication is Hinteres Hofbergli. You reach the Balmberg pass height and the Jura Ridge Route 5 of Wanderland Switzerland via a service road. Here you turn right. The route to Hinteres Hofbergli is varied: sometimes over meadows, then through forest, uphill and downhill. You use the service road until Niederwiler Stierenberg. From there the hike continues on a path. In places, there is a view left into the valley with Welschenrohr or towards the Wolfsschlucht. To the south, the Alps, the Central Plateau and at a few points Wangen an der Aare with the wooden bridge can be seen. At Hinteres Hofbergli, follow the signpost for Hochchrüz. A service road leads there. At Hochchrüz, you leave the Jura Ridge Route. Here you change from the canton of Solothurn to Bernese territory. For the next stage, the indication is Bättlerchuchi. You reach it on the ridge path through the forest. A panorama board helps to name the mountains. Around 150 peaks, of which 9 are four-thousanders, are listed. The view stretches from Säntis over the Bernese Alps to the Les Diablerets massif. The continuation still leads on the ridge path to the intermediate destination Hinteregg. Shortly before Buechmatt, the steep descent begins over meadows and through forest. At the Buchmatt restaurant there is once again the opportunity to stop before descending steeply through the forest down to Wolfisberg. You cross the small village of Wolfisberg with the Alpenblick restaurant and then descend towards Oberbipp to the train station.