Читать книгу Switzerland's Jura Crest Trail. A two week trek from Zurich to Geneva онлайн

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The route from Brugg to Balsthal, covering the end of Stage 1 through to Stage 3, is less densely populated, passing over several cols which link the trail with local towns via public transport. Accommodation along the route is good, although you are limited in what is available. The trail is mostly wide, passing through woodland and farmland, undulating along the Jura crest. The oldest tree in Switzerland, the famous 800-year-old linden tree is passed on the outskirts of the small village of Linn, as you traverse remote, rolling alpine pastures and forests. Several geological interest points can be found along the route, with exposed limestone crags at the end of escarpments, in particular on the geology trail near Hauenstein. Military history is evidenced throughout Stage 3, as you follow the World War I road carved into the mountain below Belchenflue. Remains of a hilltop fortress are passed, comprising small bunkers and outbuildings. Grubens, large hidden holes dug in an attempt to prevent tanks from entering Switzerland in World War II, alongside ‘toblerone’ tank traps and deeply sunk metal defences, can also be seen in the area. As you near the end of Stage 3, prominent geological features, such as the summit of the Roggenflue (995m), lead to a dramatic descent deep into the gorge at Balsthal, with commanding views of the upcoming Stage 4 ascent of 700m along the knife-edge Hällchöpfli summit.