M E D I A I N F O R M A T I O N – ALPKULTUR
Strong local and regional roots
AlpKultur – Building the future out of tradition
The broad Simmental is marked by nature, humanity, the Alpine and mountain
industry and sustainable tourism. Its inhabitants are proud of their traditions
and origin. The term AlpKultur ("Alpine culture") means bringing Alpine and
mountain economic life to guests and making the forgotten, the present and the
future come alive. In Lenk-Simmental, mountain railways are already included
with one overnight stay at a hotel. Select activities from the children's animation
programme are now free.
AlpErlebnis Betelberg
AlpKultur has many events to offer. One of these is AlpErlebnis Betelberg ("Alpine
Experience Betelberg"): on the gondola ride to Leiterli at Lenk, Mona the Cow and Flöckli the
Goat talk about their day-to-day lives in eight themed, lovingly decorated gondolas. Their entertaining
stories continue on the descent. (Lenk's mountain railways were awarded Seilbahnen Schweiz's
national "Swiss Mountain Award" for the AlpKultur gondola ride in 2013.) This summer, AlpErlebnis
Betelberg will be enriched by another attraction: "Find the original wooden toy cows and win
handsome prizes." Various original wooden toy cows will be scattered around the valley and mountain
station at Betelberg. Whoever finds them will get a double reward: amusing games of skill can be
tried out on the toy cows and there's a competition to enter. Or the unique glockenspiel at the
AlpKlang Ski Lift Leiterli. 2 – 3 times a day, a ski lift next to Leiterli mountain station leaps into
motion, sounding the bells attached to it and playing a well-known melody! A mad idea? A large
variety of enticing game and play stations are also offered at Betelberg at the AlpKlangspiel
Leiterli. Making noise is allowed at the sound chapel. Alphorn blasts, milk can drum sets, bells and
other unusual instruments invite you to make music. The AlpSpielplatz Leiterli (Leiterli "Alpine
playground") is a kid's paradise with its bouncy castle, mini-wooden chalets with Alpine telephones for
communication, slide, pyramid jungle gym, log bridges and net swing. The AlpRundweg Leiterli
(Leiterli "Alpine circular route") offers information stations about Lenk's history and Alpine culture
along with the grandiose panoramic view. This circular route adds to the variety of Alpine culture
activities at Betelberg. A racing Alpine descent on the 9 km route from Betelberg on the
"Trottibike" is a highlight for more than just kids 12 and up and the young at heart.
AlpKultur – Fun & games
The 7,000 m2, largely wheelchair-accessible AlpKultur playground and meeting place at Lenkerseeli
brings the alp into the valley. A reconstructed alp with a variety of play elements, fireplaces and one
of the oldest chalets in Obersimmental brings life on an alp from the mountains to the valley.
Numerous toys made of natural materials invite the whole family to indulge in fun and games: zip
wire, rope suspension bridge, water table, senses trail, hedge maze, climbing structures, wheelchair
1
seesaw, games van, play cable car, glockenspiel, crawling tunnels, and more. The popular
"Strubelibähnli," a miniature steam train, enhances the AlpKultur Lenkerseeli playground and meeting
place.
On Jaun Pass above Boltigen, the AlpKultur Adventure Trail Bruchmandli Jaun Pass leads
children on a playful trail through nature, from a pine cone train to a zip wire, from a climbing net to
an obstacle course. Illustrated plaques provide information about nature and the environment on Jaun
Pass and tell the story of Bruchmandli, the little gnome who has lived on the pass for many years.
Get to know local products and interesting places in Lenk in a fun way. On the AlpCatching treasure
hunt, you must follow clues to find the right spots and the right answers.
AlpKultur events
Simmental cows are famous all over the world. They are the main attraction of the Älplerfest,
which takes place every October. The election of Miss Lenk takes place alongside a variety of market
stalls and hourly "Zügleten" (cattle processions). Spectators choose the most beautiful cow out of 25
finalists from previous viewings. It's not the experts choosing here; different values apply. Charisma
and horn shape play a more important role!
At the AlpKultur Festival Lenk, visitors can participate in workshops to learn about the customs
and everyday life of Simmental. Participants can experience unusual customs like weaving, judging
cows (livestock judging with an expert) or a medicinal plant walk and salve preparation. The extensive
range of activities teaches kids how milk is turned into butter - or they can weave small rugs or place
mats.
After four months of summer grazing, Alpine herdsmen return from the chalets of Alp Dürrenwald
back to the valley in early September. At the St. Stephan Alpine descent outlook, roughly 300
cows carefully decorated with flowers and ribbons and proud herdsman in their traditional attire stand
together. The occasion is completed by the sounds of alphorn and yodelling, folk music and a variety
of market stalls with local products.
