Hotel in Erlenbach im Simmental: Discover Culture and the Stockhorn

Culture

Directly below the village square stands Agensteinhaus. It was built after the village fire of 1765 and is a late-18th-century farmhouse in the Simmental style. The museum in Agensteinhaus features permanent exhibitions on carpentry, horse and cattle breeding, alpine farming, prehistory, traditional crafts and weaving.

Today’s Romanesque Church of St. Michael replaced a large masonry church in the 11th or early 12th century. Its nave walls feature a rare cycle of paintings depicting the medieval Christian doctrine of salvation. The Late Gothic murals in the church are more than 500 years old. Traces of the earlier wall paintings were rediscovered in 1901 after almost four hundred years and later restored. The west wall also features a monumental figure of Saint Christopher dating from 1420. The Church of St. Michael is generally open and can be visited individually almost at any time.

Below the Romanesque church lies the protected village center. It was established at least on the eastern side of the Wildenbach after the village fire of 1765. Cattle farming also has a long history: in the 16th and 17th centuries, farmers from Erlenbach drove cattle for export over the Alpine passes as far as southern Italy.

Trails and Stockhorn

The Simmental House Trail leads from Wimmis via Erlenbach im Simmental, Därstetten-Weissenburg and Oberwil to Boltigen. It mostly runs away from roads and brings the art of carpentry in the Simmental to life. An existing themed trail also leads through Grossdorf and Kleindorf from Erlenbach im Simmental.

In the Stockhorn area, hiking trails range from challenging mountain hikes to leisurely walks. The lower station of the Stockhorn cable car can be reached on foot from Erlenbach im Simmental railway station within 10 minutes; the route is signposted. The panoramic viewing platform on Stockhorn is easily accessible for wheelchair users, people with walking disabilities and families with strollers.

The wheelchair-accessible “No Limits See – Circular Trail” leads around Hinterstockensee. Along the trail, there is a quiz trail with 10 stations where children can learn about flora and fauna in a playful way and climb, slide and balance. The interactive “Habitats on Stockhorn” adventure trail provides information about geology, wildlife and plant life, mountain farming, weather and water.

Hinterstockensee can be reached on foot from the Chrindi middle station in five minutes; the route is therefore well suited to families and children. A trail to Oberstockensee starts at the same middle station and takes 40 minutes to walk.

Nature and Seasons

The “Alpine Flower Trail” is a short hike from the mountain station to Stockhorn. Over the course of the year, more than 100 different flowers can be observed there in their natural habitats. The Stockhorn area also has four snowshoe trails with varying levels of difficulty.

When ice conditions are good, Hinterstockensee is prepared for ice skating in winter. The Stockhorn area has prepared winter hiking trails around the frozen Hinterstockensee. In the Stockhorn area, a fishing permit is available only in connection with a train journey purchased at the lower station of the Stockhorn cable car; it entitles the holder to catch a maximum of 6 fish.

The Brünnlisau nature reserve encompasses a section of the Simme that extends across the municipalities of Diemtigen, Erlenbach im Simmental and Wimmis. Brünnlisau is a floodplain of national importance.

Other locations to choose from include Oberwil im Simmental, Horboden, Därstetten, Niederstocken, Oey, Diemtigen, Wimmis, Faulensee.

For the higher-level travel overview: Niedersimmental.