A 14-metre-high waterfall, an Ice Age lake and art by Cuno Amiet offer different highlights for a stay in Seeberg. The routes and topics range from a short trip to the water to hikes lasting several hours and discoveries in art history. When planning your day, it is worth weighing up walking time and your main interests rather than trying to fit every destination into one tour.
Waterfall, stream and swimming spots
The Mutzbach Waterfall is the only waterfall in the Oberaargau region. The easy hike to the waterfall takes about 30 minutes; as trail conditions can change, check them locally. At the waterfall, a pool and idyllic spots invite you to linger and swim. There are also numerous fire pits along the Mutzbach stream, so you can combine your outing with a break by the water. Swimming conditions may vary by season.
Burgäschisee: Ice Age, nature and protected area
Burgäschisee is a remnant of the Ice Age and a so-called kettle hole. The nature reserve includes a small lake that is popular for recreation. Rare plants such as sundew and cranberries grow nearby. Parts of the lake are a UNESCO World Heritage Site because a prehistoric settlement was found there. Natural history and protected status are therefore just as much a part of a visit as relaxing by the water.
On the eastern shore, by Restaurant Seeblick, an information board explains how the lake formed and describes the lives of the pile dwellers. As signage may be updated, check the information on site. There is a clear rule for swimming: swimming is prohibited in the Burgäschisee area outside the designated Seeberg-Badloch swimming area. Swimming and rowing are activities on the lake; when swimming, be sure to observe this designated rule.
Hiking times and traces of glaciers
The Amiet-Hesse Trail passes important painting locations of artists Cuno Amiet and Bruno Hesse. It includes an approximately one-and-a-half-hour circular walk around Oschwand and the hamlet of Spych, as well as a three- to four-hour hiking route through the Mutzgraben valley to the waterfall. These time estimates make the difference between a shorter circular walk and a longer hike clear. Check trail conditions locally for these routes too.
The erratic boulders on Steinenberg offer a different natural history theme: 25 of these boulders left behind by glaciers are protected and marked on maps. Steinenberg has a density of such boulders unmatched anywhere else in the canton of Bern. This offers a chance to turn your attention from waterscapes to geological traces of the Ice Age.
St. Martin’s Church and art by Cuno Amiet
The late Gothic St. Martin’s Church stands on the «Berg» hill above Seeberg and was consecrated in 1516. Inside is Cuno Amiet’s 1931 mural «Crucifixion and Resurrection». The church’s furnishings also include a baptismal font with blind tracery dating from 1530. The dates mark out different historical layers: the consecration of the church, the baptismal font and Amiet’s later mural.
Plan your stay and journey
When looking for a holiday apartment in Seeberg, the different time frames can help with your planning: about 30 minutes for the easy hike to the Mutzbach Waterfall, around one and a half hours for the circular walk, or three to four hours for the longer hiking route. Choose your focus based on the time you have for walking and whether you would rather centre your visit on water, natural history, hiking or art.
The municipality of Seeberg is connected to public transport by bus route 54, «Herzogenbuchsee – Seeberg – Riedtwil – Wynigen». Check the current timetable before travelling, as routes and services may change.
Discover more destinations: Wangen An Der Aare, Attiswil, Niederbipp, Wangenried, Wolfisberg, Wiedlisbach, Oberbipp.
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