Solothurn-Weissenstein-Welschenrohr

Part of the Weissenstein-Passwang route, the route is signposted throughout with SchweizMobil 478. The hiking trail leads through the centre of Solothurn, past the majestic St Ursus Cathedral, or ‘Solothurn Cathedral’. You’ll then take a romantic path through the Verena Gorge. The hermitage at the upper end of the gorge is said to have once served as a place of residence for Saint Verena. Passing the Weissenstein cable car valley station, you reach Weissenstein mountain via Nesselboden. The view of the Swiss Plateau and the Alps from Säntis to Mont Blanc is iconic. A trip to Solothurn’s local mountain is particularly popular with the locals on days when the Swiss Plateau is slumbering under a blanket of fog. Via the Weissenstein Pass, you descend into the watchmaking village of Welschenrohr, at the heart of the Thal Nature Park.

All public transport connections can be found at www.sbb.ch/en

The second stage of the Via Surprise feeder road number 478 leads from Welschenrohr through the upper part of the Wolfsschlucht Gorge to the Passwang. You can find out more at www.viasurprise.ch