On the trail of traces at Jäissberg

The search for traces already begins at the S-Bahn station. Heading south along the tracks, you reach the large traffic circle in Studen through the underpass, from where the reliable hiking path signage helps onwards. The Roman military station with its associated gate complex is about 400 m northwest of there at the foot of the Jäissberg. Petinesca was an important station on the Roman military road Aventicum (Avenches) – Salodurum (Solothurn). Exemplarily designed information boards provide details about the individual stations. On a wide forest path, you now bypass the gravel mining site of the municipality of Studen. En route, there is a beautiful view over Lyss towards the heights of the Frienisberg. Soon a junction sign makes it easier to find the remains of the temple district of Petinesca. It is the only such cultural site in Switzerland. Slightly ascending, you continue to the Celtic wall, a 300 m long fortification from the La Tène period. The wall has a base width of 18 m and a maximum height of 5 m. It is a defensive work built from dry stone masonry, tuff stones, and wooden beams with a ditch in front. At the highest point of the Jäissberg stands the Chnebelburg (30 min from Bellmund), a medieval refuge castle site. Here you encounter the two striking hollow ways. The larger probably originated in pre-Roman times. The smaller hollow way running parallel to it in the lowest section leads steeply down through the forest directly to the eastern edge of Port, which was already inhabited in prehistoric times. The Roman helmet in the municipal coat of arms points to this fact. Keeping the direction, you reach the village center and the nearby dam on the Nidau-Büren canal. From here, a large part of the water management of the Swiss Midlands and the Three Lakes region is controlled. The landing stage for Aare shipping is also directly at the lock chambers. Along the riverbank path, you first follow the canal excavated between 1868 and 1878 and deepened between 1962 and 1973. At the confluence of the beautifully renatured Grittbach, you follow it upwards into the hillside street, from where you can return eastwards around the Jäissberg to one of the bus stops in the village or back to the starting point of the hike, the S-Bahn station Studen.