The best road cycling routes around Val Terbi

Beautiful on both sides! From Mervelier, you first have to conquer a few short, steep ramps, then the road flattens out and you go directly along the stream through the narrow valley. From the Scheltenmühle onwards, it climbs steeply again; there are 300 meters of altitude gain from there to the pass crossing. At the very top, a short detour to the Vorder Erzberg mountain inn is worthwhile. There you can refuel and enjoy a fantastic view towards Passwang.

Newly paved cycle path between Grellingen and Dugingen

“Behold, the Heart of the Redeemer – an understandable sign of his invincible love and an inexhaustible source of true peace. In him, ‘the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily’ (Col 2:9). The peace that Christ brought to the earth comes precisely from this fullness and this love. It is the gift of a loving God who loved humanity in the heart of his only-begotten Son. ‘He is our peace’ (cf. Phil 2:14) – cries Saint Paul. Yes, Jesus is peace, he is our reconciliation. (…) As we venerate his Most Sacred Heart today, we pray earnestly for peace: first for peace in our hearts, but also for peace in our families, in our country, and throughout the whole world: Heart of Jesus, our peace and our reconciliation, have mercy on us!” (Address by Pope John Paul II on June 7, 1999, in Thorn)

The night of the summer solstice in 1984 was dramatic and ominous. Flames shot into the sky above Angenstein Castle, sparks flew through the thick clouds of smoke, and the old castle chapel crackled in the heat. Two precious bells, which had rung out across the valley for centuries, suddenly fell silent. When the smoke cleared, they had vanished. The residents were baffled. No one knew whether thieves had taken advantage of the confusion or whether an ancient curse had completed the work of destruction. The report on SRF: https://www.srf.ch/play/tv/schweiz-aktuell/video/mysterioeser-fund?urn=urn:srf:video:f2e42c17-9264-407f-a914-8eb7cd0d9cf4

There are better places to admire the Birs: It's always quite busy and there's heavy traffic here. Therefore, I recommend: Take a look as you drive by and move on.

With the construction of the new railway line between Aesch and Grellingen, the cycle path was also renovated. It is now completely paved. In Grellingen, near the former paper mill, the path connects to the railway line in such a way that crossing the tracks is no longer necessary. A great connection and very safe, much better than the parallel Grellingerstrasse road above.

The medieval Angenstein Castle belongs to the Canton of Basel-Stadt and is not open to the public. However, the castle can be viewed quite well from the outside, and rooms can be rented for events. The name means 'narrow stone' and comes from the narrow passageway on the site. Throughout its history, it has been burned down, destroyed, and rebuilt many times. The last fire occurred in 1984. The castle also houses rental apartments, and below it lies the Angenstein fortification – a military historical monument of national importance. Bunkers from the Second World War are visible; the painted facades were only added in the 1960s. The Muggenberg bunker complex is visible opposite.

In Séprais, there are several locations where you can admire sculptures by various artists. https://balade-seprais.ch