Towards the Blaueberg

Park at the Radmer car park, which you reach via a small tarmac road on the left as you leave Hofstetten (signposted ‘Berg699’)

(S/E) Follow the tarmac road as it climbs to the left towards Bergmatten for about 100 metres. You’ll come to a red bench, a carved tree trunk and a hiking signpost. Turn right onto the path leading uphill towards Bergmatten and Blauepass. Follow the Chälegraben, a small stream rushing through a steep-sided gorge. Keep following the Yellow Diamond signs. Alternate between the left and right banks via small wooden bridges and steps. Signposted ‘Spielwiese Bergmatte’. When you emerge onto a large clearing, continue along the edge of the forest until you reach some wooden log steps.

(1) Continue through the woods. When you reach a tarmac road, head up to the right to reach the Bergmatten restaurant or Berg699.

(2) Head towards the red bench and go through a small gate into a pasture – don’t forget to close it behind you. Walk straight up through the meadow. At the end, go through another gate.

(3) Turn left, following the Yellow Diamond (do not take the steps on the left). Once back in the forest, continue uphill to reach the Blauepass.

(4) Head off to the right, towards Mätzerlechrüz. Stay on the ridge path until you reach a crossroads.

(5) Leave the ridge briefly to stay on the path, which veers slightly to the right: to do this, follow the Yellow Diamond markings carefully. Return to the ridge and continue to the Mätzerlechrüz junction.

(6) Head off to the right towards Metzerlen and Rodersdorf. As you emerge from the forest onto a gravel track, turn right and continue for about a hundred metres until you reach the edge of the woodland and a crossroads marked by a stone cross.

(7) Turn left, skirting the edge of the forest, then head downhill into the woods. You’ll reach another crossroads with several routes.

(8) Take the^second path on the right towards Mariastein. You’ll reach a tarmac road at the edge of the woods.

(9) Turn right onto the stony track. Enter the forest again and continue on to return to the Radmer car park (S/E).

There are plenty of benches along this walk, and there are often spots where you can light a small fire and barbecue areas.

(9) If you turn left, after about 500 m, you can visit the Rotberg, a magnificent medieval castle which also serves as a youth hostel.