Giswil sits at the bottom of the Brünig road, and so it is a place where riders gather. The village, with about three and a half thousand people, lies in the valley of the Sarner Aa, at 485 metres, south of Lake Sarnen, between wooded hills and steep slopes. It is a quiet farming community in the canton of Obwalden, the heart of central Switzerland, and the main road runs through it on the way up to Lungern and the Brünig pass.
For the practical rider, Giswil is a gift. There are fuel stations, a bakery, small shops and a couple of inns, and it is the last easy place to fill up before the road climbs. Sarnen, the cantonal capital, is the nearest larger town, about eight kilometres north, with about nine thousand people and more choice. The lake at Sarnen is a good place to rest, with a lakeside walk and a shady park.
The riding begins at once. The road to Lungern climbs in a series of smooth bends beside the Lungerersee, a long, narrow lake with water of a deep green, then crosses the Brünig pass at around a thousand metres and drops into the Haslital near Meiringen. It is a gentle pass, wide and easy, but its corners are lovely, and in the early morning, with mist on the lake, it is one of the most pleasant rides in the Alps. The railway, a narrow-gauge line that climbs the pass with a cog section, runs alongside, and sometimes the trains and bikes share the same ridge.
Further afield, the Glaubenbielen road, the other half of the route, climbs west from Giswil through steep forest to a high pass, with narrow lanes, tight bends and a strong sense of being alone in the mountains. It closes in winter and can be icy until late spring. Giswil itself is a good base, and the evening light on the surrounding peaks is excellent.