ViaSurprise circular route: Mariastein - Dornach

From the village of Mariastein with the mighty Benedictine monastery, start the stage southwards along the western monastery wall to the junction where the paths from Mariastein, Metzerlen, and Hofstetten meet. Along pastures with the Rotberg castle in view to the right, walk to the fork at Vorhollen. There is a good view of the Landskron ruin just beyond the border. At Radmer, the path leads down wooden walkways and stairs, crosses the stream several times, passing rock boulders and deep pools into the Chälegraben. You enter a wild romantic gorge. The well-developed and easily walkable path, even for children, winds upwards through the narrow gorge. You reach the popular Bergmatten lawn with barbecue areas and playground equipment in the middle of a large clearing, much of which is under light, shade-giving deciduous trees. Through a short forest section, it goes up to the Bergmatten restaurant. After a short, notable ascent, you reach Blauenpass. Continue on the ridge to Blattepass, where you encounter numerous boundary stones. They remind you that you are hiking on borderland (cantons of Solothurn and Baselland). About halfway between Blauen and Blattepass, the path crosses Chremerpass. Its name derives from a tragic event. Here, on the border between Ettingen and Blauen, a merchant was attacked and cold-bloodedly murdered by highway robbers in ancient times. A cross was erected at the crime scene to commemorate his murder and named after the victim's profession: "Chremerkreuz." The route continues along the Blauenberg ridge to Blattepass. This pass is the lowest crossing at Blauen. In Roman times, the route over Blattepass was considered the most important connection between Aventicum (Avenches) and Augusta Raurica (Kaiseraugst). Along Klusstrasse and across Klusberg, continue to the Tschäpperli ruin (Frohberg), which is the endpoint of the Aescher Wine Hiking Trail, beginning at the Vitaparcours parking lot. Below the ruin lie the vineyards, through which you reach Untere Klus (Klushof winery), then Vordere Klus (Domaine Nussbaumer). Now walk along the Chlusbach — an excellently renatured stream, slightly meandering, with partly mighty old willows, as well as hazelnuts, alders, blackthorn, and hawthorn bushes — to Aesch, the largest wine-growing community in Baselbiet. From the "village built on ashes," you go over streets, through residential quarters, and along the Birs past industrial buildings to the bridge guarded by Saint Nepomuk. After crossing it, the 6-day circular hike ends at Dornach-Arlesheim station.