 |
 |
The impressing cultural heart of this great hike is the watering system, with the Suonen or Bisses, the traditional old aqueducts that carry precious water from the mountains down to the villages, the thirsty fields and vineyards. While following beautiful examples of Bisses, a long part hiking on the challenging narrow trail beside, we can admire the sometimes daring work done by farmers.
Starting on a larger trail through a forest we soon join the first Bisse, the “Gorperi”, and through tunnels slightly up we enter more and more into the wild valley of Baltschieder. We take our time to go a little further into this valley, which belongs to the Unesco natural heritage, until we reach a nice place to have lunch. Turning then on the other side of the valley it’s now the “Niwärch” that we follow through light forest and with the help of a torch even for ten exciting minutes through a long tunnel, avoiding so a very steep and exposed part of the early Niwärch aqueduct. Out in the sun again we enjoy even more the hiking part on a peaceful, sunny terrace with a great panorama to the Mischabel peaks including the Dom. Then like the precious water we now have to join the next village, Ausserberg, hiking down on some times a quite steep trail, closely watched by goats and ourselves watching out for rare birds like the hoopoe.