Hasle: Cultural Heritage and Trails Around Heiligkreuz
Accommodation in Hasle
Hasle brings together a range of themes in the village of Hasle and the districts of Habschwanden and Heiligkreuz: cultural heritage, forest trails, water and landscapes. Particularly distinctive are the protected townscape of Heiligkreuz and trails with different focuses—from pilgrimage traditions and protective forests to the changing surfaces of the barefoot trail. These themes offer clear starting points for culture and nature on a trip to Hasle.
The Municipality of Hasle and Its Districts
The municipality’s highest point is Fürstein, at 2,040 m, and its lowest is where the Entlen flows into the Kleine Emme, at 665 m. Numerous hamlets, isolated farmsteads and alpine farms shape its rural character. In the Canton of Lucerne, Hasle borders Doppleschwand, Entlebuch, Flühli, Romoos and Schüpfheim; in the Canton of Obwalden, Sarnen is a neighbouring municipality.
Heiligkreuz: Pilgrimage and a Protected Townscape
For more than half a millennium, Heiligkreuz has been the spiritual centre of the Entlebuch region. The present-day pilgrimage church dates from 1593. The nationally protected townscape lies at 1,127 m above sea level and includes a hospice, a farmhouse, a spa hotel and a multipurpose building alongside the church. As a lively meeting place, Heiligkreuz welcomes pilgrims, art enthusiasts and tourists.
Bridges also tell the story of the area’s construction history. The Graben Bridge dates from the 17th century and is one of the oldest wooden bridges in the Entlebuch still preserved in its original form. The restored Zwischenwassern Bridge is in the Farbschachen area. It takes pedestrians across the Entlen to the triple sports hall and the Farbschachen sports facilities.
Forest Trails with Different Focuses
The Seelensteg is a 500 m-long, slightly elevated walkway made from wood felled by Storm Lothar. Below Heiligkreuz, it winds through a forest of bilberries and ferns. The trail thus combines a distinctive story about its materials with a stretch of forest whose plants are reflected in the names of the walkway and its surroundings.
The Heiligkreuz Protective Forest Trail focuses on the role of the forest. Eight stations explain how protective forests prevent avalanches from starting, stabilise slopes, slow falling rocks and regulate water balance. The Oberstole section has a viewpoint, two fire pits with firewood, a fountain and a toilet. Check before your visit whether these facilities are available for use.
The marked Heiligkreuz Barefoot Trail is about 500 m long and follows narrow forest paths below Heiligkreuz to the Biberenbach. Along the way, the surfaces alternate between fir needles, moss and warm, damp mud. The Wurzilla Fairy-Tale Trail is aimed particularly at families with children aged four to ten. Another option is the Heiligkreuz–Farnere–First circular hike, which offers views of Schimbrig, Äbnistetteflue and Schafmatt.
The trails each have a different focus: the Protective Forest Trail offers information about the forest’s protective functions, while the Barefoot Trail is defined by its range of ground surfaces. Wurzilla names a specific age group as its target audience; the circular hike offers a distinct landscape focus, with its named viewpoints.
Getting to Heiligkreuz
You can reach Heiligkreuz from Hasle by postbus. Check the timetable before setting off to make sure your travel plans suit the time you wish to visit.
Discover more destinations: Romoos, Marbach, Escholzmatt, Werthenstein, Entlebuch, SchĂĽpfheim, FlĂĽhli.
Back to the main travel overview: Entlebuch.
