Over the Jolimont to St. Peter's Island

Easy hike offering a wealth of experiences: colourful forests, a prehistoric cult site, magnificent views to the Jura, over Lake Biel and St. Peter's Island, an impressive castle complex and a world-famous island. When the water level of Lake Biel is very high, hiking along the Heidenweg is not recommended. At the beginning 1 km hard surface, then natural path.

From Gampelen station to the nearby village. The village name is of Roman origin (campellum = small field). Today, Gampelen is entirely devoted to intensive vegetable cultivation in the Grosses Moos. From the slightly elevated church, keep directly towards the forest and climb along the edge of the forest to the Schützenhaus. A forest road leads uphill in a steady gradient through Holenboden to the steep north-western flank of the hill ridge. As soon as the gradient eases, you turn at right angles and reach the height of the Jolimont. Low views confirm the different land-use strategies of the cantons of Bern and Neuchâtel: while Bern focused on agriculture, Neuchâtel allowed the construction of an oil refinery.
At Tüfelsburdi, one encounters an impressive group of erratic blocks. The largest of these arkesine blocks from the Val de Bagnes has a capacity of 315 m3. Research reveals an ancient cult site with several shell stones in the vicinity. Along the northern edge of the Jolimont estate, you reach the Erlachbänkli. Magnificent view of the castle and town of Erlach, as well as of the wide land bridge, which fell dry during the Jura water correction and over which today the dead-straight Heidenweg leads to the idyllic St. Peter's Island.