Switzerland's Jura Crest Trail. Ali Rowsell
Stage 12 Col du Mollendruz to Col du Marchairuz
Stage 13 Col du Marchairuz to Saint-Cergue
Stage 14 Saint-Cergue to Nyon
Appendix A Accommodation
Appendix B Useful contacts
Appendix C Glossary
ROUTE SUMMARY TABLE
The end of the journey at Lake Geneva (Stage 14)
INTRODUCTION
The Jura Crest Trail, one of seven Swiss national long-distance walking trails, delivers wondrous panoramas as you ascend, traverse and descend summits and mountain passes along the 310km trail. The day-to-day journey can be a challenge, with up to 1700m height gain in one day, but when you take in the immense views of the Jura range, the peaks and ridges of the Alps on the horizon, and across the Rhône valley, the sense of achievement more than compensates. Exertion apart, the trail does provide an enjoyable and relaxed trek as due to its location and access points, should you wish to, you can descend at any time.
That is, if you can pull yourself away. The route is a rolling showcase of natural features including deep gorges, mountain streams, glistening lakes (including the largest mountain lake in Switzerland above 1000m), tranquil forests, extensive alpine pastures and craggy exposed cliffs. A great pleasure of the Jura Crest Trail is derived from the many changes in its character as it moves from the north-east to the south-west. Throughout the Jura, nature reserves and protected areas are enforced to ensure wildlife and flowering plants are safeguarded. Made up of limestone, perfect growing conditions exist for a wide variety of flowering plants, and wildflowers are a particular point of interest here with over 950 flowering plant species.
View east from the highest peak of the range, Mont Tendre (Stage 12)
Information at a glance
Currency: Swiss Franc (CHF), although the euro is commonly accepted, especially at large hotels.
Formalities: Western European and UK passport holders do not require a visa to enter Switzerland, whereas citizens of Canada, the USA, Australia and New Zealand can stay for up to three months without a visa.
Health precautions: Healthcare in Switzerland is private, therefore expect to pay if you require treatment. It is important to be adequately insured. The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) grants access to healthcare at a reduced cost, although it is possible that arrangements may change after the UK leaves the EU.
International dialling code: Contacting Switzerland from the UK using a phone, dial 0041, ensuring you ignore the initial 0 on the remaining telephone number. Dialling a phone number in the UK from Switzerland is the same, except the dialling code is 0044.
Languages: Two languages are spoken along the Jura Crest Trail: German from Stages 1–5, and French from Stages 6–14, although English is understood and spoken throughout.
Phones: Phone boxes can be found throughout Switzerland, many of which are operated by phone card, which can be purchased at post offices, train stations and convenience stores.
Tourist information: Switzerland Travel Centre is the main tourism company based in the UK, working directly with Switzerland Tourism and Swiss Federal Railways. See www.switzerlandtravelcentre.co.uk.
The Jura Crest Trail
The Jura Crest Trail, linking Zurich with Geneva, is also known as the Jura High Route (Swiss Route 5). At 310km in length and with over 13,500m of ascents on easy hiking paths, the trail requires a medium level of fitness. The route passes through two language regions – German and French – with the language border lying at Montagne de Romont (Stage 5); as the border divides cantons, the language merges and you will find some German-speaking on the French side and vice versa. The Jura Crest Trail interlinks through two cities along the route – Baden and Brugg – enabling access to a range of accommodation and transport to assist with the planning of your hike. Alongside mountain villages and passes, with bus routes and simple accommodation, there are also descents through small towns where provisions can be picked up on route.
The trail is regarded as the Swiss classic long-distance path, with waymarkers plotting the route as early as 1905, making the route fairly easy to navigate. Transport provisions at the beginning and end of the route are very good. The start point, Dielsdorf (15km from Zurich), and the finish point, Nyon (26km from Geneva), are both near to international airports and train stations that are connected with most countries in Europe. Regional trains are easily linked with local trains and post buses to provide widespread and regular transport from most of the start and finish points of each stage, as well as along the trail where small towns and mountain passes are crossed.
Looking east towards the Lägern ridge from Baden (Stage 1)
The Jura mountains form a range of ancient folded strata creating an arc from the Rhine valley in the north-east to the Rhône valley south-west, along the border between Switzerland and France. The word Jura originates from the Latin term juria, meaning ‘forest’. The Jura has also been regarded as the Jurassic Alps because of the geological timescale in which they evolved. Characteristic of the Jura are combes, sequences of geologic folds, dry valleys or depressions of limestone rolling and undulating along the high plateau. These relatively flat high-altitude features enable maximum access and enjoyment of the trail by all abilities and offer spectacular views across the Alps to the Rhône valley, the Black Forest, the Vosges and five lakes: Bielers, Lac de Neuchâtel, Lake Geneva (Lac Léman), Lac de Joux and Lac Brenet.
Beginning in the town of Dielsdorf, Stage 1 starts with navigating the cobbled streets of medieval Regensberg, a hilltop fortified village, before ascending and traversing a narrow, wooded ridgeline with intermittent views across to the Bernese Oberland. Towards the end of the Lägern ridge you approach the only mountain hiking graded part of the trail, involving the option of scrambling and descending a rocky ridgeline. Alternatively, the terrain to the northern side of the slope is an easier option to descend into Baden. The second half of the trail is wide and easy to walk, gently meandering through a variety of farmland, forest and passes through two large towns, Baden and Brugg, offering plentiful amenities, accommodation and transport options.
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,