Stuck in Switzerland? Not into hiking? Love countryside biking past gorgeous houses and farms all tucked away from the normal tourist routes? Boy, have I got a suggestion for you! Hire an e-bike and take route 99 starting in Willisau and ending in Langnau.

I’m just ending two-day trip in glorious weather and feeling as high as a kite.

More to come

Go ahead...torture those of us stuck at home with the never-ending Groundhog day...

I began the two-day tour in Willisau.

This is a tour of traditional houses, farms and the rolling hills of Emmental

A church next to a Stöckli, used as storage or accommodation

A typical house along the route

Day two coming up

Ah man...I so want to be in Switzerland right now...

Okay, I'm hooked. Signing up to follow along. Yes, I'm into torture apparently.

Day two (yesterday)
Warning: Lots of traditional houses and countryside.

Noteworthy:
1. The area is where the Mennonites/ Amish originate
2. Despite excellent signage, I couldn’t have done it without my cell phone/ Schweiz mobile app / gps. It kept me on the trail
3. I made more one hour coffee stops to recharge my ebike battery. Every bit counts!
4. I did this in sandals 😊

here are some highlights:



A typical Emmenthaler house with garden. Remember, this is way off the beaten path.

This is a bed and breakfast!

The countryside. Gloriously green and untouched by urban sprawl.

This is the map I worked with

The flying nun’s habit

This was taken from the road. The house was incredibly imposing and so I looked up, snapped the shot and then took a photo opposite the house.

And this is the photo opposite the previous house.. the gardens! So typical of the area.

Wheat fields

A storage house called a Stöckli. Also used for accommodation.

The countryside

The paths through the woods

Me, my bike and my backpack. That’s all I needed for two days

Coronavirus hits the Emmental. There’s no Hornuss festival this year.

The countryside again

When electricity first came to the area

The watering cans!

Hay is stored on the top floor. The houses quite often have the barns built on behind the house.

Well, hello photo op

A bit of wisdom

Hotel Bären in Langnau

The museum next to it.

It’s Monday and many restaurants are closed

A footbridge over the Emme River that led me to a train station where I loaded my bike and returned to my home.

I find riding in Switzerland is almost too easy, but you have a lot of gear there for 2 nights. It is hard to think that in the 1910s Switzerland was the poorest country in Europe. Amazing what value banking-privacy brings to a country.

It may look like a lot but it wasn’t really. Just an extra pair of shoes, raincoat, a change of clothing for the evening, a first aid kit and some toiletries. I also had to take a cable to charge my battery and plenty of water. That’s it really. But you’re right... I could have easily done four days with what I took with me.

Your Monday looked better than mine!

I love your photos. So interesting, those buildings with the ‘hooded’ roof.
Want to wander down that forest road too.

I took a daytrip to Langnau from Brienz about 12 years ago ( the summer with the unexpected heat wave that killed many in Italy).
Visited the Chlibihus museum there. I was the only visitor. It was beautiful (akin to the folk art museum in Williamsburg, VA).
I loved the gently rolling hills!

I thought cycling through the area would give me Emmental block but that idea was full of holes.

Hardee har!

What beautiful scenery for a lovely ride. I am jealous 😊

Thank you, thank you, thank you! Big question: where's the pictures of the cheese?!

Taken at a Schaukäserei along the way. It shows how they used to make cheese.

Thank you!! Love the pictures and the description of your trip!

s