Cycling in Switzerland
Berner Oberland-Route
Stage 1, Thun (Steffisburg)–Interlaken
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Berner Oberland-Route
Stage 1, Thun (Steffisburg)–Interlaken
Panoramic section with overwhelming views of the Thunersee and 4000m summits. Up and down through fields of flowers, Justistal peaceful and almost Alpine. Along the sun terrace of Beatenberg down to Unterseen, bordering on the Alpine tourism town of Interlaken.
A bike tour from Thun to Interlaken actually sounds quite easy. Simply coasting along the lake, right? Not on famous stage 61.1 of this route, high above Lake Thun. A challenging climb up toward Goldiwil follows right after Steffisburg. But the views from "Lake Thun’s veranda" are superb: the Gantrisch range, Stockhorn, Niesen and the famous Eiger, Monk and Jungfrau trio. The cows grazing in the green meadows are not interested in the panorama – but they seem to be taken with the passing bike riders, judging by the way they stare. Small farmer’s shops along the way are selling apple cider or cheese. For a short while you travel on Herzroute 99 (popular with e-bikers) and on Moonliner route 24 (popular with party animals!).
Lovely Goldiwil follows next, then the Heiligenschwendi health resort and Sigriswil with its suspension bridge. The picture-perfect villages of the Bernese Oberland are located in the midst of a hiking area with fantastic views of lake and mountains. On the opposite side, you can see the cables of the Stockhorn gondola and the giant Niesen pyramid, possibly shrouded in a mystical cloud formation. After Sigriswil a CHF 5 ticket is required to take the road into the quiet Justistal Valley and up to the village of Beatenberg. Of course, only cars and motorcycles have to buy a ticket...
The route up through deciduous and coniferous forests is narrow and rocky. Sigriswiler Ridge is awe-inspiring and traffic is light. A gigantic rock is found close to Grönhütte. According to the information provided, it broke off from Sigriswiler Ridge on 2 May 1974 and plunged down between the construction hut that used to be there and the transportation cable car. Obviously a big scare for those who were there, but surprisingly, nobody was hurt. Emerging from Justistal Valley you now enter Beatenberg, possibly Europe’s longest village. After a final downhill ride with lots of turns you arrive in peaceful Unterseen. Once across the Aare River, which connects Lake Thun with Lake Brienz, the fantastic, but challenging bike tour ends in the Alpine tourist town of Interlaken.
Lovely Goldiwil follows next, then the Heiligenschwendi health resort and Sigriswil with its suspension bridge. The picture-perfect villages of the Bernese Oberland are located in the midst of a hiking area with fantastic views of lake and mountains. On the opposite side, you can see the cables of the Stockhorn gondola and the giant Niesen pyramid, possibly shrouded in a mystical cloud formation. After Sigriswil a CHF 5 ticket is required to take the road into the quiet Justistal Valley and up to the village of Beatenberg. Of course, only cars and motorcycles have to buy a ticket...
The route up through deciduous and coniferous forests is narrow and rocky. Sigriswiler Ridge is awe-inspiring and traffic is light. A gigantic rock is found close to Grönhütte. According to the information provided, it broke off from Sigriswiler Ridge on 2 May 1974 and plunged down between the construction hut that used to be there and the transportation cable car. Obviously a big scare for those who were there, but surprisingly, nobody was hurt. Emerging from Justistal Valley you now enter Beatenberg, possibly Europe’s longest village. After a final downhill ride with lots of turns you arrive in peaceful Unterseen. Once across the Aare River, which connects Lake Thun with Lake Brienz, the fantastic, but challenging bike tour ends in the Alpine tourist town of Interlaken.
Panoramic section with overwhelming views of the Thunersee and 4000m summits. Up and down through fields of flowers, Justistal peaceful and almost Alpine. Along the sun terrace of Beatenberg down to Unterseen, bordering on the Alpine tourism town of Interlaken.
A bike tour from Thun to Interlaken actually sounds quite easy. Simply coasting along the lake, right? Not on famous stage 61.1 of this route, high above Lake Thun. A challenging climb up toward Goldiwil follows right after Steffisburg. But the views from "Lake Thun’s veranda" are superb: the Gantrisch range, Stockhorn, Niesen and the famous Eiger, Monk and Jungfrau trio. The cows grazing in the green meadows are not interested in the panorama – but they seem to be taken with the passing bike riders, judging by the way they stare. Small farmer’s shops along the way are selling apple cider or cheese. For a short while you travel on Herzroute 99 (popular with e-bikers) and on Moonliner route 24 (popular with party animals!).
Lovely Goldiwil follows next, then the Heiligenschwendi health resort and Sigriswil with its suspension bridge. The picture-perfect villages of the Bernese Oberland are located in the midst of a hiking area with fantastic views of lake and mountains. On the opposite side, you can see the cables of the Stockhorn gondola and the giant Niesen pyramid, possibly shrouded in a mystical cloud formation. After Sigriswil a CHF 5 ticket is required to take the road into the quiet Justistal Valley and up to the village of Beatenberg. Of course, only cars and motorcycles have to buy a ticket...
The route up through deciduous and coniferous forests is narrow and rocky. Sigriswiler Ridge is awe-inspiring and traffic is light. A gigantic rock is found close to Grönhütte. According to the information provided, it broke off from Sigriswiler Ridge on 2 May 1974 and plunged down between the construction hut that used to be there and the transportation cable car. Obviously a big scare for those who were there, but surprisingly, nobody was hurt. Emerging from Justistal Valley you now enter Beatenberg, possibly Europe’s longest village. After a final downhill ride with lots of turns you arrive in peaceful Unterseen. Once across the Aare River, which connects Lake Thun with Lake Brienz, the fantastic, but challenging bike tour ends in the Alpine tourist town of Interlaken.
Lovely Goldiwil follows next, then the Heiligenschwendi health resort and Sigriswil with its suspension bridge. The picture-perfect villages of the Bernese Oberland are located in the midst of a hiking area with fantastic views of lake and mountains. On the opposite side, you can see the cables of the Stockhorn gondola and the giant Niesen pyramid, possibly shrouded in a mystical cloud formation. After Sigriswil a CHF 5 ticket is required to take the road into the quiet Justistal Valley and up to the village of Beatenberg. Of course, only cars and motorcycles have to buy a ticket...
The route up through deciduous and coniferous forests is narrow and rocky. Sigriswiler Ridge is awe-inspiring and traffic is light. A gigantic rock is found close to Grönhütte. According to the information provided, it broke off from Sigriswiler Ridge on 2 May 1974 and plunged down between the construction hut that used to be there and the transportation cable car. Obviously a big scare for those who were there, but surprisingly, nobody was hurt. Emerging from Justistal Valley you now enter Beatenberg, possibly Europe’s longest village. After a final downhill ride with lots of turns you arrive in peaceful Unterseen. Once across the Aare River, which connects Lake Thun with Lake Brienz, the fantastic, but challenging bike tour ends in the Alpine tourist town of Interlaken.
Length
45 km
Roads and trails
Asphalted: 45 km
Natural surface: 0 km
Natural surface: 0 km
Ascent | Descent
1200 m | 1150 m
Fitness level
difficult
Arrival | return travel
More …
Saving metres in altitude
There is a bus between Thun, Bahnhof und Heiligenschwendi, Reha Zentrum that saves about 650 metres in altitude.
Sperrung, Justistal
Duration
02.12.2022 - 15.04.2023
Reason
Other
The Beatenberg - Grön road is closed for one week due to maintenance work on the rockfall nets. From the end of November the road is not passable until the end of April (winter closure).
Data source: SwitzerlandMobility / Cantonal office
