Muttenz - Arlesheim (Ruins and Ermitage)

Amazing hike to the south of Muttenz. Mainly forest trails with a mix of autumn-winter themes. Sceneries are splendid all around. Castle and ruins at Arlesheim are worth the visit. Ermitage Arlesheim is a wonderful place and is the main attraction of this hike.

"The Hermitage in Arlesheim is a place of peace and quiet, reflection and strength. It is the largest English landscaped garden in Switzerland. Its natural and cultural features were lovingly laid out in the 18th century, and its caves, cliffs, grottos, the Birseck Castle and its ponds set the stage for a romantic experience of nature. A walk through the gardens evokes a variety of moods, impressions, and associations with mythology, devotional life and medieval romanticism. The park's oldest archaeological finds date back to the middle Stone Age. The Ermitage in Arlesheim can look back on a colourful history spanning more than 200 years. It is the largest landscaped English garden in Switzerland. Ponds, caves, winding paths and idyllic nature enchant walkers and transport them to a mystical world full of secrets. A walk through the English garden at the Ermitage is like walking into another world. It is a very special place filled with mysticism and tranquillity. Numerous small natural caverns with romantic names serve as points of interest along the way: the Diana grotto, Apollo grotto, Proserpina grotto and Hermit’s grotto. The Apollo grotto was so named because of its topographical similarity to the area around Delphi and thus with the legend of the Oracle of Delphi. The Ermitage Arlesheim, with Birseck Castle once sitting atop the hill, was opened in 1785 and dubbed “Solitude romantique près d’Arlesheim” (romantic solitude close to Arlesheim). Its guestbooks show that the Ermitage attracted a large number of distinguished travellers from all over Europe and even Russia shortly after it opened. The buildings have been listed as historical monuments since 1999, and the grounds have also been made into a nature reserve. In addition to being a landscaped garden, the Ermitage is an important spiritual site. The heart of the power spot is just below the castle ruins near the “Temple rustique”.
It is also a place of peace and quiet, of relaxation and reflection."