The back roads between Thun and Bern, Switzerland

Cycling past a village I spot a empty cornfield filled with dozens of cars parked across from a big barn. Better check it out.   
 

It's autumn and villages are celebrating the seasonal change with fests. 

Lots of pumpkins, gourds and strange-looking vegetables to choose from. Note: pumpkins and gourds are technically fruit but fall into the vegetable category. 

Huge tents are sheltering visitors. Sausages are being grilled and is smell is hypnotic. Unfortunately I recently ate. 

I come across this sign "Schloss Kiesen". These brown signs signify something of historic importance in Switzerland and it's normally open for visits so I make a detour. 

Hmmm, that's strange. A sign on the left of the driveway says "privat". That's no problem for me as I can plead ignorance of the word "privat".

Wow, look at this place. It dates back to the 17th century. It looks really rundown. 

It was empty for 20 years (from 1975-1995). In 1995 a local quarry company bought the property. What the heck are they waiting for?--bring it back to its glory!

In the same village as Kiesen castle (Kiesen, population 1,000) I come across this museum. The second floor is an apartment and a woman on the balcony yells out the museum is only open two afternoons a week.

The small building on the left is part of the museum. So, what is the museum?

Wow, this dinky museum is Switzerland's National Dairy Museum. What's here? It houses, in its original state, the first cheese dairy built in 1815. Emmental cheese (which you can buy in the USA along with Gruyere) is produced in this region. 

I'm approaching Worb, population 11,000, and stop a couple cycling. I ask, "Is that a castle up on the hill in the distance?".  I learn I'm right and wrong. Up on the hill to the left you can see a brown pointed roof peeking out--that's Worb Castle. On top of the hill to the right--that's just a big house--it's owned by a wealthy former newspaper owner. "Can I visit the castle?, I ask. Turns out it's privately-owned.

Of course I have to cycle up to Worb Castle (dates back to 1130) to get a better look. After having visited hundreds and hundreds of castles I've learned finding the right way up to a  castle can be a frustrating ordeal. This road ends at an unrelated barn so, the search is on. 

I found the correct way up. This is the entrance to the castle.

Closer view of the castle's entrance. I spot six mailboxes to the right so, I'm assuming (though I've been known to assume wrongly) it's been divided into six apartments.

I'm passing through Bern, the capital of Switzerland, and this is the Capitol Building. I've posted about Bern many times so, why this photo? Normally when I'm here the square in front of the building is filled with demonstrations, protesters, market stalls etc... messing up my opportunity to snap of photo without all the clutter. One time it was jam-packed with farmers and their tractors complaining about something. Note: Swiss farmers are heavily subsidized by the government. 

I've passed many a chicken farm but, this modern range-free facility about 10 miles from Bern looks impressive.

The chickens come and go on their own out of the new building with a huge expanse of fenced-in land to roam. Don't know why they hang out in the dirt instead of all that green grass in the distance. 

The chickens reside in the far-end of this building. I go inside this door and find a self-serve shop. Would like to know what's upstairs--could it be an apartment? 

At the far end of this mini-shop I see a sign reading "Little Town Coffee Shop". It's closed.  

A large selection of eggs are for sale but what intrigues is the display of various size eggs. Stores normally carry medium, large and extra large size. Is that a turkey egg at the end?

I wonder why turkey eggs aren't sold in stores. I learn turkey eggs are just as good as chicken eggs. So what's the problem? Turkeys lay eggs only twice a week and take up a lot more room on a farm (thanks for the info Google). 

Thun, Switzerland (Part 2)

 

I'm still in Thun and can see the church dominating the hill with the castle to the left. 

Making my way up to Thun castle (12th century) I notice something. Back in medieval times it was a big deal to be top dog. I've been to many, many towns where the church dominates the heights but in this case the castle has the upper hand (upper land). 

Wow, looking up the steep castle wall I wonder if Spiderman could scale it.  

Inside the castle courtyard.

This is the path from the castle to the church--which goes DOWN to the church. 

Church on the hill.

View of the castle from the church.

View from church looking down to the Aare river.

Workers are setting up some kind of fountain display in the middle of the river. I bet after dark it'll be colorful.  

This is the second of two covered bridges over the Aare river

This surfer is holding onto to a rope attached to the bridge. 

Thun, Switzerland (Part 1)

 

It's early in the morning and the sun has yet to rise above the hills surrounding Thun (population 43,000). I'm in central Switzerland on the edge of Lake Thun where the Aare river flows out of the lake and through Thun's town center. It's about 30 miles around Lake Thun and it's on my list of cycling trips still to do.

Nice home with sculpture. But, I'm on a bike path along the river and I'm pretty sure it doesn't belong to house.

Going into Thun's old town I see a castle on a hill along with a fortified medieval wall. 

It's market day and the old town center is waking up.

Whoa, check out this lion.

Here's a closer view of the nasty-looking lion sticking out his tongue and brandishing an axe. 

There's the castle--you can be sure I'll be checking it out. 

Built in the 16th century, that's city hall with the clock.  

Always like to check out farmer's markets. See that glass display case on the right?

Oh baby! I get one of these homemade goodies and it's historic! The guy in the previous photo makes 'em. What do I do? I buy four more. 

This is one of two covered bridges over the Aare river in downtown Thun. No, that's not your imagination--that's a guy in a wetsuit on a surfboard.

Must be a half-dozen surfers in the water. Up on the hill is a church which I'll be checking out.

Balsthal, Switzerland (castles galore)

In my previous post I cycled out of a long narrow valley and now I'm coming down into Balsthal (population 6,100). I see this castle off in the distance and it makes me scratch my head. Why is this castle so far away from town? What strategic importance does it provide so far away from town? I better check it out. 
 

The ruins of Neu-Falkenstein castle dates back to 1100. Why is it here? Behind the first two houses there's a two lane road leading out of the valley. That explains--it did have strategic importance. 

Leaving Balsthal via another road I pass Alt-Falkenstein castle. Built around 1100 it guarded another entrance to Balsthal.

The only way up to Alt-Falkenstein castle is via a walkway and I waste 20 minutes trying to find the pathway. 

I stop a few miles from Balsthal and look back. Whoa, I spot a castle up on the hills.  

Using the zoom lens on my camera I snap a photo. I later learn it's Neu-Bechburg castle and dates back to 1280. It went through a slew of owners and is now owned by a foundation--which rents it out for marriages. 

Coming to this roundabout I see this javelina. I grew up up in Arizona and that's what they call 'em. I know Switzerland has wild pigs as you can buy them in supermarkets in the winter--usually in a sauce and meat is tough. 

I haven't seen my friend outside a pastry shop in quite a while. 

Passing through a tiny village I spot a castle in the distance.

I asked three locals how to get up to the schloss (castle) but no one can tell me. I'm pretty sure it's private.