ViaBerna, Stage 2/20

The next stage runs from the watchmaking town of Tramelan up to the Montagne de Droit. You hike through the largest wind farm in Switzerland and then past a solar power plant to Mont Soleil. Finally, the stony path in the forest leads down steeply across the Jura fold to the little town of St. Imier.

The approximately 19-kilometre hike begins at Tramelan railway station. The yellow-waymarked trail leaves the town and climbs through the open Jura landscape to Prés Vannés. Between meadows, pastures and stretches of forest, it leads to the Buvette Chalet-Neuf and continues towards the Col du Mont Crosin. The broad uplands and elongated ridge of the Montagne du Droit characterise this first section.

From the pass, the route continues with steady ups and downs along the Jura ridge. Forest and open pasture alternate until the highest point is reached at Mont Soleil, at around 1,290 metres. After a little over three hours, most of the ascent has been completed.

The trail then descends via Mont-Soleil. The Belvédère is a good place for a break before the longer descent through the forest and finally into the streets of Saint-Imier. The tour ends at St-Imier railway station, near the Collégiale. The hike takes just over five hours in total and involves around 620 metres of ascent.