Burgäschisee is a small, quiet lake on the border between the cantons of Bern and Solothurn, surrounded by reeds, woods and farmland. It would be easy to ride past without noticing, but it holds a secret: along its shores, archaeologists have found the remains of Neolithic villages built on piles, dating back more than five thousand years. The eastern shore site, Burgäschisee Ost, is one of the components of the Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps World Heritage site, listed by UNESCO in 2011. There is nothing much to see on the surface, as the remains lie underwater or in the soft ground, but the peaceful setting makes it easy to imagine the wooden houses, canoes and fishing nets of those early farmers.
The lake is a nature reserve, home to birds, frogs and dragonflies, and in summer there is a small swimming area where locals come to cool off. A path runs around the shore, a pleasant walk of about an hour, through reeds and woods.
The area around is the Oberaargau, a gentle region of rolling hills, farms and villages, with the Jura mountains rising to the north and, on clear days, the Bernese Alps visible to the south. To the east lies the Emmental, famous for its cheese with holes, its wooden farmhouses with huge roofs and its winding roads through green hills. Herzogenbuchsee, the nearest town, is a small, friendly place with shops and cafés.
The riding here is relaxed and pleasant, on quiet roads with gentle bends, through farmland and forest. The roads into the Emmental are more interesting, with more curves, climbs and views. Swiss roads are generally in excellent condition, but speed limits are strict and enforced with cameras and heavy fines, so keep an eye on your speed. A vignette is required for motorways.
Herzogenbuchsee has fuel, shops and restaurants; the villages around have small shops and inns. Try a plate of rösti, crispy potatoes, or a slice of Emmental cheese with bread. The weather is variable, with rain likely at any time of year; summers are warm, winters cold, with occasional snow. Spring and autumn are lovely, with blossom in the orchards or golden leaves in the forests. Bring a swimsuit in summer and take a dip in the lake.