| Swiss Alpine Panorama Trail, Segment 18 – Rüeggisberg to Guggisberg. |
| Length: 10.5 miles (17 km); |
| Hiking Time: 5.5 h; |
| Ascent: 2,700 ft (820 m); |
| Descent: 2,100 ft (640 m); |
| Fitness Level: Medium. |
Swiss Alpine Panorama Trail, Segment 18, #1 – Rüeggisberg to Guggisberg. Today’s hike begins with a trip back in time to the ruins of the Rüeggisberg Priory (Monastery), built in the 1070s. During the Middle Ages, the Priory was an important power base in the region, but by the Medieval times of the 1500s, the facility was abandoned.
Swiss Alpine Panorama Trail, Segment 18, #2 – Rüeggisberg to Guggisberg. A map doesn’t show the views of long-distance trail hiking. From my vantage point, the trail for stage 18 is visible, along with the Guggershörnli at the end of today’s hike.
Swiss Alpine Panorama Trail, Segment 18, #3 – Rüeggisberg to Guggisberg. I cross a couple of architecturally significant bridges along the trail. The Rossgrabenbrücke bridge is the oldest concrete-ached bridge in the world and is listed as a Swiss Heritage Site.
Swiss Alpine Panorama Trail, Segment 18, #4 – Rüeggisberg to Guggisberg. This is the part of the hike where I settle in and enjoy the experience. As soon as I cross over a hill, I feel a difference in culture; the houses, cows, and the style of the area is new.
At the end of the video, I see people playing Hornussen. ‘Hornuss’ is like a cross between baseball and golf. Hornussen is an indigenous Swiss sport. The sport gets its name from the puck which is known as a “Hornuss” or “Nouss”. When hit, it can whizz through the air at up to 300 km/h and create a buzzing sound. Together with Schwingen (Farmer wrestling) and Steinstossen (Stone throwing), Hornussen is seen as a Swiss national sport.
Swiss Alpine Panorama Trail, Segment 18, #5 – Rüeggisberg to Guggisberg. Schwarzenburg has not changed too much in the last 100 years. With a population of just under 7,000 people, Schwarzenburg is the end of a train line back to Bern. As the only large town on Segment 18, this is a good place to provision.
Swiss Alpine Panorama Trail, Segment 18, #6 – Rüeggisberg to Guggisberg. Guggershorn or Guggershornli, both names are used. Is a rock projecting straight out of the top of the Guggershorn foothill. The tallest feature and with the best alp views, a steep staircase guides you up to the top. Supposedly, the first staircase up was built in 1828.
Swiss Alpine Panorama Trail, Segment 18, #7 – Rüeggisberg to Guggisberg. In the 1800s, Guggisberg was one of the poorest areas in the Canton of Bern. This is despite the association with the Vreneli, a gold Swiss Franc coin minted in the first half of the 1900s.