From the Roman Villa to the English Landscape Garden

From Liestal station the path leads through an outer district to a small animal park. At Bintal, a visit to the excavations of a Roman villa is worthwhile. The estate was inhabited until around 350 AD. The path winds along the forest before shortly disappearing into it. At the forest exit, the view first falls on Bad Schauenburg and then on the Schauenburgflue above it. The old monastery became the first bath in 1644, where bathing and drinking took place until 1848. New times, new ideas – in 1848, the salt and mineral bath was established, which experienced its heyday around 1900. In 1958, bathing ended: the hotel was modernized and thereafter operated as a conference and seminar hotel. Now the only significant ascent lies ahead: 180 meters of elevation must be overcome to the Schauenburgflue viewpoint. The view sweeps over the southern hills and valleys of the Basel Jura. Seating and a firepit invite a picnic. Then it continues through light forest to the border trail at point 620. Baselland and Solothurn meet here. The signpost points south; Stollenhäuser is the next intermediate destination. Welcome to cherry land. Over 1000 standard cherry trees stand in rows. What a splendor in bloom! Past Schönmatt, the hiking trail descends towards the Ermitage. The largest English garden in Switzerland was opened in 1785. Destroyed by the French in 1793, Conrad von Andlau rebuilt it in 1810/1812. The circular walk leads at various levels past cozy grottos and viewpoints. Just a stone's throw through the pedestrian zone of Arlesheim to the destination of the Jura hike; the Arlesheim Dorf tram stop. If you still have enough energy, it is worth taking a closer look at the Goetheanum in Dornach, visible from afar.