The best way to get around in the Emmental is by bike or on foot, both of which allow you to set your own itinerary and pace, and explore as much or as little as you want; stations at Bern, Langnau and Burgdorf have bikes for rent. A scenic train line between Bern and Luzern passes through Konolfingen and Langnau, while a branch line runs north from Langnau through Hasle to Burgdorf, shadowing the Emme through verdant countryside. Hourly postbuses from Marbach run through Schangnau to Kemmeriboden.

The umbrella tourist organization Pro Emmental is at Schlossstrasse 3 in Langnau (034/402 42 52, www.emmental.ch); they, and tourist offices in Bern and Langnau, heavily tout the hiking possibilities of the area, with maps and route suggestions galore. Walking through hillside pastureland from Burgdorf to Affoltern, for instance, takes about three hours; from Burgdorf along the riverbank to Hasle, or Walkringen (above Konolfingen) to Lützelflüh, a little less. For a ramble down the Emme from Langnau to Burgdorf, or a stiffer hike from Langnau up to the Napf, reckon on a leisurely six hours or more. For Fr.10 per person, and with 24 hours’ notice, Gepäck-Express (031/701 38 27) will pick up your bags from anywhere in the region and drive them up anywhere to 30km away, enabling you to spend the day unencumbered.

One of the more unusual ways to see the Emmental is from the back of a llama – Pro Emmental can set up a minimum of four people with a two-day llama trek for Fr.190 each, and can also put you in touch with companies running multi-day cycling or hiking adventure holidays in the area.