In early September, visitors await brisk market bustle at the railway station square in Boltigen: this is
when the Boltigen farmers' market takes place. Market stalls and a varied programme like
making cheese, riding horse-drawn carriages and a children's procession top off the farmers' market.
Every summer and autumn, Lenk-Simmental Tourism offers an AlpKultur Aperitif with tasting of
regional AlpKultur products from Lenk Milch and from Tschanz butcher's shop. A petting zoo and folk
entertainment round out the popular guest aperitif.
AlpKultur walking
New this summer, a mule train trek over Rawil Pass is available. This walking adventure makes it
possible to experience the historic mule track again for the first time. Walkers on the three- or fourday journey from Lenk to Sion or from Sion to Lenk are accompanied by three mules and a trail guide.
AlpnessTrail - the leisurely mountain walking route. Thirteen lovely and visually breath-taking
stages lead from Boltigen over Lenk to Lauenen and back to Boltigen via Saanen and Jaun Pass. The
route can also be walked in individual stages.
If you want to learn exciting and surprising facts about the architecture, Alpine culture, hot springs
and flora and fauna of Simmental, you can get it all through stories and experiences and on guided
excursions with trail guides.
The AlpKultur Bergbeizen Pass is a little challenge for every walking fan and family. This
walker's pass, included in the AlpKultur brochure, has a space for the host to validate for every visit to
and purchase at a mountain restaurant. If 8 out of 19 of the options in Simmental are visited,
participants will receive an exciting gift.
The 111 metre long and 111 metre high suspension bridge over the Morgeten River ravine, which
can be visited via Weissenburg or Oberwil, is a vertigo-inducing experience. This building work and
2
the restoration of the dry stone walls has reawakened the historic Bäderweg to new life and made it
accessible to walking tourism again.
Simmental's farmhouses shape the face of our landscape and can be admired throughout the whole
valley. The Simmental House Trail, from Wimmis to Boltigen or the reverse, and the
Obersimmental House Trail, from Boltigen to Lenk or the reverse, generally follow the Bern walking
trails and are marked by brown signposts. Information is available at www.hauswege.ch.
Over five thousand years ago, "Schnidi" the Stone Age man was already on the road high up in the
Lenk mountains. Today, Simmental impresses us with its diversity, from the mixed beech forests in
lower Simmental to the broad icescape of the Plaine Morte glacier on the border to Valais. Interesting
Simmental picture evenings with nature photographer Ernst Zbären.
Experience Alpine life
Temporary herdsman: slip into the role of Alpine herdsman or herdswoman - offered by Alp
Dürrenwald Adventure Day. You can spend one or two days accompanying the herding family
Moor on their alp above St. Stephan or helping them with all their work, whether making cheese,
milking, haying, driving home the cows and everything else.
AlpKultur's range of offers is constantly being expanded. It includes Alpine dairy visits
(middle/end of June to August) and "owning" a chosen cow for one alp season ( cow rental).
AlpKultur: traditional crafts
The Simmental crafts of paper cutting and pyrography can be experienced and learned under
professional supervision on various dates and workshops.
Three different Alpine culture museums in the valley present and inform viewers of the history
of Simmental, animal husbandry, crafts and an incredible journey through time to experience
Simmental's Alpine craftsmanship.
AlpKultur herbs & plants
Discover, observe and experience over 100 native and non-native medicinal plants. The idyllic and
varied garden of medicinal plants lies on a sun terrace above Simmental in rustic Weiler
Adlemsried in Boltigen. Guided tours and medicinal plant walks are available along with the
preparation of salves, tinctures and herbal salts.
Experience herbs in Simmental: the aroma of sun-kissed Alpine herbs harvested from
controlled organic cultivation in the Bernese Oberland wafts towards visitors at the SAH (Swiss Alpine
Herbs) production site.
AlpKultur culinary arts
A four-course menu can be enjoyed in three different restaurants on the AlpKultur Culinary Arts
Trail on the Stockhorn. The walk runs from the Stockhorn to Chrindi halfway station with stops of
one course each on the way. It's a combination of healthy movement and delicious regional cuisine.
At the Simmental Herdsman Supper, the restaurant Chemi-Stube in St. Stephan offers local
delicacies at a hearty supper in an Alpine atmosphere with folk entertainment.
LST / Marianne Tschanz-Rieder
More info at www.alpkultur.ch
Pictures from Lenk-Simmental can be downloaded from the following link:
http://www.swiss-image.ch/
Username: lenk
Password: simmental
3
Additional basic media texts available at
http://www.lenk-simmental.ch/de/Service/Medien/Medienmitteilungen/Basistexte
Lenk-Simmental Tourismus AG
Marianne Tschanz-Rieder, Marketing / Media Coordination, Tourist Center, CH-3775 Lenk im
Simmental
Tel. +41 (0)33 736 35 35, Fax +41 (0)33 733 20 27
m.tschanz@lenk-simmental.ch, www.lenk-simmental.ch
4