ViaBerna - Stage 11 Thun - Aeschi

From Thun station, the path runs along the shipping canal through Schadau Park to Dürrenast, where the lakeside bathing beach is a popular attraction on sunny days. Here begins a beautifully laid-out lakeshore path that follows the reed belt and leads over wooden walkways over quiet lake bays. From Bonstetten Park, you enjoy the view over Lake Thun to Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. In Gwatt, the main road is crossed and it goes up to Gwattegg. The view from Strättlighügel over the lake basin, the town of Thun, the Glütschbach valley, and the Stockhorn is magnificent. Gently descending, the path passes the Strättligturm and beyond the Simmental road you stand before the dark gorge of the Kander cut. A footbridge leads over the river and you reach Einigen. It continues over the scenic hill ridge of Moosegg to Riedern and via Rustwald to Spiezmoos. In Spiezmoos, you pass under the railway line and main road and climb up the wooded Spiezberg. From there you have a wonderful view over the vineyards to the castle and the castle church of Spiez. Through the castle park, it goes down to the bay of Spiez, where once again an excellent lakeside path leads to Faulensee. Here the path turns away from the lake and climbs through the Seeholzwald forest to Aeschi, the scenic terrace above Lake Thun.

Bonstetten Park directly on Lake Thun is a popular local recreation area with a lakeside promenade, a nature reserve, and leisure facilities. The park is part of a former manor estate of the lords of Strättligen.

The Strättlig Castle is visible from afar. The medieval castle ruin above the Thun district of Gwatt dates from the 13th century and was the ancestral castle of the Freiherren von Strättligen. Later, the castle was used for storing gunpowder. The renovated historic castle ruin can be rented for events.

The Kander cut near Einigen was the first major river correction in Switzerland. The Kander was to be led directly into Lake Thun through a tunnel in 1714. But the tunnel collapsed and the river created a deep gorge. The intervention still causes flood risk in the lower Lake Thun area to this day.

The Spiez bay offers a picturesque scene with the blue Lake Thun, the historic castle, the vineyards, and the mountain panorama. It is therefore counted among the most beautiful lake bays in Europe and is a tourist magnet.

The viticulture on Spiezberg and in Faulensee has a tradition going back centuries. Every year, despite the alpine climate, up to 80,000 bottles of high-quality wine are produced.