To Guggershorn

Swiss mercenaries in foreign service were strictly forbidden to sing this song because the commanders feared it would cause homesickness and incite desertion. The song of Vreneli and Simeli continues to be reinterpreted today, for example by Stephan Eicher or Steff la Cheffe. After starting in Riedstätt, the hiking trail first leads with a gentle ascent to Guggisberg and then in steep switchbacks and staircases over pastures and through forest up towards Guggershorn. Like a ladder to heaven, a steep wooden staircase leads up the last meters to the summit platform. Facilities enabling the summit climb have existed since 1828. Despite its modest 1283 meters, the Nagelfluh summit offers an astonishing panoramic view. Panorama panels provide information about the peaks and mountain ranges visible from here, and seating invites picnicking. After a short descent and ascent, the slightly higher Schwendelberg is reached. With views towards the Alps on one side and the Jura on the other, the hiking trail descends along a ridge into the Dorfbach valley and continues to Schwarzenburg. The tranquil village on the Camino de Santiago route was surrounded in the last century by transmission masts of a shortwave transmitter. Strong electromagnetic fields generated during broadcasting caused health problems for humans and animals at the time. Subsequent protests led to the shutdown of the facility in 1998. The transmitters were then sold to North Korea.

Text: Sabine Joss