To the Tüfelsburdi on the Jolimont

From the Gampelen station to the nearby village, from the slightly elevated church head directly towards the forest and ascend at the forest edge to the Schützenhaus. A forestry road leads steadily uphill through the Holenboden to Wartstude and to the steep northwest flank of the hill ridge. Once the slope eases, turning at a right angle, you reach the height of the Jolimont. The deep views confirm the different use strategies of the cantons of Bern and Neuchâtel: while Bern focused on agriculture, Neuchâtel allowed the construction of an oil refinery. At the Tüfelsburdi you will find an impressive group of erratic boulders. The largest of these Arkesin blocks from the Val de Bagnes has a volume of 315 m3. Research confirms an ancient cult site in whose surroundings several cup-marked stones are located. Along the northern edge of the Jolimont estate, you reach the Erlach bench. Wonderful views of the castle and the small town of Erlach as well as the wide land bridge to St. Peter's Island, which dried out during the Jura water correction. The place name Erlach goes back to a Gallo-Roman personal name: Cerellius (hence the French place name Cerlier). The charming small town offers a number of interesting historical buildings: castle (around 1100), late Gothic arcade houses (16th/17th century), town hall with gate passage (16th and 14th century), church with wall paintings (around 1460) and late Romanesque-early Gothic tower. More detailed information on selected objects along the route is provided by the brochure “Jolimont – A hike through history and the present”; it can be obtained from the municipalities of Erlach, Gals, and Tschugg.