Chessiloch and the Karst Nature Trail give Grellingen two distinct travel highlights: military-historical memorials and trails through a cave landscape. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Grellingen, it helps to decide first whether local history or hikes should shape your stay.
Chessiloch and Grellingen’s Local History
The Chessiloch heraldic rock formation is considered unique throughout Switzerland and is one of the country’s most significant military-historical cultural monuments. Around 60 memorials were painted or carved into the stone there during the mobilisation period. Since the site was restored in 1934, the Chessilochschiessen shooting event has been held annually; it commemorates guard duty during the two World Wars. The site thus brings together memorials from the mobilisation period and a recurring commemorative tradition.
The Church of St. Laurentius is also part of local history: it was consecrated on 10 August 1836. Glögglifels is another of Grellingen’s attractions. The village and municipal community are in the canton of Basel-Landschaft and belong to the district of Laufen. Grellingen was first mentioned in a document on 18 August 1274; its traditional village nickname is «die Brääglede».
Hiking between the Birs, cliffs and caves
A route from Grellingen railway station follows the Birs to Chessiloch; from there, the first caves, Heidenküche and Kohlerhöhle, are not far away. The «Chessiloch & Chaltbrunnental» hike also starts at Grellingen railway station. In the picturesque Chaltbrunnental, the trail follows the streambed. The large Chessiloch Wappenfelsen barbecue area is beside the Birs at the foot of Wappenfelsen and serves as a starting point for the Karst Nature Trail. Check local notices about the barbecue area before your visit.
More than a dozen information panels in Brislachallmet and Kaltbrunnental explain the geology, the caves’ delicate ecosystem, how they formed and the light-shy creatures that live in them. Along the Karst Nature Trail between Zwingen and Grellingen, you can see steep cliff faces, clayey caves and clear springs. The Karst Nature Trail association offers guided tours with specially trained trail guides. If you are planning a guided tour, check availability before your trip.
Hike or e-bike cultural tour
The BLKB-Bänkli hike from Hochwald to Grellingen is listed as 15.56 kilometres long and taking 4.83 hours. It runs from Nenzlingen via Felsenagger down to Grellingen and can also be completed in reverse. Both the route and the time required for this hike are specified.
Another option is the e-bike cultural tour, which follows the Birs to Grellingen via Veloland Route 23. Comparing the options lets you weigh a hike with a specified distance and duration against an e-bike cultural tour. The hike through Chaltbrunnental, meanwhile, follows the streambed and offers a different landscape focus.
Getting oriented and travelling there
Grellingen is on the Basel–Delémont railway line, which was inaugurated on 23 September 1875. For orientation, Basel city is 15 kilometres from Grellingen, while Laufen, the district capital, is nine kilometres west of Grellingen. You can travel to Zwingen on the Regio-S-Bahn for the Karst Nature Trail; the return journey by public transport is from Grellingen. Check current connections before setting out.
The «Chessiloch & Chaltbrunnental» hike starts in Grellingen. For the Karst Nature Trail, plan to travel to Zwingen and return from Grellingen. This lets you coordinate your search for a holiday apartment with your planned day’s activities, without combining the different tours into a single route.
Discover more destinations: Laufen, Duggingen, Liesberg, Zwingen.
Go to the main travel overview: Laufen.
