Blitzingen: Hiking and Local History

Blitzingen combines themed trails, winter hiking and local history. When planning your stay, you can compare the routes according to their respective focus: some pass hamlets, while others have a wintry or biographical emphasis.

Themed Trails and Winter Hiking

The Kneipp Trail Blitzingen is an easy themed trail, 2.85 kilometres long. One of its stops involves walking barefoot through cold mountain streams. It passes the hamlets of Wilere and Ammern and returns to the mountain village of Blitzingen via a hiking trail. Trail conditions may vary by season, as can water conditions; check both before setting out.

The Chastebiel loop is a 5.58-kilometre, moderately difficult route for winter hiking. It is therefore 2.73 kilometres longer than the Kneipp Trail and has a different focus: that trail is an easy themed route with Kneipp stations, while this one is for winter hiking. Winter trail conditions can also vary.

From Chastebiel, there are views down into the valley; visibility depends on the weather. Above the village, Chastebiel was once a meeting place for the Zehnden.

Cultural Trails and Local History

The Cäsar Ritz life trail leads to Blitzingen and continues from there down to Bodmen. Six information boards along the trail present milestones in Ritz’s life. The “Cäsar Ritz” trail is bilingual, self-guided and arranged chronologically. Among the themed trails, its focus is on milestones in Ritz’s life, while the Kneipp Trail includes walking barefoot through cold mountain streams as one of its stops.

Blitzingen was first mentioned in official records in 1347; its local Valais German name is “Blitzige”. The Chapel of the Holy Trinity in Bodmen was first mentioned in 1348. After the village fire of 1722, it was popularly known as the Chapel of St. Agatha. A different event shaped the Chapel of St. Andrew: an avalanche from the Wilerbach destroyed its roof and tower on 9 February 1984. The chapel was completely renovated from 1985 to 1987. Blitzingen and the Chapel of the Holy Trinity in Bodmen were first mentioned just one year apart; the later events are part of the histories of two different chapels.

The old village centre of Blitzingen was almost entirely destroyed by fire in 1932, with only the church and a few houses left standing; it was rebuilt in the Heimatstil (local heritage style) in 1933. The hamlets surrounding Blitzingen have remained almost untouched for centuries. On 1 January 2017, the former municipality of Blitzingen merged with Grafschaft, Münster-Geschinen, Niederwald and Reckingen-Gluringen to form the new municipality of Goms.

Cross-Country Skiing and Getting There

Blitzingen is located on the Goms cross-country ski trail, which is around 100 kilometres long. Cross-country skiing and the moderately difficult Chastebiel winter hiking route offer different activities. Blitzingen railway station is served hourly by the Matterhorn Gotthard Railway; check the timetable before travelling.

Discover More Destinations

Fieschertal, Reckingen, Niederwald, Münster-Geschinen, Obergesteln, Binn, Fiesch, Bellwald

For the main travel overview: Goms.