Landscapes of Entlebuch
Along with the moors, untamed landscapes of forests and rivers define the topography of Entlebuch. The name «Entle-Buch» (which means ‘gushing’) derives from the eponymous Entle river, a branch of the Kleine Emme.
Haupttal: Pretty villages and farmland
The cultivated landscape of Entlebuch includes the typically dispersed farming settlements of the Haupttal, or main valley, through which the Kleine Emme flows. In the heart of the valley lies Schüpfheim. The structure of settlement conforms to Germanic patterns of population, whereby estates were utilised on the basis of individual farms. These dispersed settlements lie within a mosaic of agriculturally utilised meadows, forest islands, isolated trees, wayside crosses, hedgerows and streams. The shape of the main valley, with its gently rolling hills, is explained by its prehistory (ice age glaciers). It can be explored on the Geo-Pfad path.
Napfbergland: Lucerne’s wild west
Entlebuch is dubbed the ‘wild west’ of Lucerne – and the name is more than fitting for the Napfbergland region to the north of the main valley, which is characterised by many «Chrachen and Högern» (ravines and hills). Erosion produced deeply furrowed ranges of hills with deep and rugged ravines; the legendary Napf gold is found in its free-flowing rivers and streams. The Grosse Fontanne, the main river of the Napf region, is actually classified as a landscape of national importance on account of its wild and untamed dynamics. At 1,408 metres above sea level, the Napf is the highest elevation. While the hilltops are interspersed with isolated farmsteads and support agricultural usage, the slopes are mostly covered with a mix of conifers and deciduous trees. Alongside agriculture, forest exploitation is a pillar of the regional economy; there are several regional sawmills.
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Pre-alpine hill ranges and the Rothorn
The higher tributary valleys to the south of the main valley are even more primitive. The characteristic pre-alpine moorland that extends along the tributary valleys is partly responsible for Entlebuch’s status as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The moorland nestles amid a pre-alpine ridge of hills dominated by the impressive and unique Schratteflue with its typical pavements of Schrattenkalk limestone. The Rothorn range, the highest and southernmost range, forms a sharp ridge of dramatic alluvial fans and ruggedly rocky alpine landscapes dating back to the Alpine divide.
Recommended reading
- entleBUCH. Ueli Bieri. – A love letter to the landscapes, wildlife and plant life of Entlebuch, beautifully illustrated with watercolours. www.kunstundbieri.ch
- Zeitspuren im Entlebuch. Peter Hahn. Changes in the landscape are explained using historic and recent photos, covering such cultural themes as charcoal burning and Flühli glass. Haupt Verlag, 2011.
- Guide to plant life from our botanist friend Franz Portmann from Äschlismatt. See Pflanzenwelt der UNESCO Biosphäre Entlebuch, Franz Portmann. Haupt Verlag, 2018.
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